By Judy Carmack Bross
Elizabeth Jordan, Abby O’Neil, Carroll Joynes, Deborah Witzburg and David Greising
In accepting the 2024 Daniel L. Goodwin Watchdog Award at the recent Better Government Association’s Annual Luncheon attended by 300 civic, corporate and philanthropic leaders, Carroll Joynes spoke to the importance of journalism at the local level.
“What we know for certain is that when we lose local news, civic participation declines. As advertisers migrated to the internet, newspapers across the country lost their financial underpinnings. From $50 billion a year in 2005, income dropped 80% to only $8 billion in 2023. And more than a quarter of all local newspapers have disappeared in that period. More disappear each month. The negative consequences for communities are profound.
There are, however, signs of hope. Local efforts by both the MacArthur Foundation and the Knight Foundation to assist local newsrooms, are helping to keep small local newsroom afloat. Newsrooms like Block Club, the Invisible Institute, Injustice Watch, WBEZ and the Sun-Times and WTTW, to name just a few. Local newrooms have a crucial watchdog role to play, and the stakes could not be higher”
Luncheon guests Noren Ungaretti, Greg Thompson and Pam Crutchfield
David Greising, Deborah Witzburg, Carroll Joynes
Co-founder of the University of Chicago’s Cultural Policy Center in 2001, Joynes is an author, teacher, scholar, philanthropist and serves on the boards of numerous organizations which bolster both education, and the arts and culture. These include the Newberry Library and the BGA.
Tony Chereso, CEO and President of The Inland Real Estate Group
In presenting the award, Tony Chereso, CEO and President of The Inland Real Estate Group, said Joynes has been a “tireless advocate who strives to empower citizens to take active roles in civic life.”
Joynes told Classic Chicago Magazine:
“The absence of local news puts people at high risk. If you don’t know what is happening in your community… if no one is telling you how to get involved, you withdraw from the public sphere, even if that is limited to your own neighborhood.”
“Several years ago I had become weary of complaining about Chicago politics and its systemic corruption and graft. My friend Scott Hodes, a BGA board member and respected attorney in Chicago, suggested I get involved in actually doing something to help, and I did. And I see the difference that the BGA is making under the leadership of its current president David Greising, a veteran local journalist.
“A new ecosystem is gradually emerging to deliver on what people want to know about – the things going on in their neighborhood and their city.
Happily, a partnership is emerging which combines both foundations like the MacArthur and the Knight Foundation which recently committed $175 million to rescuing local journalism. My personal goal it to keep supporting these viable new local sources of high quality journalism and helping make sure that there are more young reporters working on local stories.
This is an area in which the BGA is significantly involved. While we currently have a staff of only 25, we punch well beyond our weight. And we’re growing. And our collaborations with the other small, independent newsrooms in Chicago are gradually filling the void left by the now much diminished newsrooms of the two legacy Chicago newspapers.”
Heather Steans, Vice-Chair of the BOA Board of Directors
Chaired by John Canning Jr. and Heather Steans, the luncheon’s theme was “Enabling Integrity,” and it raised almost $1.2 million for the organization. Founded in 1923 during the height of Al Capone’s criminal career in Chicago, the BGA is an investigative, solutions-focused newsroom, and a public advocate working toward a more transparent, equitable, and accountable government for the benefit of all Illinoisans.
BGA President interviews Deborah Witzburg
The luncheon concluded with a discussion between BGA President David Greising and City of Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg. They explored ongoing efforts to promote integrity within Illinois government; serious challenges in reforming the Chicago Police Department; and the implications of this year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that undermines the ability to prosecute corrupt public officials.
Working as a catalyst for constructive transformation, the BGA serves the city and state through its new Illinois Answers Project, which harnesses its Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom to tackle critical issues and galvanize both the public and policymakers by exploring evidence-based solutions and deploying data-intensive analysis.
The BGA team
In addition to its investigative journalism, the BGA’s policy initiatives separately advocate for a more accountable, fair and responsible government through research, analysis, and pushing for policy reform and coalition-building. The BGA also helps foster civic engagement through its conversations with residents and community organizations.
Please note that on October 15th , from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Tree Studios Ivy Room, the BGA will present “The Pension Puzzle: Fixing Illinois’ Pension System” — a deep dive into the challenges and solutions surrounding the huge pension deficits that burden Chicago and the State of Illinois. Speakers will be: Andy Manar, Deputy Governor for Budget and Economy, Illinois State Senator Robert Martwick, and State Representatives Steve Reick and Stephanie Kifowit. The public is invited. Log onto bettergov.org for more information about this event.
