What happens when a major metropolitan newspaper joins forces with a Facebook group? In Houston, the answer is a partnership designed to reach audiences where they already gather online. The Houston Chronicle’s collaboration with Black Houston is creating new opportunities for community dialogue while offering a potential roadmap for audience engagement in the digital age. more

How are journalism schools preparing students for a media landscape increasingly dominated by video, streaming and visual storytelling? In this month’s E&P J-School profile, reporter Tandy Lau explores how universities are building documentary filmmaking programs that combine cinematic techniques with the reporting, ethics and media law foundations of journalism. From the University of Maryland to CUNY and UC Berkeley, educators say the goal is to equip students with the storytelling skills needed to thrive across emerging platforms while preserving journalism’s commitment to accuracy and accountability. more

What if journalism’s future depends less on acting like artists — and more on thinking like scientists? In this provocative E&P Shoptalk Digital Exclusive, industry product and audience development strategist Cecilia M. Dobbs argues that a free society requires journalism grounded in evidence, objectivity and accountability, not personal expression. Drawing on newsroom culture, scientific methodology and modern media debates, Dobbs explores why journalism’s credibility may depend on embracing standards designed to explain the world, not simply interpret it. more

Consolidation is no longer a theoretical discussion in public media — it’s becoming a strategic response to a rapidly changing financial reality. In this month’s Public Pulse, E&P columnist Alex Curley examines three proposed public media mergers and what they reveal about the industry’s evolving approach to sustainability, shared resources and long-term survival. As stations adapt to life after federal funding, Curley explores whether consolidation may become the next major trend shaping public media’s future. more

Trust in journalism isn’t rebuilt through headlines alone. Increasingly, news organizations are discovering that some of the most meaningful connections happen far from the newsroom — at community gatherings, neighborhood forums, festivals and public conversations. As skepticism toward the media remains high, a growing number of publishers are investing in face-to-face engagement to humanize their journalists and strengthen relationships with the communities they serve. more

The Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) has spent more than four decades advocating for press freedom, mentorship and more accurate coverage of Indigenous communities. What began as an effort to protect tribal media has evolved into a global network supporting journalists, students and news organizations across North America. Today, as Indigenous journalists remain vastly underrepresented in the profession, IJA is working to ensure Native voices are not only heard but empowered to tell their own stories. For many members, the organization has become both a professional lifeline and a community dedicated to preserving Indigenous storytelling for future generations. more

During a recent appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Vice President JD Vance invoked the First Amendment to defend his criticism of the 2020 election. But does the U.S. Constitution support his argument? In the latest installment of “Democracy Desk,” Digital Media Laureate and E&P Columnist Stuart N. Brotman examines what the First Amendment actually protects; why the distinction between government censorship and private editorial judgment matters; and the media’s mandate to inform the public. more

As layoffs, buyouts and shrinking newsroom staffs continue to reshape the media landscape, a growing number of journalists are betting on themselves. Some have turned to Substack, YouTube, podcasts and other digital platforms in search of editorial independence, closer audience relationships and new revenue streams. But as E&P Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck reports, life after legacy media requires far more than reporting skills — demanding that journalists become entrepreneurs, marketers and business operators while navigating an increasingly crowded and competitive independent media marketplace. more

As misinformation campaigns grow more sophisticated and AI-generated deception floods digital platforms, journalists are facing an increasingly urgent challenge: how to verify what’s real before falsehoods spread unchecked. Two of the world’s leading disinformation experts believe they can help. Through their new platform, Indicator, Craig Silverman and Alexios Mantzarlis are equipping reporters with a growing arsenal of OSINT tools, investigative techniques and training designed to help newsrooms uncover digital deception faster — and fight back against the accelerating spread of misinformation online. more

As younger audiences increasingly consume news through YouTube, TikTok and livestreams, news organizations are rethinking how video fits into their audience strategy. In this report, E&P’s Bob Miller explores how authenticity, real-time engagement and less-polished content are reshaping newsroom approaches to livestreaming and digital video. more

From sexist political attacks to online harassment and persistent newsroom inequities, many women journalists say the pressures facing them are intensifying. E&P Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck takes a deep look at the rising misogyny confronting women in media — and the growing network of allies, advocates and newsroom leaders pushing back. more

In an era when investigative journalism is increasingly threatened by shrinking newsroom resources and mounting political pressure, Lighthouse Reports has built a different kind of reporting engine — one powered by global collaboration, digital forensics and open-source intelligence. Operating largely behind the scenes, the nonprofit organization partners with newsrooms around the world to uncover hidden systems of surveillance, corruption and abuse, often using sophisticated OSINT techniques that resemble something out of a techno-thriller more than a traditional newsroom. more

For Jason Leopold, persistence isn’t just a trait — it’s a strategy. Over three decades, the investigative reporter has turned the Freedom of Information Act into one of journalism’s most powerful tools, proving that with enough focus, patience and pressure, even the most guarded records can be brought to light. more

At a time when journalism faces mounting challenges — from technological disruption to declining trust — the Online News Association’s annual conference offered something increasingly valuable: a sense of shared purpose. At ONA26 in Chicago, thousands of media professionals came together to collaborate, experiment and reaffirm that the future of journalism will be built collectively. more

Journalists are trained to run toward the story, no matter how difficult. But when the assignment ends and the adrenaline fades, many are left to process what they’ve witnessed alone — without the support systems needed to sustain both their work and their well-being. E&P’S Diane Sylvester examines the growing efforts to address trauma, close care gaps and build support systems for those behind the headlines. more

Last night’s Pulitzer Prize winners were announced, spotlighting the year’s most impactful journalism. Editor-in-Chief Gretchen Peck looks beyond the headlines to the moments and meaning behind the awards. See the complete list of winners. more

News fatigue isn’t just a trend — it’s reshaping how, and whether, audiences engage with journalism at all. As fewer Americans follow the news consistently, newsroom leaders are confronting a hard truth: the relentless cycle of negative, high-volume coverage may be driving readers away, while more localized, solutions-focused reporting offers a path to bring them back. more

Artificial intelligence may be changing how audiences discover information, but the bigger challenge for publishers could be preserving trust, creativity and visibility in an AI-driven media ecosystem. After attending both SXSW and the Game Developers Conference, E&P Columnist Chad Davis argues that journalism organizations must rethink how stories are created, discovered and optimized for a future increasingly shaped by AI search and digital platforms. more

For more than five centuries, journalism has operated in a world shaped by the logic of print — linear storytelling, institutional authority and the permanence of the written word. But the rise of social media, the creator economy and AI-driven conversation tools is pushing the industry toward something far older: a culture shaped by voice, dialogue and personality. The shift challenges long-held assumptions about how audiences consume and trust news. In this commentary, Chad Davis explores Jeff Jarvis’ theory of the “Gutenberg Parenthesis” and what journalism’s return to a more conversational media environment could mean for the future of the industry. more

In this E&P Shoptalk, Christian A. Hendricks argues that local newsrooms face a defining choice: prioritize reach or build trust. Drawing on a recent E&P Reports panel, he explores why trying to do both within a single model may no longer be sustainable, and why clarity of purpose is now essential for long-term success. more