The Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust was founded in 2018 by Jim Boren. He has had an extensive career in California’s journalism industry and currently serves as an instructor of media writing at California State University, Fresno. The institute works to create and share informative and engaging content for new consumers.
The distrust of media, and most other major institutions, has many major negative consequences in society, including a lack of civic engagement in democracy. The institute works to hold conversations about and seek ways to resolve these problems. In doing so, the institute brings in all sides on these complex issues, and finds solutions by doing deep-dive research into what’s driving the divisiveness, and then make solid recommendations.
The institute’s work is guided by the First Amendment. It is undoubtable that a well-informed citizenry will improve civic engagement and participation in democracy.
We welcome everyone’s participation, and believe that the more partners we have, the stronger our work will be.
By Jim Boren In a significant commitment toward fostering diversity and inclusion in San Joaquin Valley journalism, the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State has been awarded a $201,000 grant to continue its visionary Journalists of Color training program. The California Endowment grant will help fortify the ongoing success of its pioneering…
By Jim Boren The atmosphere was charged with optimism as about 200 news leaders and foundation executives convened a journalism conference at Stanford University. Their shared objective: Devise a comprehensive strategy to revitalize the precarious business model of news, especially traditional newspapers. Discussions at the California Journalism Summit revolved around cultivating sustainable support through avenues…
By Lucca Lorenzi, guest author The National Center for Biotechnology Information defines social media literacy as having “knowledge and development of skills to analyze, evaluate, produce, and participate in social media, which favors critical thinking.” With millions of users on social media platforms across multiple generations, you’d expect that its common use would warrant school curriculum to…
The Journalists of Color program was created by the Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State in partnership with the Youth Leadership Institute, the journalism program at Fresno City College, and the Media, Communications and Journalism Department at Fresno State.
The program offers regular training workshops to prepare students for a media career and provides academic advising support to help them along the college path. Students write and create multimedia news projects for The kNOw, a program that has been helping train young journalists since 2006 to tell stories about their communities.
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Jim Boren has had an extensive career in journalism. He was the former executive editor of the Fresno Bee, is currently the Institute for Media and Public Trust executive director and teaches news reporting at Fresno State.
Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State 