Wayne State University ’s groundbreaking Journalism Institute for Minorities (JIM) is celebrating its 20^th year of training ethnic minority journalism students with a gala fundraising event, JIM’s 20^th Anniversary: A Salute to Emery King.  

King, an African-American journalist, is being honored as he marks 20 years of distinguished service to the Detroit media market.  The award-winning broadcaster has anchored the news on WDIV-TV 4 (NBC), will continue to produce and host documentaries and special programs for WDIV, through his Kingberry Productions, and recently joined the Detroit Medical Center as communication director.                                                 

The gala event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22 in the Community Arts Auditorium on the WSU campus.  The reception begins at 7 p.m. and the program begins at 8 p.m.  Tickets are $150 for the reception and program, and a limited number of student seats at $55 per ticket for the program only. The event will be headlined by FOX 2’s Huel Perkins, WXYZ-TV 7’s Diana Lewis and WDIV’s Ruth Spencer, King’s co-anchor for a near record 15 years. 

Luther Keith, founding JIM director, now senior editor with The Detroit News, is chairing the fundraiser.  “We’re expecting media professionals from every outlet to help us pay tribute to this giant of Detroit journalism,” Keith said.

The goal is to raise $30,000-$50,000 for a JIM endowment, to be used for tuition scholarships and additional JIM student support.  JIM students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete a journalism related internship each academic term. 

“Most of the talented ethnic minority students in JIM simply cannot afford to pay tuition while working at an unpaid internship.  We know internships are essential in preparing a student for this profession,” said Ben Burns, director of the journalism program and a founder of JIM.  

Comcast, a long-time supporter of the JIM program, has sponsored the event by donating $10,000.  “Comcast wholeheartedly supports JIM’s efforts.  The program’s goals mirror those of Comcast in supporting and representing diversity in our community,” said Ana Gabriel, Comcast vice president of corporate affairs.  

             WDIV is also providing support, donating to the endowment fund and producing video tributes to both King and the JIM program, for screening at the Salute.