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| Benjy Hamm |
Director, Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues
The media world has changed significantly since Al Cross began serving as the first director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues in 2004.
But even then, Al and other founders of the Institute understood the critical importance of supporting journalists in rural communities so they could provide quality coverage for readers, listeners and viewers. In many ways, the Institute’s founders were ahead of the times.
Since 2004, many communities have become news deserts while surviving news organizations have struggled to remain profitable and retain their audiences. The loss of thousands of journalists has been alarming and disheartening.
The financial difficulties and audience changes are not exclusive to newspapers. Cable and satellite TV subscriptions continue to plunge due to cord-cutting. Numerous online news organizations have laid off employees because they can’t make a profit. And almost every form of media is having to respond to an upheaval in a business model that had worked for decades.
When any local business declines or cuts staff, it can hurt the community. But the loss of journalists and news coverage in rural areas creates even deeper problems. It can result in less-informed residents, a decline in government transparency and responsiveness, and a void in trusted news that could be replaced by rumors and falsehoods.
That’s why journalists and trusted news organizations are more important now than ever. And that’s also why the Institute’s role in supporting journalism is more important now than even in 2004.
I took over as director of the Institute on Aug. 16. But it’s not accurate to say I’m replacing Al Cross. There’s no way to replace Al and his unique combination of expertise, skills, passion, commitment and work ethic.
Instead, my role will be to build on the foundation established by Al and others and help the Institute meet the rapidly changing needs of journalists, journalism students and news organizations, as well as the communities they serve.
The Institute has a wide reach – as organizer and host for the National Summit on Journalism in Rural America, as a resource for journalists across the country needing advice and expertise on a variety of issues, and as publisher of The Rural Blog and Kentucky Health News.
But the Institute is evolving as the needs of the journalists and news organizations it serves change. In a recent column, Al wrote about how the Institute has added to its mission the goal of sustaining rural journalism. As Al described it, “That means not just helping rural newspapers survive, but helping communities sustain local journalism that supports democracy.”
It’s a goal both simply stated and yet extraordinarily complex.
But sustaining local journalism is not only important for journalists and news organizations; it’s crucial to building stronger rural communities and a stronger Kentucky. Often, the local newspaper is the only news organization in rural communities with reporters who cover local government, education or health news.
The mission of sustaining quality journalism is a high calling. I’m looking forward to working with professional and student journalists who are working hard to keep their communities informed about important news and issues.
One of my first priorities as director of the IRJCI will be to expand our outreach. In my previous role as editorial director of Landmark’s community news division, I traveled frequently to communities where our journalists worked, helping with regional and on-site training, critiques, management issues, audience research and reader forums.
I plan to continue those types of visits as director of the Institute and in my role as extension associate professor at the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky.
We’re still early in the process of exploring ways the Institute can grow and change as it builds on its 20-year foundation. Al had already begun to lead those changes, and he will continue to serve part-time for another year as director emeritus and chief supporter of the Institute and its mission. I’m glad he will be nearby and closely involved as we determine the best course for the future.
Please reach out if we can help as you and your news organization continue your noble work – to provide local journalism that supports democracy in the communities you serve.
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