• by Ray Schultz , September 7, 2023

The MacArthur Foundation has announced the launch of a program to support local news.

Backed by 20 donors, the Press Forward initiative will infuse $500 million into local news operations over the next five years. 

Progress on “every other issue, from education and healthcare to criminal justice reform and climate change, is dependent on the public’s understanding of the facts,” says John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation.

The moment comes at a time of crisis for local news organizations. Some have been swooped up by hedge funds, others have simply gone out of business. But many are reverted to non-profit status in an effort to keep newsrooms — and democracy — alive.  

The MacArthur Foundation will announce the 2023 MacArthur Fellows on October 4.