Maribel Pérez Wadsworth

Supporting local journalism
Harry Booth
Courtesy John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Over two decades of decline, the U.S. newspaper industry has suffered job losses on par, percentage-wise with manufacturers of cassette tapes and DVDs. Local newsrooms are vanishing at a rate of more than two a week, leaving an estimated 55 million Americans in news deserts with limited access to essential information. The Knight Foundation, with a strong history of supporting journalism, is out to reverse that trend.

Leading the charge is Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, who became the first female president and CEO in Knight’s almost 75-year history in January 2024. Under her direction, the foundation last year doubled its pledge to Press Forward, a national coalition to bolster local news, from $150 million to $300 million over five years. In July, the foundation gave a timely $6.9 million infusion to strengthen nonpartisan election coverage in pivotal states—reflecting Wadsworth’s belief that philanthropy must “move at the speed of news.” And this February, Knight added $25 million to an initial grant of $20 million, to support the American Journalism Project, an initiative to support nonprofit local news.

Many of the challenges we face come down to a “lack of connection and engagement” with our fellow citizens, Wadsworth says. “Local journalism in particular is a grounding element. It is an anchor that helps communities to be strong and connected.”

Advertisement