The philanthropist Leonard Tow has given a total of $8-million to two journalism schools to analyze how newspapers can expand online and train students in new media, reports The New York Times.

Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism will receive $5-million, and the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism will get $3-million.

Mr. Tow, who was chief executive of Century Communications, said he made the donation because “I’m really worried about the print-journalism side of the business. There’s so much contraction of employment going on; every day you pick up the paper and this chain or that chain has laid off another 10 percent, and we’re watching advertising support slowly disintegrate.”

Mr. Tow’s gift is part of a growing movement by donors and nonprofit groups to support journalism efforts, according to this article from The Chronicle’s archive.

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