E&P’s Editor-in-Chief Robin Blinder reflects on the power of recognition in an industry too often focused on what’s broken. In her latest editorial, she shines a spotlight on this year’s Publisher of the Year, Chris Reen — a leader whose impact goes far beyond the newsroom. It’s a stirring reminder of why E&P continues to elevate the individuals who keep local journalism alive. If you believe in celebrating what’s right in media, this one’s for you. 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

Fact-checking has always been a tough business, but in today’s AI-saturated media landscape, it’s bordering on impossible. As misinformation spreads unchecked across social platforms and newsrooms lose resources to chase it down, the very idea of holding power accountable is under siege. Rob Tornoe reports on what happens when fact-checking falters — and why journalism’s role as truth-teller has never been more vital. more

As The Philadelphia Inquirer’s sole obituary writer since 2020, Gary Miles has chronicled the lives of nearly 1,000 people, from community leaders to his own newsroom colleagues. His work requires navigating grief, gathering memories and distilling entire lives into just a few hundred words — all while finding the humanity and hope that survive loss. And in one extraordinary case, it meant collaborating with a subject who knew her obituary would be written — and wanted to help tell it — before she died. more

For centuries, the humble article has been journalism’s beating heart — a sturdy container of facts, stories and public accountability. But as AI-powered chatbots and generative tools reshape how people consume information, some newsroom leaders are wondering if its time has finally come. Gard Steiro, editor and publisher of Norway’s Verdens Gang, thinks the article should die so journalism can survive. In an age where audiences expect conversations, videos and personalized feeds, the classic story form may be the next casualty of the digital revolution. more

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

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

Launched quietly last month to a small section of users, AI Mode basically turns Google into a chatbot, able to answer long, detailed questions powered by the company’s Gemini 2.0 chatbot and the company’s all-powerful search index.  It's a future that has the potential to rock the status quo of search traffic worldwide.  So, how should newsrooms prepare? more

There’s no point beating around the bush — social media is terrible.  Not too long ago, news organizations viewed Facebook, Twitter and other platforms as a digital bridge to the future, a way to transform their 20th-century business model of printing information on paper into a 21st-century business operation.  How times have changed …  more

AI in journalism has shifted from a disruptive threat to a practical tool, helping reporters work smarter without replacing them. While early fears of automation taking over newsrooms have faded, AI-powered tools are proving invaluable for tasks like transcription, data analysis, and investigative research. The challenge now is how journalists can harness AI’s potential while ensuring accuracy, credibility, and public trust in their reporting. more