Eric Newton
Encyclopedia
Eric Newton is an American
journalist
and Senior Adviser to the President at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
, an organization created by one of the founding families behind the Knight Ridder
newspaper group.
Newton earned a B.A.
in journalism from San Francisco State University
in 1979 and his master's degree
in international studies
from the University of Birmingham
.
He joined the Oakland Tribune as a copy boy in 1977. Turned down for a job as a reporter there in 1979, he edited newspapers in Mill Valley
and Richmond
before returnSping to the Tribune in 1984 as a copy editor who in six years would be running the newsroom.
Newton was managing editor of the Tribune when it won more than 150 awards, including a Pulitzer Prize
for coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
. He has since been a Pulitzer Prize juror four times and has written a book on Pulitzer Prize-winning photography.
In 1992, Newton launched the Pacific Coast Center for the Freedom Forum
. In 1994, he was founding managing editor for the Newseum
, responsible for its story line and content. For four years, from the opening of the original Newseum in 1997 until 2000, he hosted programs in the Newseum's broadcast studio and created dozens of traveling exhibits. Newton joined Knight Foundation in June 2001 as a journalism program director. Later he became VP, Journalism Program. In 2011, he because Senior Adviser to the Presdient.
Newton was founding president of the First Amendment Project, a nonprofit law firm representing citizens seeking access to government records. He shared in a 2004 Peabody Award
for Mosaic: World News from the Middle East
, a television program created for LinkTV. He has received the Reddick Award for distinguished contributions in communications from the University of Texas at Austin, a special First Amendment Award from the Radio and Television Digital News Association for his role in creating Sunshine Week.
Newton became involved in the 2005 Seigenthaler incident after replacing a vandalized Wikipedia
biography of John Seigenthaler Sr. with a copyright
ed official biography. After that was removed for violating Wikipedia policy, Newton's subsequent edits explaining how he had tried to correct Wikipedia also were rejected as a violation of Wikipedia's verifiability policy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and Senior Adviser to the President at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is an American private, non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts....
, an organization created by one of the founding families behind the Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. Until it was bought by The McClatchy Company on June 27, 2006, it was the second-largest newspaper publisher in the United States, with 32 daily newspapers sold.- History :The corporate ancestors of...
newspaper group.
Newton earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in journalism from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
in 1979 and his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in international studies
International studies
International Studies generally refers to the specific University Degrees and courses which are concerned with the study of ‘the major political, economic, social, cultural and sacral issues that dominate the international agenda’...
from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
.
He joined the Oakland Tribune as a copy boy in 1977. Turned down for a job as a reporter there in 1979, he edited newspapers in Mill Valley
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
and Richmond
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
before returnSping to the Tribune in 1984 as a copy editor who in six years would be running the newsroom.
Newton was managing editor of the Tribune when it won more than 150 awards, including a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
. He has since been a Pulitzer Prize juror four times and has written a book on Pulitzer Prize-winning photography.
In 1992, Newton launched the Pacific Coast Center for the Freedom Forum
Freedom Forum
The Freedom Forum was created in 1991 under the direction of Al Neuharth, former publisher of USA Today newspaper. Funding was provided by a foundation started by publisher Frank E. Gannett in 1935, called the Gannett Foundation...
. In 1994, he was founding managing editor for the Newseum
Newseum
The Newseum is an interactive museum of news and journalism located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. The seven-level, museum features 15 theaters and 14 galleries. The Newseum's Berlin Wall Gallery includes the largest display of sections of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany...
, responsible for its story line and content. For four years, from the opening of the original Newseum in 1997 until 2000, he hosted programs in the Newseum's broadcast studio and created dozens of traveling exhibits. Newton joined Knight Foundation in June 2001 as a journalism program director. Later he became VP, Journalism Program. In 2011, he because Senior Adviser to the Presdient.
Newton was founding president of the First Amendment Project, a nonprofit law firm representing citizens seeking access to government records. He shared in a 2004 Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for Mosaic: World News from the Middle East
Mosaic: World News from the Middle East
Mosaic: World News from The Middle East is a daily news program offered by the free American satellite channel, LinkTV. Mosaic features selections from television news programs produced by broadcast outlets throughout the Middle East. The news reports are presented unedited, translated into English...
, a television program created for LinkTV. He has received the Reddick Award for distinguished contributions in communications from the University of Texas at Austin, a special First Amendment Award from the Radio and Television Digital News Association for his role in creating Sunshine Week.
Newton became involved in the 2005 Seigenthaler incident after replacing a vandalized Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
biography of John Seigenthaler Sr. with a copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
ed official biography. After that was removed for violating Wikipedia policy, Newton's subsequent edits explaining how he had tried to correct Wikipedia also were rejected as a violation of Wikipedia's verifiability policy.
External links
- Eric Newton biography via Knight Foundation
- Eric Newton biography via Consumers UnionConsumers UnionConsumers Union is a non-profit organization best known as the publisher of Consumer Reports, based in the United States. Its mission is to "test products, inform the public, and protect consumers."...