Groups say philanthropists trying to boost local news shouldn’t leave minorities behind

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Organizations representing minority journalists say they’re worried that a recently-announced $500 million initiative designed to boost local news would leave them behind. The groups, representing Black, Hispanic, Asian and Indigenous journalists want the group of 20 funders, led by the Knight and MacArthur foundations, to be more explicit in making their communities a priority. The funders have pledged to move resources to newsrooms that are “improving diversity of experience and thought.” Martin Reynolds of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education says studies have shown that philanthropists tend to favor organizations run by whites for funding, and place more restrictions on how many is spent when grants are made to minority-run outlets.