Poynter Names 20 Journalists Selected for Competitive 2026 Leadership Academy
The Poynter Institute announced a 20‑person cohort for its 2026 Leadership Academy, an intensive week‑long program in St. Petersburg, Florida. Participants, ranging from editors to producers across major news outlets, will engage in workshops on ethical decision‑making, generational management, and team resilience. Each journalist will also receive a 360‑degree feedback assessment and a Gallup CliftonStrengths report. The academy aims to fill a training gap for mid‑career media leaders who often lack formal leadership development.
What We Learned From a Failed Nota News Experiment
Last fall, Nota launched an experiment with 11 hyperlocal news sites, using AI‑assisted tools to turn public documents into local stories. Contractors deviated from the approved source list, copying material from other outlets without attribution, a breach the company attributes...
ICE Detainees’ Deaths Raise Questions About News Coverage of Asian Communities
Two Asian American immigrants—Tuan Van Bui, 55, from Cambodia, and Lorth Sim, 59, from Vietnam—died while detained at Indiana's Miami Correctional Facility, marking the 48th ICE custody death under the current administration. Their deaths have sparked calls from Rep. André...
Student Journalists May Produce a Quarter Million Bylines a Year. Here’s What that Looks Like
Student journalists are set to generate roughly a quarter‑million bylines in 2026, based on an AI‑driven analysis of 870 RSS feeds that represent about 80% of U.S. college newspapers. The data shows a dramatic rise in output, with some campuses...
Q&A: What Tucker Carlson’s Path Reveals About Where Journalism Is Headed
Jason Zengerle, author of a biography on Tucker Carlson, argues that Carlson’s trajectory from magazine writer to cable news star and MAGA leader exemplifies the erosion of traditional journalism. He warns that the collapse of local news and the rise...
Saving Local News Also Means Saving the Archives
When the Tacoma News Tribune vacated its building during the pandemic, senior vice president Stephanie Pedersen of McClatchy ensured the paper’s century‑old archives were not consigned to a warehouse. Partnering with the Tacoma Public Library, the physical photo and clipping collections...
ProPublica’s Union Staged a 24-Hour Strike over AI, Job Protections
ProPublica’s union, representing roughly 150 journalists and business staff, staged a 24‑hour strike to protest the outlet’s AI policies and lack of layoff protections. The bargaining committee seeks seniority safeguards, a "just cause" clause, and the right to refuse AI...
Student Newspapers Still Dominate Campuses. This Newsletter Shows What Else Is Possible.
Tomo Chien, a 22‑year‑old USC journalism student, created “Morning, Trojan,” a weekday email newsletter that now reaches about 12,000 subscribers with a 70 % open rate. The publication mixes hard‑news exclusives—such as USC’s mass layoffs—with campus humor, and is funded solely...
Trump Went Quiet over Easter Weekend. The Internet Filled in the Blanks with AI, Old Video and Rumor
Over Easter weekend President Donald Trump was absent from public events, prompting a wave of speculation about his health. Social‑media monitoring showed the terms "Trump" and "Walter Reed" mentioned 112,390 times with more than 1.2 million engagements, fueled by an old...
How Will the Consolidation of Indy TV Stations Change Our City?
Local TV news in Indianapolis is undergoing rapid consolidation as Circle City Broadcasting finalized its purchase of WRTV, joining its existing ownership of WISH‑TV and WNDY‑TV. Simultaneously, Nexstar Media Group closed its $8.5 billion deal to acquire TEGNA, the owner of...
Nonprofit Newsrooms Have Grown, but They Still Generate a Fraction of What Newspapers Once Did
Nonprofit digital‑first newsrooms now number about 400 and generated roughly $650‑$700 million in 2024, which is only about 1% of the advertising and circulation revenue the newspaper industry earned two decades ago. Earned revenue—subscriptions, ads, memberships—covers just a quarter to a...
Claims that a Bullet Test Cleared the Charlie Kirk Suspect Are Misleading
New court filings reveal the ATF could not definitively match the bullet recovered from Charlie Kirk’s autopsy to the rifle alleged to belong to suspect Tyler Robinson. The agency labeled the comparison "inconclusive," a result experts say is common when...
Fact-Checkers Reached More People in 2025. That Didn’t Help Their Finances
A 2025 survey of 141 fact‑checking organizations revealed that while 62% expanded their audiences, 76% reported financial vulnerability. Funding from Meta fell sharply, from 45.5% to 34.3%, and staff layoffs more than doubled to 38.3% of outlets. Coverage across all...
Fact-Checking Is Crucial when the News Moves This Fast
PolitiFact and a network of international fact‑checking outlets mobilized quickly after the Feb. 28 U.S.–Israel strikes on Iranian targets, scrutinizing statements from President Trump and other officials. The organization debunked Trump’s claim that Iran could soon launch missiles to the United...
An AI Company Set Out to Fix News Deserts. Instead, It Copied Local Journalists’ Work
Artificial‑intelligence firm Nota shut down its network of 11 hyper‑local news sites after Poynter and Axios uncovered more than 70 articles that copied reporting and photos from local journalists without attribution. The sites, launched in September to deliver bilingual coverage...
A Local TV Newsroom Disappeared Overnight. It’s a Warning Sign for What’s Next.
Circle City Broadcasting acquired Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV from Scripps for $83 million and dismissed the entire newsroom in a single night. The move reflects a broader wave of consolidation, highlighted by Nexstar’s pending merger with Tegna that would give the...
Fact-Checking Has to Go Where Misinformation Actually Spreads
Fact‑checking has traditionally measured success by article volume and citations, but the rise of private, fast‑moving channels like WhatsApp and community chats has upended that model. The commentary argues that fact‑checking must evolve from a standalone editorial product into civic...
In the Absence of Truth, Misinformation Becomes Harmful: Nepal’s Experience Shows Why Fact-Checking Matters in Crises
In September 2025, NepalFactCheck.org rapidly debunked a viral video falsely claiming a crowd was trying to burn the Pashupatinath Temple, helping to calm public panic during deadly Gen Z protests. Over the next two days the outlet cleared five high‑risk misinformation pieces...
Like Journalists, Prosecutors Shaped a Distorted View of Crime. They Can Help Fix It, Too.
A recent Princeton symposium highlighted how journalists and prosecutors jointly amplify a distorted view of crime by focusing on sensational incidents. Prosecutors, who generate the data behind court filings, now recognize their role in correcting public misconceptions. In Broward County,...
Who Covers Education in Indy?
Indianapolis’ education beat is fragmented across 11 public school districts, making comprehensive coverage difficult. Local newsrooms—Mirror Indy, WFYI, IndyStar—maintain dedicated education reporters, while Chalkbeat Indiana’s three‑person team partners with them to fill gaps. The collaboration yields joint stories on issues like...
CNN Journalists Were Detained in What Israel Called a ‘Serious Ethical and Professional Failure’
CNN journalists were detained and physically assaulted by Israeli soldiers while reporting on a settler attack in the West Bank. The crew, including photojournalist Cyril Theophilos, was held for two hours, during which a soldier placed Theophilos in a chokehold...
ASU’s Cronkite School and Poynter Institute Launch Training Collaboration to Support Journalists and Media Professionals
Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and the Poynter Institute have announced a collaboration to embed Poynter resources into the school’s CronkitePro professional training platform. The partnership will give journalists access to Poynter’s WriteLane podcast, a media job...
A Quarter of US Radio Stations Are Religious, and Most Listeners Aren’t Tuning in for Politics, Study Finds
About 25% of U.S. AM/FM stations focus on religious programming, reaching 98% of adults. While these stations blend faith with lifestyle topics, 62% of listeners tune in for spiritually uplifting content rather than news. Only 14% consider politics a major...
IFCN Director Angie Drobnic Holan Comments on Meta and Community Notes Following the Oversight Board’s Recent Advisory
The Meta Oversight Board issued an advisory on March 26 urging caution in expanding its Community Notes program, noting it cannot replace professional fact‑checking. IFCN Director Angie Drobnic Holan echoed the board, highlighting that Meta’s U.S. rollout produced only 900 visible...
When Covering a Protest Leads to Arrest, What Protections Do Journalists Really Have?
In April 2024, Fox 7 photojournalist Carlos Sanchez was arrested while covering a pro‑Palestine protest at the University of Texas at Austin, facing assault and trespassing charges despite identifying as press. Similar arrests have occurred, including Minnesota journalist Georgia Fort and...
Don Lemon Is Ready to Stand up for Press Freedoms. Are the Rest of Us?
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now an independent journalist, used a First Amendment Week appearance at Loyola Marymount University to call for journalists to defend press freedoms after his recent arrest in Minnesota. He was detained while covering an anti‑ICE...
MediaWise Launches Teen Creator Network with $300,000 Grant From Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
MediaWise, the Poynter Institute’s media‑literacy arm, announced the Teen Creator Network, a new program for U.S. creators aged 13‑20. Funded by a $300,000 grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the initiative will teach media literacy, journalism ethics, responsible AI use,...
This Writer Wants to Prevent Freelancers From Floundering on Story Pitches
Freelance writer Brendan O’Meara launched Pitch Club, a Substack series that publishes real story pitches with audio analysis. The project aims to demystify the pitching process by showing original submissions, rejection rates, and editorial expectations. Featuring pitches ranging from Outside...
This Viral Video of a Child Grieving a Fallen US Service Member Was Generated by AI
A video showing a toddler crying over a flag‑draped coffin went viral, amassing over 1.1 million views before experts identified it as AI‑generated. Digital‑forensics specialists from UC Berkeley, Northwestern and the University of Michigan flagged visual anomalies and confirmed deep‑fake characteristics. The...
Philanthropist Marcy Hennecke Joins Poynter Foundation Board
Philanthropist Marcy Hennecke, co‑chair of the Hennecke Family Foundation, has been appointed to the Poynter Foundation Board. Hennecke, known for her work on climate‑change reporting, women’s political leadership, and government accountability, will help expand the foundation’s impact on journalism. At...
Poynter Names 35 Journalists Selected for Competitive 2026 Leadership Academy for Women
The Poynter Institute announced its 2026 Leadership Academy for Women cohort, selecting 35 journalists from diverse media organizations worldwide. The week‑long program in St. Petersburg focuses on strategic leadership, talent development, and navigating press‑freedom challenges, and for the first time offers...
The US Exports Oil, but that Won’t Shield Americans From Higher Gas Prices
Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed the United States is a net oil exporter, but the reality is more nuanced. While the U.S. does export more crude oil and petroleum products than it imports, it remains a net importer of crude...
Could the Iran War Trigger a Military Draft? Why Experts Say It’s Unlikely
The United States’ air campaign against Iran sparked speculation about a possible military draft, after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks were interpreted as keeping the option open. President Trump later hinted a draft could be considered only for...
An Indiana Public Records Fight Went to Court. The Journalists (and the Public) Won.
Indiana journalists from the Indiana Capital Chronicle sued the state Department of Correction to obtain records on the cost of lethal‑injection drugs. After a year‑long legal battle, a Marion County Superior Court judge ordered the agency to release the data,...
A Correspondent Known for His Jan. 6 Coverage Becomes the Latest to Leave CBS News
Justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane announced his departure from CBS News, citing a desire for independence after gaining prominence for his Jan. 6 Capitol riot coverage. His exit adds to a wave of high‑profile departures since Bari Weiss assumed the editor‑in‑chief role,...
This Wyoming Newspaper Ditched Its Police Blotter
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle stopped publishing its police blotter on March 1, 2026, replacing it with deeper reporting on crime trends and public safety. The eight‑person newsroom, after completing Poynter’s Transforming Crime Coverage course, instituted new policies to protect vulnerable sources...
Social Media Posts Claim Iran Released a List of US Target Cities. That’s Not True
Social media posts claimed Iran released a list of U.S. cities and bases it would target, citing an Instagram image that named 11 locations. The list actually stems from pre‑war news articles that speculated on potential World War III targets, not...
A New Global Push Would Make AI Companies Pay for News
Artificial intelligence firms have trained on vast amounts of journalism without paying publishers, prompting a global push for statutory licensing. Europe is leading the effort, with a parliamentary vote slated for March 10 on a regime that would require automatic fees...
As Newsroom Jobs Shrink, some Journalism Schools Teach Students to Go Solo
As newsroom positions dwindle, journalism schools are redesigning curricula to teach students how to operate as independent creators. Programs such as The New School’s newsletter course, Harvard Extension’s content‑creator class, and St. Bonaventure’s new content‑creation major embed entrepreneurship, digital design, and...
Neil Brown Named New Chairman of Poynter Institute Board of Trustees
The Poynter Institute announced that longtime president Neil Brown will also serve as chairman of its Board of Trustees, succeeding Paul Tash after a 20‑year tenure. Brown, who joined Poynter in 2017 and previously edited the Tampa Bay Times, will...
Savannah Guthrie to Return to the “Today” Show
Savannah Guthrie announced she intends to return to NBC’s “Today” show despite her mother’s ongoing disappearance investigation. Paramount CEO David Ellison discussed the pending Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, emphasizing that CNN will retain editorial independence while expanding into streaming. CNN’s...
Journalists Push Back Against Parent Companies’ Contracts with ICE
More than 200 journalists at Law360 and its sister sites signed a letter demanding that parent company RELX terminate its $22.1 million, five‑year contract with the Department of Homeland Security that gives ICE access to a LexisNexis Risk Solutions database. A...
We Partnered with Streamers to Talk Rage Bait, Toxicity and Media Literacy. You Can, Too.
MediaWise launched the G.A.M.E. program in 2025, partnering with gaming creators like Danny Peña, Riana Manuel‑Peña, streamer airie, and voice actor Greg Chun to embed media‑literacy lessons into live streams on Fortnite and other games. The initiative reached more than 150,000 viewers, using...
Covering a Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty
Officer Brian Elliott of Beech Grove was fatally shot on Feb. 16 while responding to a domestic disturbance, prompting a wave of local media coverage. Within a week, television stations, the IndyStar and other outlets produced over 20 stories each, focusing...
A Viral Audio Clip Accusing the Clintons in the Epstein Case Was Created with AI
A viral audio clip claiming a victim accused Bill and Hillary Clinton of abuse on Jeffrey Epstein’s island was proven to be AI‑generated. Forensic analysis by the University at Buffalo and ElevenLabs’ classifier flagged the recording as synthetic, noting uniform...
How to Cover Child Welfare — and Not Just the System
The article urges journalists to place children and families at the center of child‑welfare reporting, questioning the language and systemic biases that often obscure lived experiences. It highlights the need to move beyond crisis‑driven stories, showing how sensational coverage can...
What Do We Learn About Local Newsrooms by Looking at Their Olympics Coverage?
Local newsrooms in Indianapolis leveraged the resources of national media conglomerates to deliver extensive coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, and broadcast groups TEGNA and Nexstar used on‑the‑ground reporters in Milan, live‑shot...
Did President Trump Call Into C-SPAN Under a Fake Name?
A caller identifying as "John Barron" appeared on C‑SPAN, sounding unmistakably like former President Donald Trump, but the network later confirmed it was not the president. The brief, 32‑second call sparked speculation about a Trump impersonator or AI‑generated voice, highlighting...