Knight Foundation

Who stands up when democracy is tested? As First Amendment rights are increasingly under attack, Knight Foundation President and CEO Maribel Perez Wadsworth sat down with Ford Foundation President and leading constitutional scholar Heather Gerken to discuss the state of democracy, civic engagement and the role of philanthropy in this critical moment. The conversation explored a shared commitment to defending a free press and free expression — and how institutions can work collaboratively and with urgency to meet the challenges of today. Held at the 19th annual Knight Media Forum, the discussion reaffirmed a core democratic truth: power rests with the people.

Last week at KMF26, investigative reporter Julie K. Brown spoke with Marty Baron, former executive editor of The Washington Post, about new revelations in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein case. Nearly a decade later, she reflected on the work behind the 2018 investigation — from writing letters to survivors to balancing the demands of her daily beat — and shared how years of reporting had prepared her for that moment.

Nearly a decade after her investigative reporting on Jeffrey Epstein, Julie K. Brown reflected on what it took to uncover the groundbreaking story at KMF26. In a conversation with Marty Baron, former executive editor of the Washington Post, Julie shared how her reporting uncovered nearly 80 accusers and the pressure campaign to silence them. Their conversation was a reminder of the sustained commitment and support investigative journalism requires to uncover the truth.

Yesterday at KMF26, executives from three major regional newspapers discussed the challenges and opportunities facing local journalism. Nancy Barnes, editor at large of Boston Globe Media, spoke about the power of accountability, noting that when newsrooms truly serve communities, “it brings people together in really interesting ways.” Kathleen Hennessey, editor and senior vice president of The Minnesota Star Tribune, described going all in on major stories by putting full newsroom resources behind critical coverage. And Lauren Gustus, CEO and executive editor of The Salt Lake Tribune, shared how becoming a nonprofit has allowed the newsroom to act as “stewards for our community.” Moderated by Dean Baquet, the conversation offered a candid look at what’s working for regional outlets and the role they play in the future of local news.

Yesterday at Knight Media Forum, Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, and Julia Angwin, Director, Independent Media Lab, Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, explored the role of satire in public discourse and its relationship to journalism, power and public understanding. Their conversation explored how humor can help make sense of complex issues, spark participation and engage audiences at moments when traditional news formats struggle to break through. Ben and Julia spoke candidly about the importance of satire, especially in relation to the First Amendment, and why we need to ensure protections for expression of all forms. Julia shared that “satire and humor are actually a really effective way to fight tyranny.”

The way Americans experience news has changed, and the implications for civic life are front and center at KMF26. During The New News Reality, Katerina Eva Matsa of Pew Research Center shared findings from the Pew-Knight Initiative’s newest report. Key insights include: -> How people get news has fundamentally changed. Half of Americans actively seek out their news while the other half passively comes across the news, like on social media sites. -> People trust themselves to spot fake news, but not others. 79% of Americans say they are at least somewhat confident in their own ability to check the accuracy of a news story, while only 25% are confident in others’ ability to do so. -> Americans talk about the news but it has caused division. Most Americans discuss news with others in their community (76%). But more than half of Americans (56%) have stopped talking to someone about political and election news because of something they have said, and this number is up from 2024. These insights reinforced why understanding how information is received and shared is essential to strengthening local news and democracy. More information about this report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/er5w_e7R

This is a defining moment for local news. The choices being made right now will shape what information communities have access to for decades to come. Today at KMF, I was joined by some of the people leading that charge. Dale Anglin shared an update on Press Forward, which now has 44 local chapters across the country — including new ones in Montana, Virginia, and the DC area. With 130 funders now part of the movement, Press Forward has supported newsrooms and initiatives in all 50 states. I’m proud that our team at Knight Foundation is a part of this powerful coalition. We’ve made several big bets as part of our aligned funding with Press Forward, and today we heard from the leaders of those organizations: American Journalism Project: Knight has invested $45M in AJP, including $25M announced at last year’s KMF. That has helped AJP invest in 54 nonprofit local news organizations, serving more than 100 communities across 37 states. Rebuild Local News: Advancing public policy interventions in six states, Rebuild Local News has helped bring together roughly $346M in investments and programs aimed at stabilizing and rebuilding the local journalism workforce. AP Fund for Journalism: Last September, Knight committed $25M to scale the fund’s local newsroom network and expand access to AP content and tools. The pilot brought AP content to 50 newsrooms nationwide, with 100 more being added this year. Report Local (home of Report for America): By this summer, the program will have placed more than 800 journalists in over 400 newsrooms across the country. Especially now, the effort to ensure people everywhere have access to trusted local news is vital. It will take all of us. (Thanks to the panelists: Sarabeth Berman, Steven Waldman, Rob Zeaske and Rachel White.)

Maribel Perez Wadsworth opened Knight Media Forum with a reminder: The power rests with the people. Each of us has both the opportunity — and the responsibility — to protect and strengthen our democracy. At KMF2026, we are proud to be gathering the people who are doing exactly that. Watch the opening here: https://lnkd.in/gF9AXeJs