MRLJF.JPG

Editor’s note: Throughout the month of April, the Tyler Morning Telegraph will be shining a light on the nonprofit sector in East Texas in the lead-up to East Texas Giving Day, the East Texas Communities Foundation‘s major fundraising event of the year. Additionally, we are introducing the Morris Roberts Local Journalism Foundation to East Texas, and highlighting its importance in the work we do covering our communities.

Community journalism in small- to mid-size cities is at the heart of a new nonprofit organization, the Morris Roberts Local Journalism Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to use the tools of journalism to make the communities we serve better places to live, engage in civic activities and prosper.

Think Tyler and Kilgore, Longview and Henderson, Marshall and Carthage, and the many surrounding towns that can benefit from local journalism that informs and educates communities, holds leaders accountable, and helps readers explore the local issues affecting them.

The word ‘local’ is purposely in the name, ‘Local Journalism Foundation’ — I personally think our small- and medium-size communities don’t get as much attention as larger markets. East Texas is where I love to live, and where I hope to live the rest of my life. I hope this foundation helps fund journalists to continue to cover communities of our size.

I am also is a founding board member of the Morris Roberts Local Journalism Foundation. Morris Roberts, my grandfather, established the company that today is M. Roberts Media.

In 1942, Roberts was part of a group that purchased the Victoria Advocate. He became sole owner in 1961. Later the company expanded to include the Longview News-Journal, the Marshall News Messenger, the Panola Watchman, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Kilgore News Herald and The Henderson News. Roberts, who died in 1991, was inducted into the Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame in 2021.

Morris’ grandson, Gordon McHaney, serves as chairman of the company’s board, and his daughter, Catherine R. McHaney, is secretary-treasurer.

“The creation of this foundation is a fitting tribute to my father, who lived up to the highest journalistic standards,” Catherine McHaney said at the induction ceremony for the Hall of Fame.

Journalism is about the pursuit of truth, and makes communities and American democracy stronger.

Creating the foundation had been discussed for some time, as similar nonprofit organizations exist around the country for the purpose of supporting journalism. A significant donation from an anonymous contributor moved the plans forward.

The foundation intends to help fund journalists in communities the size of those that M. Roberts Media and its newspapers serve, but the foundation is not specific to M. Roberts Media properties.

Our hope for the foundation is that it ensures that small and mid-size communities aren’t left out in this transition from traditional ink on paper to the digital age, and there are challenges to that. We believe that this foundation can help with the transition.

Community newsrooms across the state are facing serious financial challenges – this even includes the closing of more than two dozen newspapers. We urge our readers to donate to the foundation, so that we can continue to tell the stories of our neighbors, while supporting American democracy through our service as a watchdog on local government.

If you believe that journalism matters, that it’s important and it helps make the communities where we live better, as we do – the easy thing to do is subscribe to the newspaper.

People who have the means and a passion on this issue, can donate to the foundation. Generous early contributors have provided seed money, but it’s a never-ending project to finance journalistic operations. Donors who contribute significant amounts can designate what community benefits from that money — options are not limited to M. Roberts Media newspapers.

Donations do not provide donors with input into how news coverage is determined, nor do they get to review stories before they publish. They can, however, designate coverage to specific topics.

If you’re donating, at least in my mind, you want to donate and make sure it impacts where you live or the communities you care about, and that is the fundamental reason behind the foundation’s creation.

In the month of April, our publications will highlight the work of nonprofits across East Texas in support of East Texas Giving Day on April 25. Their work also makes life better for residents across our region. We ask that you support them, and that you support our ability to cover them.

For information, including how to donate, visit morrisrobertsfoundation.org or call 903-237-7788.