Texas State's Royal awarded Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
May 6, 2013

Cindy Royal, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Texas State University, is one of 12 U.S. journalists and innovators to have been awarded John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University for the 2013-14 academic year.

“This group of U.S. Knight Fellows is easily the most diversified ever, with fellows coming from daily newspapers, online publications, tech companies and even an academic institution,” said Knight Fellowships Director James Bettinger. “This wide range of backgrounds and specialties reflects the variety and depth of expertise and commitment that journalism needs right now.”

They will join eight international fellows who were announced earlier this month. The Knight Fellowships champions innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in journalism by helping the fellows pursue their ideas to improve the quality of news and information reaching the public. Fellows also participate fully in the intellectual life of Stanford University, through academic classes, lectures and symposiums and individual research.

"I feel that the journalism and mass communication discipline has a unique opportunity to develop technology skills and perspective in a wider audience, including females and minorities,” Royal said. “We will continue to communicate and share through a range of technology platforms, and this represents the future of media."

The 2013-14 fellows will explore proposals that touch on many aspects of journalism. For her innovation project, Royal will be working to advance her knowledge of data visualization and programming as it relates to communication and develop a platform to provide advanced technology training to the journalism profession.