As social media, especially Facebook, has become nearly universal for web users, sites like Craigslist, which used to be the place to go for just about anything, have somewhat faded from prominence. But that hasn’t stopped people from pointing fingers at Craigslist when they’re looking for someone to blame for the slow decline of certain print media outlets.

Craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark, has long maintained his site is not responsible for the less prominent position of print media. Now, Newmark is putting money behind that message. Lots of money. Recently, Newmark donated $20 million to City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism. The donation, says Newmark, is to help revitalize the time-honored vocation of journalism.

“I think right now in this country, we’re in a kind of information war and people of good will need to stand up and do something real… The CUNY journalism school does a lot to push forward the practice of quality journalism and does so by giving opportunity to everyone so that’s a big part of what I’m doing…”

While there was no mention of the role certain popular websites have played in the loss of revenue many newspapers are facing, many in the media made the connection for Newmark. The argument: sites like Craigslist, which offer free or cheap classifies hurt print publications because they take away formerly robust income sources.

Newmark, in his dedication speech, admitted he’s a news consumer, rather than a news creator, and he hopes his donation will help bring more quality faculty and students into the program. He also maintained that Craigslist is not responsible for where print media is today, and that the industry was struggling long before his online classifieds site became popular.

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It’s an interesting position for Newmark. While the donation to the concept of good journalism is certainly appreciated by the media, many of the outlets that wrote about the donation also included information about the prevailing idea that Craigslist has hurt the print media business. So, even as Newmark was ostensibly offering an olive branch to the media, many in the business were reminding anyone who would listen that Craigslist – and other online media – is hurting traditional media.

Newmark, though, could respond to that messaging by pointing to the tens of millions he’s donated to groups like Columbia Journalism Review, First Draft, ProPublica, and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in recent years. Put simply, Newmark has a fairly blatant history of supporting the industry he’s being accused of hurting.

And, as he does so, Newmark is offering a challenge to others to do the same: “I’m putting my money where my mouth is… Other people with goodwill and resources should be doing that as well.” As final words on this topic go, those are certainly not too bad.

5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian is the founder of 5W Public Relations.

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.