About

“State of Emergency,” a major investigation into natural disasters, is the 2019 project of the Carnegie-Knight News21 program, a national multimedia reporting project produced by the nation’s top journalism students and graduates. Each year, students selected into the program report in-depth on a single topic of national importance.

This year, 37 journalism students from 19 universities are traveling across the country, examining, among other things, how local and federal agencies respond to communities devastated by disasters. They’ll also interview victims, survivors, first responders, and report from affected communities. Reporters have reviewed thousands of pages of government documents and also will produce multimedia stories, original data sets, and documentary videos.

The students’ work began in January 2019 with a video seminar that included reporting and research. In May, they started working in a newsroom at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University’s downtown Phoenix campus.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provides core support for the News21 program.

Individual News21 fellows are supported by their universities as well as a variety of foundations, news organizations and philanthropists that include The Arizona Republic, The Dallas Morning News, Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, Hearst Foundations, International Ireland Funds, Knight Foundation, Murray Endowment, Diane Laney Fitzpatrick, Myrta J. Pulliam and John and Patty Williams.

Corrections policy

News21 is committed to accuracy and welcomes feedback from sources and members of the public. Staff members and editors will correct errors of fact and clarify confusing information promptly and in a straightforward manner.

We will note significant corrections and clarifications within packages. We will correct minor spelling, punctuation and grammar errors without notice.