Contact:
Belinda Williams
bwilliams@newsleaders.org
Release Date:
December 11, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project will lead Sunshine Week; NLA Awards become Poynter Journalism Prizes
COLUMBIA, MO; December 11, 2023 – During its final meeting of the year, the News Leaders Association Board of Directors unanimously approved the NLA membership’s November vote to dissolve NLA and distribute its remaining assets to nonprofit journalism organizations that can carry on NLA’s leadership, diversity and First Amendment focus.
We are thrilled to announce that the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida is now officially in charge of Sunshine Week, continuing this decades’ old tradition for the foreseeable future.
The NLA Awards program has now been transferred to the prestigious Poynter Institute, as part of NLA’s winding down of programs as we proceed with dissolution. For more information on the Poynter Jounalism Prizes, click here.
All other NLA assets, including the diversity survey, leadership training programs, and historical records of NLA (formed in 2019 in a merger of ASNE, the American Society of News Editors, and APME, the Associated Press Media Editors) will be transferred to other non-profit journalism organizations in 2024 as we finalize work to secure a home for these important programs.
The resolutions adopted by the NLA Board on Dec. 8, 2023, take effect immediately. During the electronic membership meeting in November, a quorum was reached and 84 percent of the NLA members who participated voted to dissolve NLA by June 30, 2024.
The NLA Board members in attendance also voted unanimously to reduce the size of the 15-member board in 2024 as the organization winds down. The new board will consist of the five incoming officer positions: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and immediate past president.
We thank all members who participated since NLA’s inception and have helped during this year’s transition.
About News Leaders Association (NLA): NLA’s mission is to help journalists thrive in diverse, sustainable newsrooms with fact-based reporting in service to democracy. To learn more about NLA, go to www.newsleaders.org.