CNN’s Richard Griffiths to be Industry Fellow at Grady’s Cox Institute

Richard T. Griffiths, vice president and senior editorial director at CNN, will serve as an Industry Fellow with the James M. Cox Jr. Institute for Journalism Innovation, Management and Leadership during the spring 2017 semester at the University of Georgia.

Griffiths, who has worked for CNN for 25 years and has announced his CNN retirement effective February 28, will be a resource for journalism students at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.  CNN is sponsoring Griffiths’ role at Grady where he will guest lecture in the investigative journalism and journalism ethics and diversity courses, and will be available to students as an editor and coach on investigative reporting projects.

“I am excited to work with the students at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication,” said Griffiths. “In this changing media environment, it’s more important than ever to build strong foundations and share our experiences with the next generation of journalists.”

Keith Herndon, director of the Cox Institute, said having Griffiths available as resource for Grady’s journalism students will be an invaluable educational experience.

“Richard Griffiths has been a key decision maker in the news industry for many years. Bringing his exceptional background to Grady this semester gives our students an intimate opportunity to learn and reflect on how the news business works,” Herndon said.

Griffiths had been in his most recent post at CNN since 2010.  He was named editorial director in 2004 after serving a dozen years in several critical frontline positions as producer, senior producer, executive producer and senior executive producer.  Griffiths joined CNN in 1991 after 7 years as a producer with CBS News.

During an exceptional career, Griffiths led reporting and investigative projects that won multiple George F. Peabody Awards, the Overseas Press Club David Kaplan Award, two Emmys, a National Headliner Award and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Medal.

His nine planned lectures for the journalism ethics and diversity course will be open to all Grady faculty and students. They will be held in Studio 100 at 12:20 p.m. on January 27, February 3, 10, 17, March 3, 17, 31 and April 7 and 14.