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As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Student Press Law Center will expand its pro bono legal support for thousands of student journalists who are increasingly filling the gaps in local news for millions of Americans.
Thanks to a three-year, $1,225,175 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, SPLC’s legal services for college journalists across the country — including its free Legal Hotline, pre-publication vetting, legal training and other resources — will give a growing number of student reporters the knowledge and confidence to pursue important stories.
“Student journalism is evolving, and students have never been more important to the nation’s news ecosystem,” SPLC Executive Director Gary Green said. “With that growing role comes increased legal needs, and we are thankful for the Knight Foundation’s support as SPLC evolves to fulfill that need.”
This spring’s historic campus protests were a vivid demonstration of how the nation increasingly relies on student journalists to understand what is happening on college campuses. But today’s student reporters are also producing consequential journalism from well beyond the campus walls.
With the decline of legacy news organizations, many student media outlets have expanded their coverage and dozens of universities have launched new student-reporting programs to provide critical local and state-government coverage.
The Center for Community News at the University of Vermont has identified more than 130 such programs that are partnering with local news outlets to publish student journalism. As part of this grant, SPLC is working with CCN to provide the critical legal support these programs need to be a sustainable solution to the increasing problem of news deserts.
“We have seen a growing number of student journalists ably fill the local news gap for millions of Americans, winning awards and holding power to account,” said Duc Luu, Knight’s Director of Journalism. “They are not just student journalists. They are journalists. Period. And their work needs to be bolstered with robust legal advice and guidance. That’s why we are proud to support SPLC’s ambitious plans.”
Founded in 1974, SPLC is the only legal organization in the country dedicated exclusively to supporting and defending student journalists and their educators. SPLC’s staff attorneys work with thousands of them each year on issues related to public records, censorship, privacy, defamation, copyright, artificial intelligence and more. The organization celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
As student journalists evolve, SPLC is evolving alongside them to help this growing cohort of newsrooms navigate the legal considerations that come with sophisticated accountability and investigative reporting in their states and local communities.
This gift marks the Knight Foundation’s second significant investment in SPLC’s work to provide legal support for student journalists. Two decades ago, the foundation provided SPLC with the $1.25 million challenge grant, which inspired an additional $2.5 million in grassroots gifts and pledges, to establish the Knight-SPLC Challenge Fund, a permanent endowment fund at SPLC.
“The Knight Foundation has played a critical role in SPLC’s history and we are beyond grateful to extend that relationship as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary and charts its next chapter,” Green said.
About the Student Press Law Center
The Student Press Law Center (splc.org) is a nonpartisan nonprofit that promotes, supports and defends the First Amendment and free press rights of student journalists. Operating since 1974, SPLC provides information, training and legal assistance at no charge to high school and college student journalists and the educators who work with them. SPLC also supports the grassroots, student-led New Voices movement, which seeks to protect student press freedom through state laws.