The Robin Toner Program in Political Reporting

TONER PROGRAM

The Robin Toner Program in Political Reporting is designed to keep alive the flame of quality, fact-based political journalism that Robin Toner, the late national political correspondent of The New York Times, so cherished and at which she excelled – coverage that illuminates the electoral process, reveals the politics of policy and engages the public in democracy. Plans for the program call for:

• The Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting to be awarded annually by the University’s S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications for the best national or local political reporting of the previous year on any platform – print, broadcast or online. Starting in 2020, the Prize expands to two: The Toner Prize for Excellence in National Political Reporting and the Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Political Reporting. The Prizes will also have a special focus on the coverage of campaigns, candidates and elections that was Robin Toner’s special passion.
• The Toner Lecture/Symposium on American Politics and Political Journalism to highlight the craft, the value and the challenges of political reporting.
• The Toner Stipend for Innovation in Coverage of Electoral Politics, once funding is available,  is to be awarded in advance of every presidential election cycle and every important, mid-term election cycles to encourage new techniques in campaign reporting in any medium.

For more information, please contact:

Charlotte Grimes, administrator of The Robin Toner Program in Political Reporting
Newhouse School/Syracuse University
cgrimes@syr.edu