Rufus M. Friday

Biography

Rufus Friday is a distinguished media executive and leader dedicated to journalistic integrity, community engagement, and public service. He was appointed as the first Executive Director of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR), effective December 30, 2024, bringing decades of experience in publishing, leadership, and advocacy for ethical journalism.

The Center for Integrity in News Reporting was established in 2024, to lead the charge in solving the issue of regaining the public’s trust in media.

Its mission is simple but ambitious: to reduce bias in news reporting and rebuild public trust in the media.

Before joining CFINR, Friday served as President and Publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky from 2011 to 2018. He later served as Special Assistant to the President and Chief Advocacy Communication Strategist at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) from 2019 to 2021 and as Executive Director of the Hope Center in Lexington from 2021 to 2023. 

Prior to that, he was President and Publisher of the Tri-City Herald in Washington from 2005 to 2011. In 1984, Friday started his career in news media by working in circulation at the Raleigh News & Observer. His career also includes executive leadership roles at newspapers in Montgomery, Alabama; Rockford, Illinois; and Jackson, Tennessee.

His expertise in audience development, operational leadership, and strategic growth has made him a trusted figure in the news industry.

A proud alumnus of North Carolina State University, Friday holds a B.A. in Business Management and Economics. He also played football for NC State. 

In 2015, in recognition of his leadership and community contributions, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky).

Friday’s dedication to service extends beyond journalism. He currently serves as Chair of the Stars and Stripes newspaper publisher national advisory board, as well as on the boards of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation and the National Children’s Reading Foundation.

Additionally, he is a board trustee of the University of the Cumberlands, a member of the University of Kentucky’s College of Communication and Information Dean’s Leadership Council and serves on the Baptist Health Lexington Foundation Board and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Advisory Council.

In 2019, he was inducted into the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass Kentucky Business Hall of Fame in recognition of his professional and community impact.

Friday and his wife Melody reside outside Lexington, Kentucky.