NEW YORK, June 23, 2015 -- Leading education advocate and former CNN and NBC anchor Campbell Brown today announced the creation of The Seventy Four, a non-profit, nonpartisan online newsroom aimed at driving a much-needed conversation about reforming America's education system.
The site, which will officially launch in mid-July, will pursue stories about the education of our 74 million children in honest, fearless, and relentless terms in an effort to turn the tide and reinstate the U.S. as the global education leader.
"The future of our country is predicated on a strong education system that serves all 74 million of America's children. Unfortunately, for far too long, special interests have prioritized their own needs over the well-being of our students and have not been held accountable," Campbell Brown said. "We are long overdue for an honest conversation about what works and what doesn't work. That's why we started The Seventy Four, a newsroom with an unapologetic point of view that will serve as a platform for those without a voice."
The Seventy Four will be led by Editorial Director Steven Snyder, former Assistant Managing Editor at TIME Magazine. Snyder and a team of experienced journalists will conduct hard-hitting investigations, provide provocative analysis, and develop cutting-edge multimedia content, which will break through the clutter of stale education news and make an impact.
Regular contributors to the site will include Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Cynthia Tucker, who previously served as a columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Michelle Bernard, president and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, a leading think-tank focused on domestic and foreign policy matters; and Conor Williams, senior researcher at New America's Early Education Initiative.
"By digging deep to uncover the facts, The Seventy Four will bring the truth about America's education system to light," said Romy Drucker, co-founder and CEO of The Seventy Four. "And by not being afraid to take a stand on issues that are controversial and polarizing, The Seventy Four will be a driving force in inspiring others to demand change."
The Seventy Four's Board of Directors includes: Jonathan Perelman of Buzzfeed, Truex founder Joe Marchese, Howard Wolfson of Bloomberg Philanthropies, Andy Rotherham of Real Clear Education and author and journalist Jonathan Alter.
To find out more, visit www.the74million.org.
