Here’s a warning for journalists seduced by shiny new AI toys: don’t be fooled. E&P columnist and Philadelphia Inquirer digital editor Rob Tornoe pulls no punches as he lays out how AI, far from being the future of news, may actually be accelerating its decline. From Google gutting referral traffic to cartoonists getting ripped off by bots, the evidence is piling up. Tornoe’s take? “AI is a parlor trick — and we’re falling for it.” more

Immigration and deportation stories are grand in scope. They are of national and international interest but also keenly hyperlocal. They are stories about individuals, families, local communities and businesses as much as about policy, government and nations. It’s also a beat that’s becoming more challenging in myriad ways, including sourcing and protecting those sources. more

Jonathan Kealing has spent two decades in journalism, from local beats to national strategy, and now serves as Chief Network Officer at the Institute for Nonprofit News. In that time, he’s seen funding models rise, fall, and evolve — and helped lead the charge toward nonprofit sustainability. But in this moment, he argues the industry is focused on the wrong crisis. Journalism, Kealing warns, isn’t suffering from a lack of viable business models — it’s suffering from a vanishing audience. more

The student newspaper is an institution at most colleges and universities nationwide — some dating back more than a century. Independent of their school administration, they report on campus life, faculty, administrative policy, events and sports — about the things that matter most to students — and increasingly about the broader community beyond campus. more

There’s an explanatory element to every piece of journalism. In some cases, that explanation is the sole purpose. “Explainers” are focused articles or videos that take complex or timely topics and break them down into essential elements that a reader or the broader public needs to know in order to have a more nuanced understanding of larger issues. Explainers can also be a leveling, fact-driven way to cut through a glut of misinformation. more

What was once viewed as a popular feature that could attract new readers to local papers across the country, film critics have become an unaffordable luxury to all but a handful of news outlets. Richard Roeper, the longtime nationally syndicated film and TV columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, recently spoke to Editor & Publisher about his decision to take a buyout, the state of the film industry and the future of his chosen profession. more

Wikipedia, long heralded as the world’s largest online encyclopedia, is facing a steady stream of attacks from right-leaning figures and institutions who claim the site exhibits liberal bias and suppresses conservative viewpoints. In late April, The Free Press reported that interim U.S. attorney Ed Martin, a Trump-appointed prosecutor in Washington, sent a letter to the Wikimedia Foundation accusing it of potentially violating its obligations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. more

If you work as a journalist in the U.S., you are at least tangentially aware of Mizzou’s impact on journalism. The clout is not just in the school’s brand and reputation as one of the most prestigious J-schools in the country but also in the names of its alums. But, Mizzou is involved in much more than producing an army of journalists. It’s also connected with research and institutional groups that support the industry behind the scenes. more

“Impact” is what all journalists hope for their work — that it will be consequential and inspire change. It may be as simple as a better-informed audience or as complex as a change in public policy. But at what point does a quest for impact cross the line from effective journalism to advocacy? more

On the afternoon of April 2, the News/Media Alliance notified all its members that newsprint imported from Canada is exempt from the 25% tariff. The exemption applies to all compliant goods from Canada and Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). more

Just because people trust public media doesn’t mean they use it. For all the “trust” people express in PBS, the audience size for the flagship PBS Newshour declined by 9% from 2020 to 2022. Other reports show similar decreases in NPR listenership and tune-in to terrestrial broadcasts of any type. Audiences, in other words, are shifting to digital distribution. more

Dallas Voice has been persistent and undeterred in its mission since 1984 to speak loudly and proudly for the Dallas LGBTQ community. Dallas Voice tells the community's many stories and advocates for the advances in equality, legal rights and basic human respect the community enjoys today. more

The news media industry is often focused on the people in the spotlight, but the contributions of those behind the scenes are immeasurable. In newsrooms across the country, editors carry heavy responsibilities. They lead the newsroom, determine what stories should be told and challenge assertions with unwavering commitment to the public’s interest. Their insight, experience and leadership are indispensable and elevate journalism to new heights. Despite not being as celebrated as bylined reporters or columnists, their invaluable contributions cannot be overlooked. We hope you enjoy meeting this exemplary group of E&P’s 2025 Editors Extraordinaire. more

American democracy is under siege. Most of us, including journalists and newsroom leaders, have been slow to fully acknowledge it. But those who have experienced authoritarianism, such as Masha Gessen and Maria Ressa, recognize it. The press has a vital role and duty to accurately and urgently alert the public to what is happening. more

After six years of operating behind the scenes, the News Futures collective opened its doors to the public in February — inviting others to join its mission. It's focused on building a clearer picture of how journalism can serve as civic infrastructure, rooted in mutual respect and responsive to community needs. more

A new task force aims to bridge 12 newsrooms that focus on climate journalism. Not all the entities involved in the task force exclusively cover climate content. Some branch out into other areas of journalism, but all of them produce and share climate content. more

How do you save local journalism? How do you take a legacy newspaper and ensure it continues for the next 140 years? These are questions that Rob Curley — executive editor at The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington — has been pondering for more than a decade. Curley may have found the answer with the help of some news industry veterans, a local entrepreneur with a passion for nonprofits, and the counsel of one of the largest business consultancies in the nation. more

The Associated Press is expanding its support for local newsrooms to produce in-depth reporting. In March, the nonprofit cooperative launched the Local Investigative Reporting Program, providing member newsrooms with resources to strengthen accountability journalism through data analysis and advanced reporting techniques.  more

By placing public-interest stories behind paywalls, news organizations have built a kind of “border wall.” This restricts access to reliable information, pushing those without access toward “pink slime” news sites filled with disinformation. However, dismantling this border wall doesn’t mean sacrificing subscription revenue. more

As local newsrooms shutter and rural stories go untold, KFF Health News is stepping into the gap — not with headlines from afar, but with reporters on the ground. Its Rural Health Desk is one of the few national initiatives committed to covering the health care challenges facing America’s smallest communities. Since its launch in 2022, the desk has produced hundreds of deeply reported stories, helping local outlets reach their audiences and policymakers understand what’s at stake. In a time when your ZIP code can determine your health outcome, this journalism could not be more essential. more