The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications received $3.6 million to expand its work in strengthening local news in Chicago and its surrounding areas, according to a Monday news release.
Conferred by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, the three-year grant will go directly to the Medill Local News Initiative, which will utilize the funds to establish a hub of shared resources and expert support for Chicagoland news outlets.
According to the release, 44% of all Illinois counties already have limited access to local news.
“This new shared services hub will help us provide much-needed resources to Chicago area news outlets,” Medill Dean Charles Whitaker said in the release. “And it will allow them to spend more time focusing on what they do best — providing valuable journalism that helps residents be more informed about local matters that affect their daily lives.”
The new hub will expand the Medill Local News Accelerator and Medill Metro Media Lab which have worked since 2020 to connect Chicago-area news organizations with consumer research tools and other critical mechanisms to reach broader audiences.
In addition to these programs, the grant will also support the ongoing work of the Medill Illinois News Bureau, an initiative launched in collaboration with Capitol News Illinois in Fall 2024 to bolster state politics coverage — as many local outlets are in decline.
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