CNN donates
$100,000 to gay journalists group

CNN has bestowed $100,000 to the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, the biggest donation ever from a single news media company to the gay press organization. The endowment will support the Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award, an academic grant named after NLGJA's founder, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

"We are deeply grateful to CNN for sustaining Roy's commitment to the profession he loved," said NLGJA president Eric Hegedus. "His aims for NLGJA have always insisted on the highest possible journalism standards, and with this endowment his work lives on through the next generations of promising young students."

Given annually as a $5,000 scholarship, the money will benefit an LGBT undergraduate or graduate pursuing a journalism career."CNN is only as strong as its journalists, and this donation helps ensure that we not only support an outstanding organization of journalists but a deep resource for hiring future CNN anchors, correspondents, and producers," said CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton.

The deadline to apply for the scholarship award is February 1, and applications can be found at nlgja.org/students/student_index.html. Now in its 15th year, the Washington, D.C.-based NLGJA works to ensure accurate media coverage of LGBT issues while also providing gay journalists with opportunities for career development and assistance with workplace bias issues. (Advocate.com)