E&P columnist Rob Tornoe says a recent viral video featuring a former NFL head coach left him more uneasy than amused. For the first time, he couldn’t immediately tell if what he was watching was real or a convincing AI-generated deepfake. That moment, he writes, underscored how blurred the line between fact and fabrication has become — and how even seasoned journalists now struggle to trust their own eyes. As Tornoe explores in his latest column, deepfakes are no longer crude internet novelties but powerful, accessible tools reshaping political campaigns, public perception and the fragile foundation of media trust. more

As digital disruption collapses old print–radio–TV silos, local collaborations like the one between Spotlight PA and Nexstar’s five Pennsylvania stations show how journalism can adapt. Led by Christopher Baxter of Spotlight PA and Phil Dubrow of WTAJ, the partnership turns long-form investigative stories into short-form TV segments, reaching 10 million additional viewers and earning a $500,000 Press Forward grant to expand for three more years. It’s proof that breaking walls and sharing strengths can keep local news thriving. more

When The Duquesne Duke first hit campus newsstands in 1925, radio was still young, television didn’t exist, and reporters filed stories on typewriters in smoky rooms overlooking the Monongahela. One hundred years later, Duquesne University’s student journalists are covering a far more complex media world — where algorithms compete with ethics, and artificial intelligence is the newest newsroom disruptor. Yet, amid all the change, one thing hasn’t shifted: The Duke’s commitment to community storytelling. As faculty and students celebrate a century of student journalism, they’re also reaffirming the same core lesson that shaped the paper’s first edition — that meaningful reporting begins not with technology, but with listening. more

As local news faces one of its most challenging eras, a new Press Forward–commissioned report from Commoner — founded by journalists Darryl Holliday and Anika Anand — argues that the future depends less on tax structures and more on posture: journalism done with communities, not apart from them. “This Is Local News Now” reframes local information as an ecosystem of “information stewards” — from reporters and librarians to civic groups and trusted creators — with newsrooms anchoring verification and credibility. The goal is urgent and pragmatic: develop shared ways to assess information needs, measure impact, expand training and build policy fluency so journalists, funders and civic partners can work as collaborators, not silos. more

On Jan. 31, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly pulled dozens of public health datasets offline — a bureaucratic act with sweeping implications. Researchers, journalists and local officials suddenly found themselves without access to the very information used to track disease outbreaks, maternal health and disaster response. The move, citing compliance with new Trump administration orders restricting demographic and equity-related data, was one in a growing series of actions across federal agencies that have erased or restricted access to public information. The result is a new kind of information crisis — one that threatens not only transparency but also the ability of communities to understand, prepare for and respond to real-world risks. more

When journalist Aymann Ismail took the helm of the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association earlier this year, he wasn’t just leading an organization — he was helping revive a movement. Founded post-9/11 to counter newsroom bias and underrepresentation, AMEJA is once again rising to meet the moment, with mental health support, mentorships and a growing call for press freedom. In this sweeping feature, Ismail and a new generation of journalists reflect on what it means to belong, to lead and to speak up — even when it costs you. more

When newspapers vanish, so does transparency. Two groundbreaking studies from the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment expose how FOIA compliance suffers in states with fewer local news outlets. Director David Cuillier says the research proves what many have long suspected: “When newspapers go away, governments run amok.” From rising fees to missing records, the findings sound an urgent alarm — without journalists, public accountability collapses. more

At 175 years old, Deseret News isn’t resting on its legacy — it’s redefining it. Born of pioneer grit and rooted in faith, the Salt Lake City newsroom is embracing the future with AI tools, video storytelling and digital-first products — all while staying true to its mission of elevating national conversations around family, freedom and faith. From the front lines of breaking news to the launch of new podcasts and training programs, this historic institution is proving that tradition and innovation aren’t at odds — they’re fuel for the next chapter. more

E&P columnist and media strategist Imtiaz Patel convened a closed-door roundtable of senior media leaders — from local publishers to national broadcasters — to confront a rising reality: AI is already rewriting the rules of engagement, audience and revenue. With consumer behavior shifting rapidly and tech giants controlling distribution, executives are scrambling to rethink business models before the next disruption hits. In this month’s editorial, Patel distills the key themes that emerged — from operational overhauls to the urgency of building trust-driven communities — and offers a sober warning: hope is not a strategy. The time to act is now. more

AI is everywhere right now — pitched as the magic ingredient that can do everything from writing your stories to analyzing massive databases, all while you sip your coffee. But E&P columnist Rob Tornoe cuts through the hype, warning that AI isn’t intelligence at all — it’s a parrot repeating patterns from data it may or may not have legally consumed. In his latest “News Media Today” column, Tornoe explores why journalists face a Wild West of untested tools, lawsuits and ethical landmines — and why the industry desperately needs a “Consumer Reports for AI” before trust gets lost in the noise. more

The internet once promised publishers limitless reach — then siphoned away their revenue. Now, generative AI threatens to deliver answers without clicks, leaving journalism with vanishing audiences and empty ad slots. Court battles may drag on for years, but a new crop of AI marketplaces is moving fast to fill the gap, offering publishers something they haven’t had since Google and Facebook ate their lunch: a way to get paid for their content. TollBit, ProRata, Cloudflare and Perplexity each claim they’ve cracked the code. The question is whether these models represent a lifeline — or just another false dawn. more

The media watchdog Free Press just rolled out a cheeky — but pointed — scorecard that ranks America’s biggest media companies on a five–chicken-head scale of “capitulation” to Donald Trump. Based on a six-month review of 35 major owners, the Media Capitulation Index flags everything from lawsuit payoffs and DEI rollbacks to editorial interference and Mar-a-Lago favor-currying — putting Trump Media and Elon Musk’s X at the five-chicken “propaganda” end, while Bloomberg and Netflix earn rare “independent” stars. “We wanted an instant visual that made people stop and think,” says Free Press strategist Timothy Karr, who led the research. The group plans annual updates — and hopes a little public shaming nudges powerful outlets back toward the public interest. more

In a time when newsroom budgets are shrinking and communities risk going uncovered, the State University of New York is charting a different course. Through its new Institute for Local News, SUNY has linked 20 campuses with nearby publications, creating a pipeline where students earn bylines in professional outlets while papers gain much-needed reporting capacity. Spotlight News, one of the early partners, has already won an international award for its collaboration with University at Albany students. For SUNY leaders, the goal is clear: build more “on-ramps” to the journalism highway — and give local newsrooms the lifeline they desperately need. more

With newsroom jobs shrinking and freelance rates collapsing, more journalists are turning to AI gig platforms like Outlier to make ends meet. The work ranges from editing grammar to testing models for harmful outputs — sometimes at rates as low as $10 an hour after unpaid training. Advocates warn that while the gigs offer short-term relief, they also carry hidden costs: burnout, poor pay and ethical dilemmas about helping build the very systems disrupting journalism. more

If you think your newsroom isn’t using AI, think again. A Reuters survey found that 80% of journalists already lean on AI tools in their daily work, yet only 13% said their organizations have any policy in place. That disconnect, Reuters warns, is a recipe for risk — from cybersecurity breaches to eroded trust. To close the gap, the Foundation has published a practical three-step guide urging editors to identify what AI tools their journalists are using, map the risks and set clear rules before the technology races ahead of them. more

When lawmakers rescinded $1.1 billion in public media funding, hundreds of local NPR/PBS outlets — especially rural and Indigenous stations — were pushed to the brink. Enter Adopt-A-Station, a simple dashboard that spotlights the most at-risk outlets and turns clicks into gifts; in its first month, it drew 40,000 visitors and funneled donors directly to stations like KTNA in Alaska — proof that a lean tool can move real money, fast. more

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a Silicon Valley experiment — it’s showing up in the workflows of scrappy startups, statewide broadcasters and national newsletter networks. From a small New Jersey outlet using AI to publish a dozen daily newsletters, to Michigan Public building a searchable transcript database of hundreds of town meetings, to 6AM City scaling community newsletters to more than 400 cities, the experiments are multiplying. The lesson? Generative AI proves most powerful not when it replaces journalists, but when it’s matched to newsroom needs — filtering vital health bulletins, digging through government records or automating tedious production work. As Bob Sillick explores, AI’s true value in media is emerging not in theory, but in practice. more

What if a map could reveal more than streets and cities — what if it could expose redlining, track broken promises on racial justice, and chart the health crises hitting Black communities hardest? That’s the work of Mapping Black California, a decade-old project led by Paulette Brown-Hinds, Candice Mays and Alex Reed. Using cutting-edge data visualization, the Inland Empire-based team transforms complex data into accessible, powerful narratives of accountability. Their mission is bold: to make visible what has too often been hidden — and in doing so, to help reshape California’s future. more

Americans still see journalists as vital to society — but they’re not shy about pointing out where the press falls short. A sweeping new Pew Research Center study reveals both admiration and skepticism: honesty, intelligence and authenticity rank as top traits the public expects, even as many feel journalists are losing influence. The survey of nearly 10,000 adults, paired with in-depth focus groups, paints a nuanced picture of trust and doubt in equal measure. For newsrooms navigating political polarization, AI disruption and financial upheaval, the findings are both a warning sign and a roadmap for rebuilding credibility. more

News publishers are spending heavily to chase new subscribers — but what if they’re pouring money into the wrong end of the funnel? Artificial Intelligence, Imtiaz Patel argues, offers a way to flip the script: optimize spend, personalize journeys and rethink how we convert, retain and price. Instead of bargain-basement offers and blunt promotions, AI can help publishers understand intent, tailor experiences and capture real value. The question isn’t whether AI will transform consumer marketing — it’s whether publishers will seize the chance to use it wisely before competitors do. more