ASU’s Cronkite School and Poynter Institute launch training collaboration to support journalists and media professionals
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (March 30, 2026) — Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Poynter Institute have launched a new collaboration to expand professional development opportunities for journalists and media professionals nationwide.
Through the partnership, select Poynter resources will be integrated into CronkitePro, the Cronkite School’s professional training initiative, providing working journalists, communicators and storytellers with access to trusted expertise in skill development, investigative and interviewing techniques and emerging newsroom practices.
The collaboration brings together two nationally recognized leaders in journalism education, uniting Poynter’s decades-long role as a convener and innovator for journalists with the Cronkite School’s award-winning teaching hospital model and commitment to hands-on, real-world learning.
“Poynter has long set the standard for journalism training rooted in ethics, excellence and public service,” said Dr. Battinto L. Batts, Jr., dean of the Cronkite School. “By integrating these resources into CronkitePro, we’re expanding access to tools that help journalists sharpen their skills, navigate change and better serve their communities.”
As part of the initial collaboration, CronkitePro users will gain access to:
The partnership also establishes a framework for future collaboration, including discounted access to Poynter courses for CronkitePro users, the development of co-branded professional training, and shared curriculum initiatives.
“Cronkite’s commitment to immersive, real-world journalism education aligns closely with Poynter’s mission to elevate journalists in their craft and practice,” said Neil Brown, president of the Poynter Institute. “Together, we’re creating new pathways for journalists to grow their skills, adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape and uphold the public trust.”
Additional joint programming and training opportunities are being planned, and will be announced soon.
Media Contacts
Malcolm Holmes
Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives, Cronkite School
[email protected]
Jennifer Orsi
Vice President, Publishing and Local News Initiatives
[email protected]
About the Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is the gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.
The Newmark Ethics Center, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization. Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for healthy democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.
About CronkitePro at the ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
CronkitePro is the professional services and training division of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Building on the school’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading journalism programs, CronkitePro delivers high-quality communications support, strategic storytelling, and hands-on training to organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Through a combination of expert faculty leadership and emerging media talent, CronkitePro helps clients navigate today’s rapidly evolving media landscape with innovative, impactful solutions. Learn more at cronkite.asu.edu/professional-development.
