Poynter Institute names Cronkite School dean to National Advisory Board

The founding dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University is a new member of the National Advisory Board of The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism education.

Cronkite dean Christopher Callahan, vice provost of the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus, is one of six new members on the 14-member National Advisory Board, which helps guide the work of The Poynter Institute by reviewing programs and plans and analyzing key developments and issues in journalism.

“Chris is one of the best thinkers on journalism education and the future of news media,” said Poynter president Karen B. Dunlap. “Poynter will benefit from the time that he spends with us.”

The board consists of media executives, editors and scholars from some of the industry’s leading media organizations and academic institutions, including The New York Times, ESPN and Columbia University. Callahan will serve a three-year term beginning this January.

“I am honored to serve on a board of an institution with such a rich and storied history of fostering great journalism,” Callahan said. “The Poynter Institute stands for an uncompromising dedication to journalism excellence. I look forward to working with the distinguished members of the board to promote excellence and integrity in journalism.”

Founded in 1975 in St. Petersburg, Fla., The Poynter Institute is the leading global institute for professional journalists and news media leaders, as well as future journalists and journalism teachers. Poynter offers instruction in online and multimedia, leadership and management, reporting, writing and editing, television and radio, ethics and diversity, journalism education, and visual journalism.

Callahan came to ASU in 2005 from the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, where he served as associate dean and senior editor of the American Journalism Review. Under his leadership, the Cronkite School has become a national journalism leader, known for its focus on multimedia journalism, innovation and entrepreneurship through immersive professional learning newsrooms and laboratories.

During his tenure, he has led the planning of the school’s move to a state-of-the-art journalism facility and brought prestigious programs, such as the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, the Carnegie-Knight News21 digital journalism initiative and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program for international journalists.

He also has helped the school establish daily news bureaus in Washington and Phoenix, a nightly newscast that airs on PBS across Arizona, and an innovation lab to create new digital products.

Most recently, he spearheaded the launch of a new sports journalism program that gives students unparalleled preparation for careers in sports media and communications.

The Cronkite School is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier professional journalism programs. The school’s 1,600 students regularly lead the country in national journalism competitions. They are guided by faculty comprised of award-winning professional journalists and world-class media scholars.