The Institute for Local News supports university-led student experiential reporting programs that contribute to community news. ILN is a project of the State University of New York, a 64-campus comprehensive education system committed to high impact learning experiences and addressing present-day challenges, including the crisis in local news.
ILN is funded in part by Lumina Foundation.
Monthly Zoom Check in for 2025-26 will be: Sept. 19, Oct. 24, Dec. 5, Jan. 23, Feb. 20, Mar. 20, Apr – In Person TBD. Email Todd Franko to join a call.
Student Reporting Programs
Leadership
Todd Franko, Editor
Todd Franko is a SUNY Brockport graduate and Buffalo native. His 30-year news career started in Corning, NY and continued around the Midwest. He joined Report for America in 2019 and joined Canter for Community News in 2024. His national local news work includes roles in Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Ohio.
Listen here as Todd talks with David Lombardo of WCNY-Albany in October 2024 about the program and the mission to serve NY communities.
Email Todd at Todd.Franko@suny.edu
National Affiliate
If you’d like to learn more about the national program, please fill out this short interest form or contact Center for Community News Director Richard Watts.
Richard Watts
Director, Center for Community News
watts@gmavt.net
Faculty Committee
Elaine Salisbury
Albany
Marsha Ducey, Kim Young
Brockport
Christopher Keaty
Broome CC
Annemarie Franczyk
Buffalo State
Paul Arras
Cortland
Peter Brusoe
Delhi
Elmer Ploetz
Fredonia
Tony Podlaski
Hudson Valley CC
Ozgur Akgun
Old Westbury
Andrew Bottomley, Gayane Torosryan
Oneonta
Eileen Gilligan, Arvind Diddi
Oswego
Greg Bray, Darren Johnson
New Paltz
Jack Downs, Bruce Carlin, John Chambers, Kirsten Isgro, Stephen Kurczy, Lauren Zito
Plattsburgh
George Giokas, JD Allen
Stony Brook
Jared Stanley
SUNY Poly
Jay Barber, Andrew Galarneau
University at Buffalo
