Significant Donation Aims to Boost Integrity of News Media

Oxford, Mississippi, April 12, 2024

News media is about to see significant reform. A recent $4 million donation to the University of Mississippi aims to set that change in motion.

An Oxford couple, Jean and Jerry Jordan, formerly part of the university’s faculty, have put forth this substantial donation towards the University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media. The donation will be used to establish the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation Fund, a project aiming to restore the integrity and honesty in news reporting.

A Gift for a Cause

The Jordans, who had directed the university’s choirs for over two decades, have said that their gift represents their gratitude towards the Oxford community and the students they taught. They hope that their gift will prompt an improvement in the news media environment.

Jerry Jordan sees the restoration of integrity in the media as a dire responsibility. He said, “I have seen society being torn apart by misinformation. The media, in my view, needs a renaissance.”

Accordingly, the Jordan Center aims to promote reliable, responsible, educational, and relevant journalism. One of its key goals is to emphasize the role of journalists in educating citizens and enabling them to think critically about the news they consume from various sources.

Building Media Literacy in Schools

Recognizing the need for intelligent and responsible media consumption, one of the Center’s initial projects will involve collaboration with local schools. Jean and Jerry Jordan plan to teach children about responsible use and consumption of media, thus providing them with essential life skills not often incorporated in traditional school curricula.

Consequently, the donation will also help in hiring personnel to manage the Centre for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation, enhance its operations, and facilitate projects and programs.

A Step forward for Journalism

Andrea Hickerson, Dean and Professor of the School of Journalism and New Media, praised the initiative, stating that journalism’s value has unfortunately been diminished lately due to unsustainable business models and problematic branding. “The establishment of the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation is a bold initiative to re-center journalism as a public good. We look forward to innovating projects and programs that demonstrate the intensely practical value of journalism to healthy communities,” she added.

Looking to the Future

The Jordans announced their generous donation during the Annual Giving Day event, a social media-driven fundraising campaign that lasts exactly one day, eight hours, and forty-eight minutes, symbolizing the university’s founding year of 1848.

Dean Hickerson expressed immense gratitude for the gift and the vision of the Jordans. “The Jordan family has pushed us to think big. It’s humbling and immensely gratifying. Though the center has journalism in its name, we see this center akin to an integrated marketing communications campaign for practical, ethical, accurate, and relevant journalism.”

The Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation Fund is open for support from individuals and businesses interested in contributing towards this ambitious plan to restore the integrity of journalism.