JACKIE JONES

Usually the summer is a slow time of the year for news. But this issue of the Morgan Global Journalism Review( MGJR) is brimming over with stories that I think will quench the thirst of our readers for the most interesting kind of summertime news and information.

First, next month members of the National Association of Black Journalists( NABJ)- including me- will gather in Cleveland for the group’ s annual convention. At the top of the agenda will be a celebration of the 50th anniversary of NABJ’ s founding. Now, with more than 4,000 members, NABJ is a forceful advocate for journalism education. It gives thousands of dollars in scholarships every year, conducts“ short courses” for students on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities, provides many opportunities for journalism students to receive practical work experiences, and encourages the growth and nurturing of student chapters.

Its 84 student chapters span this nation from Syracuse, NY, to Eugene, Ore., to the U. S. Virgin Islands. In 2017, Morgan’ s chapter was named NABJ’ s Student Chapter of the Year.

For all of these reasons- and more- we celebrate NABJ’ s Golden anniversary in this issue with our cover story.

Ironically, our attention in this issue is drawn to another journalism related story. This one explores the impact of“ new deserts” on two communities. One is the Baltimore neighborhood of lower Park Heights and the other, 3,670 miles away, is the Brixton section of London, England.

The common definition of a news desert is an area with little to no consistent source of local news. More frequently, it is an area that has access to news about others, but not a lot of news about things

going on within its borders. And what news that residents get from outside news sources is, too often, disproportionately focused on crime, poverty and other bad things that afflict their neighborhood.

We dispatched teams of students and professional journalists to lower Park Heights and Brixton to report on how people in both communities are coping with this problem. Both are vibrant communities with rich histories, but those stories don’ t get nearly as much media attention, except in the few instances when an enterprising reporter seeks them.

I think you will find our expansive coverage of how the people of Park Heights and Brixton are working mightily to improve the flow of the good news of their communities as interesting as it is revealing.

And, finally there is this. Last month the Center for New Media & Strategic Initiatives, the documentary filmmaking unit of the School of Global Journalism & Communication, that I have the honor of leading, won the university’ s first-ever Emmy Award.

This recognition came at the 67th National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter Emmy Awards, which cover Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D. C. The Center for New Media was recognized for its documentary,“ History of a National Treasures: Morgan State University.”

The film tells the story of Morgan’ s founding, its struggles to overcome opposition to its existence and its ultimate emergence as one of this nation’ s leading historically black higher education institutions. This book has a pictorial page that captures the celebration that broke out when Morgan’ s win was announced.

“ Oh What A Night!” •

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