Author: Belinda Clarke

Medill Magazine Issue 88

Fashion insider Ed Filipowski (BSJ83)’s had a haute career. As the president and chief strategist of KCD, a fashion public relations agency that specializes in event production and digital services, he takes care of two kinds of clients: the designer or the fashion house. Filipowski credits his journalism roots for helping him respect both journalism codes and the integrity of fashion in his role, and believes a bottom line in fashion is identifying and promoting good stories.

This issue’s guest letter features Kurt Soller (BSJ08), an editor at Bloomberg’s Etc., who helps celebrate the fashion-related accomplishments of Medill’s alumni by bringing readers back to the un-fashionable days of college life. He shouts-out to, “bell bottoms, popped-collar polos, Ugg boots, North Face puffers and leggings warn as pants,” and the fact that while Medill isn’t a fashion journalism school, it has produced some of the country’s fashion greats.

Other highlights include Cristiana Lacayo (BSJ05, IMC06) on her family’s 80-year battle for freedom of expression in Nicaragua, Lee Whack (MSJ11) on the hard lessons learned at Medill and soon-to-be IMC grads who networked with alumni at top media companies in New York City.

Read these stories and more in this issue of the Medill Magazine.

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Medill Magazine Issue 87

Northwestern University alums, Sarah Adler (BSJ13) and Mackenzie Barth (C13), founders of Spoon University magazine are “helping students eat intelligently.” They are building the ultimate food website for college students and over the past year have created a web magazine with a national audience and rapidly growing network of affiliated colleges throughout the country.

From the Bard to the Big Ben, London is steeped in the kind of history of which most American cities can only dream. But the London of today is something entirely different- a cutting-edge melting pot that offers work and cultural experiences on a global scale. The city by the Thames is home to four Medill alums who told us about their lives and careers abroad.

In January, students, faculty, staff, donors and university leaders celebrated the launch of Medill’s first research center, the Medill IMC Spiegel Digital and Database Research Center. It was also an opportunity for the center to share research findings on how mobile and social media engagement, affect purchase behavior.

Read these stories and more in issue 87 of the Medill Magazine.

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Medill Magazine Issue 86

Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals BHAGs. As executive editor of LinkedIn, Daniel Roth (BSJ95) has overseen two successful BHAGs that have helped propel the social network into the uncharted territory of content creation and customized content delivery as a part of LinkedIn’s broader content strategy. Find out how he is helping to make LinkedIn a destination for compelling content in the professional world.

Indianapolis Star publisher Karen Crotchfelt (BSJ92) is leading the Gannett-owned paper past a season of tumultuous cutbacks into new territory. Laying out what could be a roadmap of survival for the metro daily in a digital world.

Read those stories and more in issue 86 of the Medill Magazine.

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Medill Magazine Issue 85

Twenty years ago, the Northwestern News Network was nothing more than an idea in Linton Johnson’s (BSJ95) head. But in the fall of 1993, he, Mary-Jo Lipman (BSJ95), Aimee Nuzzo (BSJ95) and a handful of other students brought NNN to life. Twenty years later, some of the founding members provide an oral history of the first year of NNN as part of Medill’s Magazine’s special NNN section. Plus, hear from a collection of alumni about their favorite NNN memories and how NNN helped prepare them for success after college.

Also in this issue, go behind-the-scenes with Rance Crain (BSJ60) as he gets inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame, learn why Marcela Aguilar (IMC02) was named to Advertising Age’s list of “Women to Watch” in 2013, get a glimpse of a day in the life of Melina Kolb (MSJ09) as she finishes her documentary on Sue Duncan – the mother of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan – and find out what it is like to live and work in Dallas.

Read those stories and more in Issue 85 of the Medill Magazine.

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Struggling Communities Hardest Hit by Decline in Local Journalism

Post author By Belinda Clarke
Post date August 5, 2022
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Newspaper map showing hardest hit communities.

Medill Project Researches the State of Local News in 2022

The United States continues to lose newspapers at a rate of two a week, further dividing the nation into wealthier, faster growing communities with access to local news, and struggling areas without, according to a report on the state of local news from Medill.

Between the pre-pandemic months of late 2019 and the end of May 2022, more than 360 newspapers closed, the report by Medill’s Local News Initiative found. Since 2005, the country has lost more than one-fourth of its newspapers and is on track to lose a third by 2025.

Most of the communities that have lost newspapers do not get a print or digital replacement, leaving 70 million residents – or a fifth of the country’s population – either living in an area with no local news organizations, or one at risk, with only one local news outlet and very limited access to critical news and information that can inform their everyday decisions and sustain grassroots democracy. About 7 percent of the nation’s counties, or 211, now have no local newspaper.

“This is a crisis for our democracy and our society, said Penelope Muse Abernathy, visiting professor at Medill and the principal author of the report. “Invariably, the economically struggling, traditionally underserved communities that need local journalism the most are the very places where it is most difficult to sustain print or digital news organizations.”

Recent research shows that, in communities without a strong print or digital news organization, voter participation declines and corruption increases, Abernathy said, contributing to the spread of misinformation, political polarization and reduced trust in media.

The Medill report on “The State of Local News in 2022” focused on researching and analyzing the health of local newspapers and local digital outlets. While newspapers declined over the past two years, an increase in corporate and philanthropic funding contributed to the establishment of 64 new digital sites focused on covering either state or local news. Most digital sites are located in digitally connected urban areas with diverse sources of funding.

“It is critical to understand what is working and where there are still gaps in the flow of reliable, comprehensive and timely news and information,” said Tim Franklin, senior associate dean, John M. Mutz Chair in Local News and director of the Medill Local News Initiative. “That way we can build solutions to sustain local journalism in communities that have, so far, been overlooked by entrepreneurs and potential funders.”

Surviving newspapers, especially dailies, have cut staff and circulation significantly under financial pressure, reducing their ability to fill the gap when communities lose their local papers. More and more dailies are also dropping seven-day-a-week delivery, as they pursue digital subscribers. Forty of the largest 100 daily newspapers now deliver a print edition six or fewer times a week; 11 deliver two times a week or less.

The largest news chains — Gannett, Lee Enterprises and Alden Global Capital — control many of the country’s surviving newspapers and continue to close or divest underperformers. The most active buyers in recent years have been privately held regional digital chains, such as Paxton Media Group and CherryRoad Media, which bought its first paper in 2020 and now owns 63 papers in 10 midwestern states.

The report found that some for-profit news organizations are prospering, especially those in affluent or growing communities, and nonprofit and hybrid business models are being pioneered in cities from coast to coast.

“There are signs of hope,” said Franklin. “New nonprofit digital local news startups have launched or been announced in places like Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland and Houston. Some legacy news outlets are deftly transforming from print to digital. There are unheralded local news leaders who are adapting and experimenting with new models. And local news is increasingly being delivered through newsletters and other digital platforms. But the need to innovate is urgent.”

Among the tools Northwestern uses to assist local news organizations is the Medill Local News Initiative, a research and development project and website devoted to bolstering new business models. The Medill Subscriber Engagement Index helps newsrooms track their digital subscribers, boost retention and attract new readers. The Medill Metro Media Lab works with Chicago news organizations on consumer research, audience strategy and financial management.

“Medill’s local news audience research and strategy work is providing tangible, actionable insights for local news organizations at a critical time for the industry. And we expect to expand our commitment to this effort in the coming months,” said Franklin.

The News Desert report will be published on the Local News Initiative site, beginning June 29 and continuing into early August. This is the fifth update of the report since Abernathy first published it in 2016.

Photo: A color coded map of the United States by county showing which locations have no newspapers, one newspaper or two-plus newspapers.

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Josephine Walker (MSJ23) is the recipient of Medill’s fellowship with Reuters and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)

Through funding provided by Medill and Reuters, Walker will receive tuition support for the 2022-2023 academic year. She also will complete a summer internship at Reuters in New York and have opportunities to be mentored by editors from the news agency throughout her studies at Medill.

Walker will pursue her Master of Science in Journalism at Medill with a specialization in Social Justice. She is a recent alumna of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in mass communications.

“I know that my journalistic potential is boundless, and I’m ready to absorb the plethora of teachings and opportunities Reuters and Medill have to offer,” said Walker. “I know my guiding purpose is to serve my community and I’m thrilled to take on the challenges of this next step in my pursuit of holding truth to power.”

Before arriving at Medill this fall, Walker will spend the summer as a news intern for Bloomberg News. Previously, she was an NABJ fellow for “Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” and an intern at the Globe Post. Walker has bylines in the Washington Post, the Associated Press, the Guardian UK and more.

During her previous studies, she reported on the Virginia General Assembly for VCU’s Capital News Service. She was also director of communications for VCU’s chapter of NABJ and social media director for its chapter of The Society of Professional Journalists. She won two VCU Black History in the Making Awards.

“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to support Josephine as she takes the next step in her promising journalism career,” said Medill Dean Charles Whitaker. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Reuters and NABJ and believe this type of fellowship serves the industry, Medill and students well.”

“These scholarships allow Reuters to support the next generation of journalists and create a more diverse and inclusive news industry. It has never been more crucial that news organizations reflect the world they cover, and we are deeply committed to helping create a diverse field of journalism that benefits our own news industry,” said Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni.

1990s Class Notes

Margaret Magnarelli (BSJ99, MSJ99)

Post author By Belinda Clarke
Post date July 29, 2022
No Comments on Margaret Magnarelli (BSJ99, MSJ99)

Margaret Magnarelli accepted a new role as head of marketing and communications at Baldor Specialty Foods, the largest supplier of produce, meat and specialty foods from Maine to Virginia. She was previously executive director of digital strategy at Morgan Stanley.

1990s Class Notes Featured Class Notes

Craig Nakano (BSJ93)

Craig Nakano was named the Los Angeles Times’ assistant managing editor for arts and entertainment. Previously he was deputy entertainment editor and, before that, arts editor. He lives in Long Beach, CA, with his husband, Todd Henneman (Medill ’93), and their son, Gus.

1990s Class Notes Featured Class Notes

Patrick Harwood (MSJ90)

Patrick Harwood has published his fifth book, “Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston.” (BirdsEyeViews Publications). The book examines Charleston, S.C.’s rich, diverse and interesting history through the prism of its religious burial grounds. Harwood is a communication professor at South Carolina State University. For more information, visit mybirdseyeviews.blogspot.com

2010s Class Notes Featured Class Notes

Clare Roth (BSJ14)

Roth will be leading the Ohio Newsroom, becoming the first managing editor to take the editorial reins for Ohio’s largest daily statewide news collaborative. The collaborative will act as a network of public radio newsrooms, covering news deserts in the state, telling stories that would not have been otherwise told, and connecting and contextualizing coverage statewide. Roth comes to the position from WFPL News in Louisville where she oversaw health, education, Southern Indiana and environmental coverage as News Editor. She previously worked as All Things Considered host for 89.7 NPR News in Columbus, OH.

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