Director's Notes: Journalism Growth

• Rally 'Round Liberty.' The AEJMC Law and Policy Division's Media Law Notes has a nice story on the Liberty Tree Initiative First Amendment festivals. The McCormick Foundation-funded program assists colleges and universities in organizing First Amendment on-campus events. The Liberty Tree initiative is an advocacy partnership founded by McCormick, the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Knight Foundation and Vanderbilt University's First Amendment Center. The $100,000 grant was designed to build awareness by bringing thought-provoking First Amendment programs and speakers to campuses nationwide. Among the schools selected were UNC-Chapel Hill, Yale, Berry College, Winthrop University, Eastern Kentucky University, Elon, Lehigh and Cal State Fullerton. Sandra Chance of the University of Florida coordinates the Liberty Tree campus program, which builds on the tradition of constructive conversations about freedom by America's earliest patriots under an elm tree near the Boston Common in 1665.

• Journalism Fellowships Adapt. MediaShift reports that economic and digital challenges are forcing changes in journalism fellowship programs. McCormick and other foundations sponsor nearly 40 of these golden opportunities for young and mid-career journalists to hone their skills. However, the current tumult in the industry has caused editors and publishers to ask whether it's worth losing reporters, even on a temporary basis, to fellowships. Fellowship program directors have responded by adding creative features and reaching out to independent journalists.

• News Literacy Projects Expands in Chicago. The McCormick-funded News Literacy Project has completed its pilot program in Chicago and expanded into two additional middle schools. All three schools are working with LISC-Chicago, the News Literacy Project's local partner. The Chicago Tribune Foundation also provides financial support.