“This is hugely important, both practically and symbolically,” said Tim Franklin, director of the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University's Medill journalism school. The Carnegie Corp., the Democracy Fund, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and MacArthur are among a group of 20 initial funders. Philanthropies that recognize the need to strengthen democracy are beginning to see that progress on many different issues depends on the public's understanding of facts, said John Palfrey, MacArthur Foundation president. He said he expected other funding will be added in the coming months to boost the commitment beyond $500 million. Struggling local news sources have also attracted the attention of state governments, where things like tax breaks for advertisers or subscribers are being discussed, he said.

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Persons: ”, Tim Franklin, Robert Wood Johnson, John Palfrey, Franklin, there's, “, Alberto Ibarguen, John S, James L, Ibarguen, wasn’t, ” Ibarguen, he's, Tom Rosenstiel Organizations: MacArthur Foundation, Foundation, Press, Local, Initiative, Northwestern University's Medill, Carnegie Corp, Democracy Fund, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, MacArthur, Associated Press, Knight Foundation, Texas Tribune, Shawnee Mission, University of Maryland Locations: United States, Northwestern, Shawnee, Kansas, Richland, Ohio, Chicago, Dallas , Texas, Pennsylvania, Minneapolis, Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Philadelphia