Max Frankel on how news became the oxygen of our liberty
In a foreword written after 9/11, the late New York Times editor captured journalism’s essential role — and warned what happens when we forget it
April 3, 2025
News
Poynter welcomes inaugural class for ‘Covering Child Welfare: A Journalist’s Guide to Impactful Reporting’
New program equips journalists to deepen community engagement through child welfare reporting
April 3, 2025
The Mercury News put all its news on the web for free 30 years ago. Did it open Pandora’s box?
How Mercury Center went from bold experiment to parable with no conclusion
April 3, 2025
Opinion | As the US deadline for TikTok looms, Trump says he wants to keep it alive
Multiple bidders have emerged, but questions remain about China’s role, TikTok’s algorithm and whether any deal will satisfy critics
April 3, 2025
Opinion | John Thornton didn’t just fund nonprofit news — he helped define how it works today
Thornton, who died last weekend at 59, left behind rapid-fire aphorisms and big ideas that still shape the future of nonprofit news
April 3, 2025
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is wrong, ‘Sesame Street’ was not replaced by ‘drag queen storytime’
The segment Greene cited wasn’t aired; a local station mistakenly uploaded it to PBS’ site, where it stayed for two months before being removed
April 3, 2025
Investigating disinformation narratives webinar announced by IFCN
The free webinar is a gift to journalists and the global fact-checking community in honor of International Fact-Checking Day
April 2, 2025
Business & Work
Q&A: Melissa Ludtke reflects on her path from cultural footnote to journalism icon
The former Sports Illustrated reporter discusses the lasting impact of her landmark 1978 ‘locker room’ case and the state of women in sports media
March 28, 2025
Republicans grill NPR and PBS executives about ‘biased’ coverage in DOGE subcommittee hearing
Congress is considering legislation to cut funding for public broadcasting
March 26, 2025
Opinion | Today’s ‘anti-American’ hearing could wreck public media
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s hearing kicks off today, with PBS and NPR leaders set to testify amid growing calls to defund public media
March 26, 2025
ProPublica didn’t just prove nonprofit journalism could work — it changed how investigative reporting is measured
Launched in 2008, ProPublica pioneered a sustainable nonprofit newsroom model, proving that impact — not clicks — could drive funding for journalism
March 24, 2025
Commentary
Opinion | Will the future of fact-checking flourish or founder? 2025 marks a new turning point
Now is the time for action to protect the work that holds the line on reality
April 2, 2025
Opinion | A pioneer in nonprofit investigative journalism hits the end of its life cycle
The Center for Public Integrity blazed a trail for nonprofit newsrooms. Three decades later, it couldn’t survive the path it cleared.
April 2, 2025
Opinion | The latest White House-press corps kerfuffle is over who sits where — and a whole lot more
It’s not just about seating charts. It’s about the White House asserting power over an independent press.
April 1, 2025
Opinion | Trump floated the idea of a third term to NBC News’ Kristen Welker
Welker pressed Trump on whether he was joking, but his serious response only fueled concerns over his disregard for the Constitution
March 31, 2025
Educators & Students
Seven things to know about the student press
Student journalists are tackling major issues and shaping local news, but they also face censorship, backlash and growing threats to press freedom
February 27, 2025
Poynter’s MediaWise and YouTube partner to launch teen-focused media literacy curriculum
The project empowers educators with tools to teach students media literacy skills at a time when teen well-being is a global conversation
October 21, 2024
How newsrooms track the diversity of their sources can lead to tradeoffs in time spent, information collected
A new research study offers a roadmap for newsrooms that may want to analyze which voices routinely get quoted and ignored
August 29, 2024
University of Florida student journalists lead on breaking big stories about former President Ben Sasse
Independent Florida Alligator's stories drew national attention to former senator's high-dollar consulting and remote personnel spending
August 28, 2024
Ethics & Trust
Concerned about press freedom? Here are some things you can do about it.
Democracy needs a free press, and a free press needs support — here’s how everyday people can help defend it.
April 1, 2025
As Trump attacks the press, many Americans aren’t hearing about it
Just 36% of Americans say they’ve heard ‘a lot’ about the Trump administration’s relationship with the media, down from 72% in 2017
March 31, 2025
What the attempted dismantling of Voice of America means for press freedom in the US and the world
When such a large broadcaster goes dark, it bodes poorly for global media freedom
March 26, 2025
You’re a journalist added to a classified group chat. Here’s what you need to consider.
5 ethical questions journalists should consider if, like The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, they are added to a top-secret conversation about war plans
March 25, 2025
Fact-Checking
GlobalFact 12 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, opens registration for June conference
GlobalFact to welcome more than 300 fact-checkers from 80 countries
April 2, 2025
MediaWise’s Teen Fact-Checking Network expands across Europe
Known as TFCN Europe, the peer-to-peer fact-checking and media literacy initiative will now be operating in six European Union countries
April 2, 2025
Financial pressures and harassment are among top concerns for fact-checkers worldwide, report finds
‘State of the Fact-checkers’ 2024 was released for International Fact-Checking Day on April 2
April 2, 2025
On International Fact-Checking Day, PolitiFact explains the truth in Trump’s tariffs agenda
April 2 is Intl. Fact-Checking Day and Trump’s ‘liberation day.’ PolitiFact’s editor explains why we dig into policy arguments in search of truth.
April 2, 2025
From the Institute
Poynter tackles “The Future of Facts Online’ to help consumers navigate what to trust on the internet
The Community Conversation takes place May 6 in St. Petersburg; tickets on sale now
March 31, 2025
Experts to help newsrooms safeguard their journalism against legal threats
Free Poynter webinar with media lawyers to offer tools to address risks, answer your questions
March 31, 2025
Poynter announces next group of newsrooms working to transform crime coverage
The 18 newsrooms will go through a 7-month process to refocus coverage on public safety
March 26, 2025
34 journalists selected for Poynter’s 2025 Leadership Academy for Women
Representing the breadth of the media industry, the new cohort will learn how to lead with confidence and clarity
March 12, 2025
ICYMI
South Korea’s fact-checking future is uncertain as a key donor retreats
The withdrawal of funding from ‘the Google of South Korea’ has left SNU FactCheck scrambling to find a new sponsor. A shutdown looms.
November 14, 2023
Mongolia moves to seize power to shut down internet, control social media
In an expedited process, 77% of parliament members voted in favor of legislation that sharply limits government criticism.
January 27, 2023
IFCN
Fact-checkers face intimidation in Eastern Europe as USAID cuts embolden authoritarian tactics
Trump administration's USAID claims give political cover for a crackdown on independent media overseas
April 2, 2025
The International Fact-Checking Network condemns false claims and raid on CRTA in Serbia
Online threats and harassment against fact-checkers and civil society remain unacceptable
February 25, 2025
Fact-checkers are among the top sources for X’s Community Notes, study reveals
Notes that cite fact-checkers earn more trust from X users and combat misinformation faster
February 20, 2025
The International Fact-Checking Network’s statement on threats against CRTA in Serbia
Online threats and harassment against civil society are unacceptable
February 13, 2025
Locally
In a nation of news deserts, are there news rainforests, too? If so, where?
Even idealistic digital startups tend to head where the money is.
March 4, 2025
A university steps in with a new model for preserving local news
The nonprofit NEWSWELL, a project of Arizona State University, offers an innovative approach for giving newsrooms the support they need
January 22, 2025
‘Meet people, spot talent, give them the chance’
How nonprofit startup the Mississippi Free Press built an inclusive newsroom to connect with a statewide audience
December 2, 2024
American audiences do not notice a nonprofit news difference, study finds
Nonprofit news organizations must find a way to make it clear to their communities that there is a nonprofit news difference
October 8, 2024
News Releases
Poynter’s MediaWise and PBS launch AI literacy video series for teens
The new series called AI Unlocked includes five lessons to help students better understand the world of generative artificial intelligence
March 27, 2025
Newsletters
Opinion | AP argues its White House ban has hurt coverage, chilled the press
The AP says its White House ban has delayed reporting, weakened access and chilled other journalists, and wants a judge to temporarily lift it
March 28, 2025
Opinion | The Trump administration is still scrambling to explain Signalgate
After The Atlantic published a full chat transcript, the White House tried to downplay the leak. But experts say the information was highly sensitive
March 27, 2025
Opinion | Oscar-nominated filmmaker resigns from duPont-Columbia journalism awards over school’s concessions to Trump
Julie Cohen, co-director of ‘RBG,’ resigned from the duPont-Columbia Awards committee, saying, ‘In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up.’
March 26, 2025
Kids with smartphones report higher well-being than expected, study finds
The first-of-its-kind, long-term study from USF also found 1 in 5 kids turns to reputable news outlets, but many never use news apps
March 25, 2025
PBS Curriculum
Trick or truth: Are drug dealers really targeting kids on Halloween?
For teachers: This MediaWise Teen Fact-Checking Network video has an accompanying lesson plan free for any…
October 28, 2022
Reporting & Editing
Anonymous X account shares falsehoods to Elon Musk, top US officials. What we know about ‘Amuse’
Amuse built a massive following by pushing false claims, earning attention from Elon Musk, RFK Jr. and other high-profile conservatives
April 1, 2025
Election season is over. Journalists are still stressed
Respondents to a Muck Rack survey said ‘uncertainty about the future’ had contributed to declining mental health
March 25, 2025
Federal funding cuts at global news outlets lead to mass furloughs as they fight back with lawsuits and appeals
Meanwhile, journalists and audiences in authoritarian countries face increased risks as critical news outlets try to stay afloat
March 21, 2025
The source behind your local weather report is facing cuts. Meteorologists are sounding the alarm.
NOAA, which provides data for morning forecasts and hurricane models, has laid off more than 800 employees and plans to cut 1,000 more.
March 18, 2025
Tech & Tools
Kids with smartphones report better mental health than those without, study finds
In the latest episode of ‘The Poynter Report Podcast,’ Dr. Justin Martin shares surprising results from a study on screen time and child wellness
March 27, 2025
Opinion | An Italian newspaper launched a generative AI experiment. It’s not going well
Il Foglio’s fully AI-generated newspaper insert promised bold innovation. Instead, it’s delivering misspellings and misinformation.
March 20, 2025
As websites disappear, link rot threatens journalism. One Stanford fellow is working on a fix
Brandon Tauszik, a fellow at The Starling Lab, is developing a low-cost way for journalists to preserve their work
March 5, 2025
‘Not the AI election’: Why artificial intelligence did not define the 2024 campaign
Experts warned about AI’s potential to influence election results. But the anticipated avalanche of AI-driven misinformation never materialized.
December 30, 2024
TFCN
Watch out for claims about ‘crisis actors’ in Gaza
This photo posted on Facebook in early November got a lot of attention. It shows…
February 5, 2024
Would young people really choose TikTok over their right to vote?
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a political outsider who has taken many by surprise with…
November 7, 2023
Is This Legit: A media literacy skills recap
Have you ever encountered something suspicious online and wondered: “Is this legit?” Welcome to our…
May 11, 2023
Echo chambers: how they’re created and how to avoid them
Recently, I tried a little experiment on social media. I set up two fake Twitter…
May 5, 2023