NLA Board approves membership’s vote to dissolve by June 2024

Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project will lead Sunshine Week; NLA Awards become Poynter Journalism Prizes 

During its final meeting of the year, the News Leaders Association Board of Directors unanimously approved the NLA membership’s November vote to dissolve NLA and distribute its remaining assets to nonprofit journalism organizations that can carry on NLA’s leadership, diversity and First Amendment focus. 

We are thrilled to announce that the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida will is now officially in charge of Sunshine Week, continuing this decades’ old tradition for the foreseeable future. 

The NLA Awards program has now been transferred to the prestigious Poynter Institute, as part of NLA’s winding down of programs as we proceed with dissolution. For more information on the Poynter Jounalism Prizes, click here.  

All other NLA assets, including the diversity survey, leadership training programs, and historical records of NLA (formed in 2019 in a merger of ASNE, the American Society of News Editors, and APME, the Associated Press Media Editors) will be transferred to other non-profit journalism organizations in 2024 as we finalize work to secure a home for these important programs.

The resolutions adopted by the NLA Board on Dec. 8, 2023, take effect immediately. During the electronic membership meeting in November, a quorum was reached and 84 percent of the NLA members who participated voted to dissolve NLA by June 30, 2024.

The NLA Board members in attendance also voted unanimously to reduce the size of the 15-member board in 2024 as the organization winds down. The new board will consist of the five incoming officer positions: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and immediate past president. 

We thank all members who participated since NLA’s inception and have helped during this year’s transition.

Message to members from
NLA Board President, Alison Gerber

Dear NLA Members,

After a six-month review of NLA programs and assets, the Board of Directors of the News Leaders Association voted on Oct. 30, 2023, to recommend the dissolution of the association to its members. This was a tough decision, but a necessary step to ensure that NLA’s important programs can continue to advance leadership, diversity and media freedoms.

The board unanimously approved the recommendation after considering various scenarios and partnerships. If membership approves, the unwinding of NLA will ensure that the organization’s work to advance newsroom leadership training, the annual diversity survey and programs on media ethics and press freedoms can continue. Once dissolved, NLA assets and programs will be transferred to strategic non-profit journalism organizations that can carry on NLA’s leadership, diversity and First Amendment focus.

The NLA Board approved ballot language for NLA’s members to vote in mid November to dissolve NLA by June 2024. All members in good standing are qualified to vote.

We have not made this decision to dissolve NLA lightly. The board discussed various options during its first quarterly meeting on April 13, 2023, to determine NLA’s future.  They voted unanimously to establish a committee to explore how best to move forward, and that committee spent six months reaching out to key journalism organizations to find a financially feasible path forward. 

Journalism and democracy are at a critical juncture. Unfortunately, financial pressures continue to challenge news organizations of all sizes, whether legacy newspapers, digital news sites or broadcast newsrooms, in either for-profit or non-profit models, and NLA has been unable to grow its crucial programs at a time when they are most needed. NLA was formed in late 2019 as a result of the merger of two iconic organizations – the American Society of News Editors and the Associated Press Media Editors. From the beginning, the new NLA has faced obstacles, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic combined with the vast challenges facing the news industry and the financial markets. These headwinds created a perfect storm, making it difficult for NLA to expand and flourish.

The board believes the organization’s goals — empowering journalists with the training, support and networks they need to lead diverse, sustainable newsrooms — is more important than ever. With that mission in mind, we ask for your vote in support of dissolving NLA and continuing its work through other respected non-profit journalism organizations.

I, along with our board, am proud of the initiatives and programs that NLA has championed. Among them: the Emerging Leaders Institute for Diversity Equity and Inclusion, virtual forums on mentoring and diversity, work to improve the annual diversity survey of newsrooms, virtual conferences and programs, the creation of a new Sunshine Week website,  Freedom of Information Act forums and our annual awards program that celebrates the best in journalism.  

All of those programs could not have happened without your support. A heart-felt thank you, and we hope you agree with the board’s recommendation, and please vote.

Alison Gerber
NLA Board President