"When the U.S. government cut funding for local news stations, the Knight Foundation moved quickly to help stabilize a rapidly eroding industry. President and CEO Maribel Pérez Wadsworth unpacks the evolving roles of philanthropy and government, and why philanthropic organizations must learn to move at the speed of the news cycle. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by former Fast Company editor-in-chief Robert Safian."
"From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today's top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. The Knight Foundation has focused on promoting and preserving local news and journalism and local communities for decades. This year, that mission has come under unprecedented attack with big funding cuts for public media, lawsuits by President Trump against CBS News, The Wall Street Journal."
The Knight Foundation mobilized quickly after U.S. government cuts to local news funding to stabilize local journalism. President and CEO Maribel Pérez Wadsworth highlights shifts in philanthropic and governmental responsibilities and stresses that philanthropic organizations must operate at the speed of the news cycle. The foundation has long focused on promoting and preserving local news, journalism, and community vitality. In 2025 the mission faced unprecedented pressure from public media funding cuts and lawsuits involving major national outlets. Wadsworth emphasizes that defending the First Amendment remains essential, that the moment requires urgency, focus, and clarity, and that the foundation’s 75-year mandate underpins these efforts.
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