A SUNY Old Westbury Media and Communications professor is among 14 statewide selected to develop new programs through the new SUNY Institute for Local News to address news deserts and struggling news outlets.
Announced on Oct. 22, Assistant Professor Ӧzgür Akgün will serve as a faculty “champion” within the Institute, which will operate in partnership with the Center for Community News and serves as the first statewide program of its kind in the United States.
“Journalism is the keystone of a healthy democracy, but as thousands of local news outlets have closed their doors or dramatically reduced staffing since the mid-2000s, that keystone is chipping away,” John King, SUNY chancellor, said. “Higher education can help these ‘news deserts’ while providing our students with the hands-on learning experience of delivering local content to struggling platforms through academic collaborations. I am grateful for the support of the Lumina Foundation for making this vital collaboration happen.”
The SUNY Institute for Local News is possible as a result of funding from Lumina Foundation, which has committed $150,000 over the next two years toward faculty champions and its impact award program.
“The lack of diversity in media and journalism remains a significant issue, and SUNY Old Westbury is actively working to address this by fostering programs and encouraging diverse perspectives through its curriculum,” Akgün said. “SUNY’s initiative will help us make stronger progress towards our goals.”
The Media and Communications program at SUNY Old Westbury provides students with a broad-based education emphasizing theoretical, historical and experiential learning in an interdisciplinary context. Its curriculum is designed to give students a grounding in the economic, political, social, and intellectual history of the U.S. At the same time, through practical training and internship experiences, students gain the professional skills needed to work in all varieties of media, including television, interactive media, newspapers and radio.
Akgün and his colleagues from campuses across the state will collaborate with The Center for Community News to create news/academic partnerships across the state. Through these partnerships, students will gain the experience they need to have success as journalists while contributing to an expanded presence of local news for citizens of the New York.
