Dan Sinker will teach classes and engage with students about innovation and ethics in journalism beginning in January 2019. (Photo courtesy of Dan Sinker)
The DePaul University College of Communication is pleased to announce that Dan Sinker has been named the inaugural fellow of the Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence (CJIE).
Sinker is a journalist, entrepreneur, artist, designer and cultural critic who has spent his career at the cutting edge of cultural movements. His ideas have been sought by leading newsrooms including the New York Times and the BBC.
He joins DePaul and CJIE as a fellow in January 2019. Sinker will teach classes and engage with students about innovation and ethics in journalism.
“From my start in punk rock publishing to working with some of the most impactful newsrooms in journalism, I've seen many sides of what journalism can be,” Sinker said. “I've spent the last 25 years creating new, innovative and boundary-pushing approaches to news and can't wait to bring my perspective and experience to the students of DePaul as the inaugural Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence Fellow.”
As the director of OpenNews, an initiative incubated by Mozilla and funded by the Knight Foundation, Sinker recently spent seven years helping journalists at news organizations such as the Guardian, the Washington Post and National Public Radio consider new approaches to technology and innovation.
Stretching the boundaries of journalism
CJIE directors Carol Marin and Don Moseley expect Sinker to bring the same forward-thinking approach to DePaul.
“Dan Sinker is a pioneer in thinking of how to stretch the boundaries of journalism while remaining true to the core concepts of ethical and excellent reporting,” Moseley said. “Bringing him to DePaul is a big advantage for future graduates.”
"There are few people who can have one foot in the traditional journalism world while using the other foot to kick creative boundaries to new, dynamic levels of communication,” Marin added. “Dan has created new ways to talk politics, culture and journalism. Hooray that he joins us at DePaul.”
Among his many credits, Sinker was the founder of Punk Planet magazine and created the “first truly great piece of digital literary work” according to The Economist when he wrote the @MayorEmanuel Twitter account, which combined humor and story as a lens to understand current events.
He earned a JSK Fellowship at Stanford University in 2007–08 and previously taught journalism at Columbia College Chicago from 2008–2011.
Sinker followed that experience with his work at OpenNews, including founding the Knight-Mozilla Fellowships to place creative technologists in newsrooms and SRCCON, an annual conference built around highly-participatory problem solving and skill sharing among the best technologists in journalism.
Sinker continues his commitment to independent media production as the co-host of the weekly Says Who Podcast and of The Hitch podcast.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dan,” said Alexandra Murphy, acting dean of the College of Communication. “His innovative approach to journalism will help shape DePaul students and future journalists to think creatively and build on the Center’s mission to adhere to the highest principles of journalism.”
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