MEDIA MONDAY / ANOTHER UNKIND CUT FOR JOURNALISM

Newseum's galleries and studios share stories of the power of the First Amendment and free expression to change the world. See how the Berlin Wall could keep people in – but couldn’t keep the free press out; how a young girl’s protest redefined free speech rights for students; and how a new generation of student leaders launched the sit-in movement, and more.

As parents, peers and school advisors openly challenge America’s youth to steer away from journalism as a career because of poor pay and the fiscal instability of the industry, comes more bad news.

The Washington Post reports Johns Hopkins University is buying the landmark building that houses the Newseum at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue for $372.5 million, a purchase that will enable the struggling cultural institution devoted to news and the First Amendment to seek a new home in the D.C. area.  The University wants to replace it with a medical grad school.

The Freedom Forum — the private foundation (read: Al Neuharth of USA Today) that created the Newseum and that is its primary funder — said the museum will remain open at 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW for the rest of 2019.

The shining paean to one of Democracy’s basic and essential freedoms opened in 2008 and will give way to a medical school.  How sad it is to covet the land under a national treasure.  What’s next?  It’s if we razed in 1953, then 10-year-old Jefferson Memorial (opened 1943) for a billionaire backed law school or shopping mall?

Johns Hopkins could buy cheaper land (on a Metro line for student convenience) and use the saved monies for medical research.

Click here for WPost’s comprehensive update on Newseum’s dilemma.

Click here for the Newseum’s webpage.

Main Lobby

Part of the original Berlin Wall

Top of the World Trade Tower