CINCINNATI — The E.W. Scripps Company and the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan national education nonprofit, are teaming up to help the next generation of news consumers discern credible information from misinformation in today’s media landscape through virtual classroom lessons, training programs, journalists’ visits with students and a National News Literacy Week.
Through the partnership, journalists from Scripps’ Local Media and National Media divisions who are trained in NLP’s signature curriculum, the Checkology virtual classroom, will work with students and educators in middle schools and high schools across the country, giving them tools to sort fact from fiction and identify the information that they can trust, share and act on.
Scripps journalists will visit schools, either in person or virtually through the Newsroom to Classroom program, to talk with students about what they do and why their work is important. Scripps journalists also will participate in NLP’s NewsLitCamps — one-day professional development events, hosted by news organizations and taught by journalists and NLP staff, that provide educators with the knowledge and resources to teach news literacy.
Another key initiative of the partnership is the introduction of National News Literacy Week, which is slated to run from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, 2020. During this week, Scripps’ local television stations and national media brands will use NLP’s news literacy offerings to produce special coverage, programs and events across the country that engage their audiences in discussions about the importance of news literacy and the role of a free press in a healthy democracy.
“We have a problem in this country when surveys reveal that a majority of Americans can’t discern real news from misinformation. We must reverse this trend to maintain a healthy democracy,” said Adam Symson, Scripps president and CEO. “Scripps teams are energized by the opportunity to partner with the News Literacy Project to educate a new generation of media consumers so they can be more informed and engaged members of their communities.”
In addition, the Scripps National Spelling Bee will help connect its national audience of students and teachers with NLP’s curriculum.. This partnership also complements the work of the Scripps Howard Foundation, which supports the education of journalists through fellowships and professional grants, including establishing Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University and the University of Maryland to teach students investigative journalism skills while reporting on topics of national importance.
“News literacy is a critical and essential life skill for the 21st century — especially for today’s students, who are tomorrow’s voters and decision-makers,” said Charles Salter, NLP’s president and chief operating officer. “Working together, educators, journalists and media organizations can create the momentum needed to embed news literacy in the American education system. We are excited to work with Scripps toward this urgent goal.”
