In liberal circles, news that the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota will add Hubbard to its name on July 1 generated a predictable but misguided response.
Stanley S. Hubbard, chairman and CEO of Hubbard Broadcasting, is a frequent and high-profile backer of Republican candidates and, although he contributed $10,000 to an anti-Trump political action committee in early 2016, he eventually backed the GOP nominee. Trump, of course, has attacked mainstream news outlets and chillingly threatened to "open up" libel laws to make it easier to sue news organizations.
That background taints the Hubbard name beyond repair among some progressives, who conveniently overlook contributions family members have made to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, among other Democrats.
But let's put Trump and politics aside if that's remotely possible these days. The Hubbard family and its late patriarch, Stanley E. Hubbard, donated $10 million to the U's journalism school in 2000 and have given the university another $15 million over the years.
Although the U's naming decision was made to honor Minnesota's "first family" of broadcast news — it's not tied to a new donation — $25 million is a significant level of largesse, and the Hubbards deserve recognition for supporting the state's leading research university and its journalism school.
In similar fashion, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation has supported and lent the Reynolds name to journalism programs at the University of Missouri and Arizona State University, and of course the Carlson name is attached to the U's prestigious School of Management.
Last month, Stanley S. Hubbard and his late father each received First Amendment Leadership Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Foundation. In an interview with an editorial writer this week, Hubbard said he told the group gathered for the awards ceremony that the First Amendment "isn't going anywhere" under Trump. He added that his family has supported the U because it's such an "important part of life in Minnesota."
Private financial backing is needed and welcome for journalism education. With the support the Hubbards have provided to the U over the years, thousands of aspiring journalists have learned the importance of the First Amendment, quality journalism and strong libel laws — regardless of twitter attacks launched from the White House.
