FIR Interview: Gary Kebbel, Journalism Program Director, Knight Foundation

Gary Kebbel has an enviable job: Giving away $25 million over five years to people who enter the Knight News Challenge, designed to surface new ideas for the production and distribution of news.In this interview with Shel Holtz, Gary looks at some previous grant winners and touches on the importance to communicators of identifying new news methodologies.

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About our Conversation Partner

Gary KebbelGary Kebbel joined the Knight Foundation in January 2006 as a Journalism Program officer and promoted to Director in March 2008.

Kebbel was news director at America Online, where he trained and directed the team that built AOL News into the world’s largest online news site. Before that, he helped create USAToday.com and Newsweek.com, and was a home page editor at washingtonpost.com. His journalism career began in newspapers. Most recently, he worked on the web site of Education Week, where he was in charge of content development, strategy and planning. He helped plan the successful switch of edweek.org from a free to a paid subscription web site. He has served as the graphics editor at USA Today; taught online journalism as an adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism; and is a Fulbright Senior Specialist in online journalism. Kebbel has three masters’ degrees: one in social work from The Catholic University of America, and one each in political science and journalism from the University of Illinois. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University.

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Posted by shel on 09/09 at 01:40 PM

  1. DEAR Gary Kebbel,Journalism Program Director, Knight Foundation            
    Independent International public magazine “ Eko-inter ” supervised by me is issued since 13.01. 2004. Articles of large scientists of Azerbaijan and other countries, mainly, are published in magazine, the republics devoted to actual problems, the Caucasian region, and also all World. At the request of authors’ articles in magazine are published in the Azerbaijan , Russian, English, German and Turkish languages. With each edition reader’s interest to magazine grows also it becomes even more popular. The publishing house of magazine is ready to accept and publish articles of all interesting persons. We are very satisfied by participation and cooperation with your organization. The aims of public-political international “Eko-Inter” ecology magazine represented by us are quite important for human development that struggles against diseases transmitted by animals and birds, as well as its products, protection of environment and Biodiversity, Ecology, Biology, Genetics, Botany, Zoology, Volcano, Agriculture, Geography, Geology, Biological, Anthropology, Archaeology, Meteorology, Oceanography and Ecoenergy. Recently, pollution of environment from various reasons has created very serious ecological global problems for our planet. In the prevention and solution of these problems of general character wide propaganda and enlightenment work is of great importance. In this direction, the service of international ”Eko-Inter” magazine has gained special sympathy between the communities. In all existing current numbers of the magazine have touched upon the problems dealing with protection of the most different and bio-difference of ecological problem. In the way of their solution the opinions of specialists of high-level are lightened. But, we should to say unfortunately that, recently, it is needed pecuniary aid in the time of the magazine and in printing qualitatively large capacity and edition. But have no enough financial support to gain our objectives. We will be very pleasured by your financial support within grant to realize these objectives. By taking consideration the above mentioned, we request you Grants aid for long-term and durable printing of “Eko-Inter” magazine. We will justify your confidence if you accept our cooperation. It will be great pleasure to us to type about your organisation in our journal WELCOME EKO-INTER .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

    The Editor-in-Chief of the magazine: Teymur Mammadzade

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  09/15  at  10:12 PM

  2. Pretty good post. I just came across your site and wanted to say
    that I have really liked reading your posts. Any way
    I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon!

    Posted by aion kina  on  10/12  at  10:40 PM

  3. Really nice article. I’ve learned a lot, honestly speaking. Very informative indeed.

    Posted by Mobile car valeting  on  11/10  at  07:26 AM

  4. Great post and I must say I really envy Gary Kebbel. I only wish I can be as successful as he is. Grand Palladium Jamaica

    Posted by Grand Palladium Jamaica  on  11/11  at  12:32 PM

  5. Gary Kebbel is an amazing speaker.  He has so many achievements. He’s the journalism program director at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in Miami, Fla, directed the growth of AOL News into one of the largest news sites on the Internet, and a Fulbright Senior Specialist in online journalism amongst others.

    Posted by RevAbs  on  12/08  at  10:23 AM

  6. Very nice interview. Gary Kebbel really has a lot of achievements that must be the source of his knowledge. He is becoming the inspiration by people in his field.

    Posted by AC Repair St. Pete  on  12/09  at  10:35 AM

  7. Very good article, I enjoyed reading it a lot.

    Posted by Online Insurance India  on  12/10  at  05:46 AM

  8. I heard Gary Kebel’s interview in Teach Your Children Well: Reforming Education in Schools and Society. It was very insightful

    Posted by London Handyman  on  12/14  at  07:22 AM

  9. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for the post guys.

    Posted by The March Group  on  12/16  at  05:38 AM

  10. Great interview. And quite a good background.

    Posted by Handyman  on  12/17  at  07:28 AM

  11. He really has a good profile. He is just fit for the job.

    Posted by Local Internet Marketing  on  12/22  at  07:19 AM

  12. Good article. Thanks to the author

    Posted by writing service  on  12/23  at  12:41 PM

  13. The Knight Foundation and the Knight News Challenge is a fantastic result, in helping to encourage sustainable projects and provide support in the all important transition to digital communications, for companies worried about their future, especially those in the traditional news and print industries.</p>
    As an Internet marketing company, we are exposed to numerous companies within the news and print industry who are looking for support in that leap, to new and innovative models using digital communications to reach audiences that are turning away from traditional reporting methods.
    With Everyblock.com and the purchase by MSNBC.com demonstrates that not only this project but projects like this, can receive market validation and become commercialised, proving that great ideas can lead to recognition and a great success story, whilst handing over responsibility to local communities and its contributors.

    Posted by Brad Roberts  on  01/11  at  05:26 AM

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