Cronkite students to collaborate with citizen journalists

ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism’s downtown Phoenix campus building will soon serve as the newest hub for the American Public Media Public Insight Network (PIN). PIN is a digital platform through which more than 215,000 citizen experts from across the country are able to contribute their expertise and angles to reporters.

The housing of this newest PIN hub by the Cronkite School was made possible by a $250,000 grant from the Knight Foundation, which, according to its website, “supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts.”

Publications that rely on the PIN platform for trustworthy and diversified news include the Seattle Times, NPR and the Washington Post.

The implementation of PIN at ASU is intended to foster a “teaching hospital” environment.

David Kansas, senior vice president and chief operating officer for American Public Media, says, “It will provide an important service to the industry and a rich educational experience and career pipeline for students while helping to position PIN and the networked journalism it fosters for long-term sustainability.”