Poynter, Cronkite Partner on Faculty Exchange

The Poynter Institute and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University have formed an alliance to improve the teaching and training of journalists in the digital media age. The first phase of the new partnership will consist of a faculty exchange, with members of the Poynter faculty visiting the Cronkite School in Phoenix several times a semester to give lectures, visit classes and meet with faculty and students. In turn, Cronkite faculty will teach seminars and consult with faculty and staff at Poynter’s headquarters in St. Petersburg, Fla. The exchange will begin in January 2012 when Cronkite Dean Christopher Callahan will join Poynter faculty in teaching “A New Curriculum for a New Journalism” seminar, part of its College Educator Seminar Series. Stephen Buckley, dean of faculty for the Poynter Institute, will come to the Cronkite School later in the semester to conduct a lecture on leadership in a new media age, consult with faculty and speak to students. Poynter faculty member Regina McCombs also will give a series of talks about mobile content and technology in the spring semester. Other exchanges will take place throughout the spring, summer and fall of 2012. The partnership is expected to evolve into other areas, such as journalism research and the development of online training programs. In addition, Poynter will consider hosting some of its highly regarded training programs at the Cronkite School, making them more accessible to West Coast audiences. Cronkite Dean Christopher Callahan called the partnership between one of the nation’s top journalism schools and the nation’s leading professional training institute for journalists “a natural.” “We are honored to partner with the Poynter Institute, which has added so richly to journalism over the years through its superb news training and development programs,” Callahan said. “We’re looking forward to working closely with our Poynter colleagues on our shared mission to improve, expand and evolve journalism in the digital age.” Buckley said the partnership “is a terrific opportunity for both institutions to combine our formidable brain power to do some great work together. The Cronkite School is one of the world’s pre-eminent journalism schools, and we’re thrilled to be working with its leadership and faculty.” The Poynter Institute is a nonprofit school dedicated to teaching and inspiring journalists and media leaders. It promotes excellence and integrity in the practice of craft and in the practical leadership of successful businesses. The 36-year-old school, which owns the Tampa Bay Times, teaches journalism skills and values to thousands of people around the world every year through its in-person seminars and online offerings. With 1,300 undergraduate and graduate students, the Cronkite School is one of the largest and most recognized journalism schools in the country. Faculty include a number of former top editors and media leaders, including Leonard Downie Jr. of The Washington Post; Tim McGuire of the Minneapolis Star Tribune; Rick Rodriguez of the Sacramento Bee; William K. Marimow of The Philadelphia Inquirer, National Public Radio and The Baltimore Sun; Retha Hill of Black Entertainment Television Interactive; Dan Gillmor of the San Jose Mercury News; and Aaron Brown of CNN. The school’s professional programs include multimedia news bureaus in Phoenix and Washington as well as labs devoted to innovation and entrepreneurship, broadcast news and public relations.