A Muzzle to the Town of Hanover, N.H., for Refusing to Release Arrest Records After a Dartmouth Protest
In October 2023 Hanover, N.H., refused to release arrest records for two Dartmouth College protesters, prompting a lawsuit by The Valley News. A state judge ordered the records disclosed, but the town delayed and declined to pay the newspaper’s legal fees. In August 2024 the New Hampshire Supreme Court unanimously ruled the town violated the Right‑to‑Know law and mandated payment of reasonable attorney fees. The students were later convicted of misdemeanor trespass, receiving 20 hours of community service and a $310 fine.
The Washington Star Is Back, and so Is Its Long-Running Rivalry with The Washington Post
Forty‑five years after the original Washington Star folded, its digital successor NOTUS is rebranding as The Star and expanding its newsroom to 95 journalists by year‑end. The move aims to exploit recent cutbacks at the Washington Post, especially in local...
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Will Go Nonprofit After Being Acquired by The Baltimore Banner’s Owner
The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, owner of the nonprofit Baltimore Banner, announced it will purchase the Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette and operate the historic newspaper as a nonprofit. The deal, described as a “huge discount” by Baltimore Banner founder Stewart Bainum,...
Celebrate the First Annual Local News Day by Supporting Journalism in Your Community
The nonprofit Montana Free Press inaugurated the first annual Local News Day, a national call to reconnect audiences with trusted community outlets and empower newsrooms. The event is backed by major philanthropy such as Press Forward, The New York Times...
On the New ‘Beat the Press,’ We Look at War Coverage, Fetish Non-Coverage and CNN’s GenZ Ploy
The latest episode of “Beat the Press with Emily Rooney” dissected how the media is handling the war in Iran, drawing criticism from both the left and the right. The panel also highlighted mainstream outlets’ reluctance to publish fetish photos...
Trouble in Nonprofit Paradise: Low Pay, AI Worries and a Restive Union Lead to Turmoil at VTDigger
VTDigger, Vermont’s leading nonprofit news outlet, logged about 800,000 visits in January, ranking it the 17th‑most‑trafficked nonprofit site in the U.S. The organization announced a new union contract that grants a 33% wage increase to its lowest‑paid employees and sets...
Sean Murphy Retires From the Globe, Ending a Family Connection of More than 60 Years
Sean P. Murphy, a Boston Globe reporter since 1987, announced his retirement, concluding more than six decades of family service at the newspaper—his father Jeremiah V. Murphy began reporting there in 1961. Murphy’s most visible role was as the consumer‑advocate...
The Society of Professional Journalists Blasts Massachusetts for a ‘Troubling Lack of Transparency’
The Society of Professional Journalists awarded Massachusetts the 2026 Black Hole Award for a "troubling lack of transparency" in its public‑records system. The state’s law exempts the governor’s office, legislature and judiciary, leading to frequent delays, ignored deadlines and costly...
In Western Mass., A Muzzle Award for Delaying the Release of Records Alleging Police Misconduct
In June 2023 independent journalist Andrew Quemere sued Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan to compel the release of police officers' names and misconduct records. After a Superior Court order, Sullivan finally produced the Brady‑type documents on March 13, 2024—two and...
The Times May Not Be Perfect, but It Remains Staunchly Independent in an Era of Bent Knees
The New York Times has emerged as one of the few major newsrooms still openly challenging President Trump’s administration, delivering relentless investigative reporting on everything from foreign bombings to domestic scandals. Its paid circulation now approaches 13 million subscribers, almost entirely digital, and...
Zuri Berry Tells Us How The Banner, a Nonprofit Startup, Is Reviving Local News in DC’s Maryland Suburbs
Zuri Berry, executive editor of The Banner, discussed the nonprofit digital news startup’s rapid expansion from Baltimore into Montgomery County, Maryland’s suburbs. The four‑year‑old organization fills a local‑news void as larger papers like The Washington Post scale back regional coverage....
A New Report on Nonprofit Local News Calls for Collaboration — and Warns that Philanthropy Has Its Limits
Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro’s new report, commissioned by Arnold Ventures and published by Media Impact Funders, analyzes 559 funding proposals submitted to the Press Forward consortium. Using AI, the study groups proposals into 11 problem domains and highlights a chronic lack...
Please Join Our What Works Group on Facebook to Keep up on Local News — and Our Upcoming Webinar
What Works: The Future of Local News has launched a dedicated Facebook group to keep stakeholders informed about its activities and upcoming events. The group will serve as a hub for updates surrounding the organization’s free, all‑day webinar for local...
On the Latest ‘Beat the Press,’ We Look at War Coverage, the Buzz About a Public Radio Merger and More
The newest episode of "Beat the Press with Emily Rooney" tackles the Trump administration’s aggressive push to limit coverage of the Iran war, explores a potential merger between Boston’s two flagship public‑radio stations GBH and WBUR, and spotlights the Washington...
Four and a Half Months After Being Laid Off, Jon Keller Is Returning to WBZ-TV’s Airwaves
Jon Keller, Boston’s most prominent political journalist, was laid off during CBS’s post‑Paramount acquisition purge. After a four‑and‑a‑half‑month hiatus, he returns to WBZ‑TV as a special contributor, appearing on the 5 p.m. news. Keller will also revive his long‑running “Keller At...