Mike Luckovich hasn’t felt the need to pull any punches during his three decades of drawing political cartoons for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist admits even he’s a bit apprehensive as Donald Trump reoccupies the White House. He spoke with Editor & Publisher about his approach to drawing Trump, the difficulty finding an online audience for local cartoons and the current state of the profession. more

Recent polling shows voters who follow the news the least drift toward outlets like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. In the spirit of giving, here are a few humble suggestions from E&P columnist Rob Tornoe for publishers, editors and reporters at news organizations looking to win over some of these readers and hopefully pay the bills in 2025 and beyond. more

X, a platform once beloved by journalists, has become borderline unusable for a group that had been among its most devoted addicts. Since no one platform seems ready to replace X for journalists, E&P columnist Rob Tornoe offers a handful of suggestions that might improve your experience. more

As the 2024 election cycle heats up, a new buzzword is making waves in media circles: “sanewashing.” The term refers to how some media outlets sanitize Donald Trump’s often incoherent and erratic remarks, presenting them as more polished and conventional political discourse. Critics argue that by reshaping Trump’s rambling responses into digestible news bites, journalists unintentionally protect him from scrutiny, failing to fully expose the chaotic nature of his statements. This phenomenon, which has sparked widespread discussion, highlights the ongoing challenge of how the press covers politicians whose rhetoric increasingly defies the norms of political communication. more

Sometimes, the stars just align. Although E&P tries to be relevant and bring you the top industry news, assignments are given out six to eight weeks before you read the articles. In that light, staying relevant can feel like a stretch. However, this month, E&P Editor-in-Chief Robin Blinder is feeling more like a soothsayer than an editor. more

You can always learn something from a copy editor. In this column, E&P columnist Rob Tornoe seeks knowledge from Bob Yearick, columnist and author of “The War on Words,” and some copy editors about the low-hanging fruit of the English language, which writers often trip over in the mad dash to meet a deadline. more

Over the past few months, news organizations have grappled with changes at Google that have led to a dramatic drop in organic search traffic. Publishers have been forced to navigate what appears to be seismic shifts in how Google doles out traffic, with the integration of artificial intelligence (which remains unintelligent and error-prone) causing panic attacks across the industry. more

In recent months, the amount of organic search traffic Google has been sending to publishers has fallen off a cliff. Newsrooms nationwide — from Boston to Seattle, from the Jersey Shore to Southern California — have watched their formerly reliable search traffic numbers and page rankings plummet. The big question is — why? Well, it’s complicated. more

It’s tricky business trying to cover an election fairly when many on one side of the political divide seem ready to tear down all the rules to obtain power. It’s also important to remember that most of our country’s press is made up of smaller newsrooms that cover their communities but rely on wire services like The Associated Press for the bulk of their coverage of the presidential race and national politics in general. So, how is the AP approaching its coverage of democracy and the threat Trump and his supporters pose? more

The pace at which generative AI is overtaking the tech world is causing a wave of anxiety to ripple through the world of journalism. What is the advice from Will Oremus, who covers AI and technology for The Washington Post, and other tech experts? Proceed with caution. more

In the 1980s, many cash-flush news organizations employed a public editor specifically to build and foster trust between readers and journalists. These days, just two news organizations in the United States — NPR and PBS — still appear to employ a public editor. So, is it time for more news organizations to consider hiring ombudspersons to help rebuild trust in the media — one community at a time? more