Attacks on media companies are escalating. It’s hard to pinpoint whether cybercriminals strategically target media companies or whether the criminal net is just so widespread that it ensnares news outlets almost incidentally. But news businesses around the world have found themselves on the receiving end of hacks, breaches and ransomware demands, perhaps the most insidious of them all. more

One-time Pulitzer Prize finalist David Fitzsimmons has been drawing six cartoons a week about his sun-soaked corner of the country for the Arizona Daily Star since 1986. Avoiding the fate of many of his contemporaries, Fitzsimmons has managed to remain a vital part of his newspaper and the community for the past 35 years and only recently decided at the age of 66 to begin to slow things down and go part-time. more

Now more than ever, news publishers need to be supported by suppliers and vendors that help create content, build audience and monetize every eyeball for the best return on investment. That is why we at E&P decided to launch this salute to “Business Partner Powerhouses” — those superb companies that excel at supplying our industry with the products and services that make us sleep better at night, knowing they have “our backs” every day. more

Erstwhile Chicago Tribune columnist Rex Huppke is settling into his new gig at USA TODAY. The “humor(ish)” columnist is from Florida, went through Indiana via a stint with The Associated Press and banked nearly two decades at the Trib. Huppke talked to E&P after a few weeks nesting in his new editorial home. more

In late 2021, the Iowa Senate decided that the 2022 session would begin with a new rule for journalists: They’d be moved from the “press bench” and relegated to the upper-level gallery, reserved for the public. Something similar is unfolding at Utah’s statehouse, where credentialed reporters are restricted from the House and Senate floors and now need “permission” to interview lawmakers.   more

Raychel Young-Porter, the woman on our cover, is a photojournalist on a mission. Originally from Foster City, California, Raychel joined the Marine Corps specifically to be a combat photojournalist. She graduated in 2017 from the Defense School of Information in Fort Meade, Maryland, as a photojournalist with the United States Marine Corps. She has been awarded the Colton Family Award and recently had one of her images featured in the National Museum of the Marine Corps. We were so excited when Raychel agreed to be on our cover. She’s a shining example of the possible benefits the military offers to the news media industry. We hope you enjoy learning about the wonderful veterans in our cover story as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. more

While the first saturation-coverage war in years unfolds in Europe, many may look to journalists with military backgrounds for context grounded in experience. Yet the ranks of vets in the U.S. media are thin. Around 7 percent of Americans have served in the armed forces. Still, only 2 percent of media workers are veterans. more

One thing that seems certain is that COVID-19 will remain an important story that continues to evolve and touch just about everyone in the community you cover. So how should local reporters be framing and reporting on an ever-present virus most readers are sick of hearing about? more

While many newspapers and other news outlets have had to reduce staff and often coverage of their state governments, States Newsroom and its 26 affiliates have stepped into that role to focus on in-depth coverage of state legislatures and regulatory agencies. more

In January 2022, the Reuters Institute published “Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2022.” In the report, author Nic Newman explained, “More publishers plan to push ahead with subscription or membership strategies this year, with the majority of those surveyed (79%) saying this will be one of their most important revenue priorities, ahead of both display and native advertising.” more

Local news publishers may have a wary eye on Axios, now in 14 cities and adding 11 more by years' end. Axios Local reports 700,000 subscribers with Charlotte their largest city and Denver, the Twin Cities and Tampa Bay each nearing the 100,000 marks. Open rates for their newsletters are reported between 30 and 55 percent. more

While coverage of homelessness has expanded and improved significantly in recent years, newspapers and other news outlets need to be more careful about reporting on the quick fixes or immediate actions from local governments and touted by politicians. Tom Murphy, director of communications at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, says the best reporting comes from the journalists who dig further into the data and learn how the system works. more

on March 10, 2022, the Florida state Senate debated a bill seemingly designed to punish and hobble Florida’s newspapers. It had been a mere 68 days before when a public-notice law went into effect that represented a legislative compromise between Florida’s news publishers, the Florida Press Association and state lawmakers regarding how public and legal notices would be disseminated to the public. It seemed a win-win for all stakeholders, but it proved a short-lived victory. more

When our February cover story about anti-boycott laws was published, HD Media’s Lee Wolverton penned an op-ed in response to our story. It appeared in HD Media’s newspapers over Super Bowl weekend, and we share it here with his blessing. His column deserves your attention. more

Late in the afternoon on Feb. 2, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition, Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights met to debate the merits of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2021, introduced by Subcommittee Co-Chair Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota. It was a quiet proceeding by today’s Congressional standards, free from blustery speeches and gotcha-questions. more

On Oct. 21 actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun with a live round during the filming of the movie “Rust” killing one and wounding another. Victoria Traxler, a young journalist and the Santa Fe New Mexican's public safety reporter, had only been on staff for a year when her editor passed her a vague tip from a private citizen about a shooting.... more

As a skilled, noted sculptor who produced layered bronze pieces, Bob Wick stood out in the media industry, which is not brimming with fine artists. Wick, co-owner of Arizona-based Wick Communications, also made a mark as an environmentalist, championing causes in his adopted state of Arizona. more

This year's class of 10 News Publishers That Do It Right is an excellent representation of small-town communities to large city properties; monthly, weekly, and daily print properties; and traditional print, digital news, business and alternative publishers — representing the breadth and depth of our industry. more

The new media literacy program results from a bill introduced by Illinois State Senator Karina Villa and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker. It will “provide instruction for students to learn how to analyze and communicate information from a variety of mediums, including digital, interactive, audio, visual, and print.” more

With several legislative proposals currently before Congress to address antitrust and other concerns, as well as an important initiative underway at the Copyright Office to strengthen publishers’ protections online, there is hope that the market imbalance can be restored. more