Opinion | Will we ever see the Super Bowl on streaming?
With 100 million-plus viewers, it may be too big of an American cultural event to play on anything other than over-the-air television. For now.
February 7, 2025
News
She got a tip about four human brains stored at the Smithsonian. The investigation revealed so much more.
A team of Washington Post reporters revealed the Smithsonian’s ‘racial brain collection.’ The series won them a 2024 Poynter Journalism Prize
February 7, 2025
5 misleading claims from Trump’s executive order on trans youth health care
Trump called to end ‘reliance on junk science.’ But the order itself included claims that clash with leading medical research and practice.
February 7, 2025
Poynter welcomes five new members to National Advisory Board
The accomplished journalists and media executives will advise Poynter on industry needs and opportunities.
February 6, 2025
Opinion | Fox News goes all in on MAGA by adding a Trump to the payroll
The network continues to peddle itself as a legitimate news outlet. Hiring the sitting president’s daughter-in-law makes that claim indefensible.
February 6, 2025
What went wrong at the National Trust for Local News?
With a cofounder out as CEO, a big question looms: Is the novel idea of fighting news deserts by buying and remotely running local outlets flawed?
February 6, 2025
A collective open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from the IFCN Arabic Coalition
The letter follows Meta’s move to end the fact-checking program in the U.S.
February 6, 2025
Business & Work
Tom Brady’s Super Bowl debut in the booth comes with plenty of questions
In the latest episode of ‘The Poynter Report Podcast,’ Athletic media reporter Richard Deitsch predicts Brady’s future
February 5, 2025
A new local news empire, built on newsletters, is growing in the United Kingdom
Overcoming low name recognition and reluctant audience spending, news startup Mill Media now has journalists in six cities
January 23, 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
For some newspaper workers, the new year began with four weeks of unpaid leave
The chain CNHI furloughed 46 staffers, or about 3% of its workforce. It’s likely a weather vane for industry trouble ahead.
January 22, 2025
Commentary
Opinion | The challenge of covering Elon Musk
Much of the media is still trying to get a handle on how to cover Musk and what he’s doing to the federal government
February 5, 2025
Opinion | Donald Trump brings back the tradition of the Super Bowl interview
Fox News’ Bret Baier will interview Trump for the pregame show. Will Baier grill him, as he did Kamala Harris, or just serve softballs?
February 4, 2025
Opinion | And so it begins — Trump’s attacks on the media
A push to remove some news outlets from the Pentagon may be symbolic, but fears that Trump would stifle the media are coming to fruition
February 3, 2025
Opinion | The game is between the Eagles and Chiefs, but this is Tom Brady’s Super Bowl
Tom Brady's $375 million Fox Sports deal is in year one. His debut season as an announcer has been mixed — but the Super Bowl will be his real test
February 3, 2025
Educators & Students
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
WATCH: What they don’t teach in J-school
Poynter convened a panel discussion with industry experts on the skills reporters learn on the job
April 2, 2024
Ethics & Trust
Under the new Trump administration, El Tímpano launches new guidelines to try to protect sources
‘The only thing that has really changed is the atmosphere and environment in which we and immigrant communities are operating in …’
February 3, 2025
Opinion | I’m a Gen Z journalist. My generation doesn’t know what that means.
The issue with younger generations is deeper than media mistrust. It’s that no one knows what a journalist is.
February 3, 2025
Christian nationalists helped elect Donald Trump. Reporting on them is more important than ever
Those pushing for radical changes to the country helped elect Trump. Journalists must continue to cover how they push to implement their agenda.
January 24, 2025
In America’s news deserts, Meta’s retreat from fact-checking severs a last link to fact-based news
Meta's policy reversal and increase in political content could mean more misinformation for communities lacking local news
January 23, 2025
Fact-Checking
Does as little as 10% of USAID go to help people in need? What that claim gets wrong
A report said that just 12.1% of USAID’s 2024 funding went to small local groups — but that’s just one piece of the agency’s overall aid
February 6, 2025
An ICE tip line was not paused because of reports about Elon Musk. The claim started as satire.
The claim originated on a satirical X account called The Halfway Post, which describes itself as posting ‘halfway true comedy and satire’
February 4, 2025
Did Donald Trump’s firing of aviation officials make the DC crash likelier? Doubtful, experts say
Trump fired some top officials and ended DEI programs, but experts say it’s unlikely those actions affected the operations of the aircraft
January 31, 2025
‘I never said it:’ RFK Jr. downplays past statements during Senate confirmation hearing
Kennedy minimized and denied controversial things he had said in podcasts, conferences or TV interviews, even though the senators quoted him directly
January 30, 2025
From the Institute
Poynter launches membership program to mark 50th anniversary
The program offers special benefits to supporters of Poynter’s work in service of journalism, truth and democracy
January 21, 2025
Poynter hires two new faculty members with focus on strengthening local news
The appointments will focus on education for funders who want to support local news and newsroom transformation and leadership
January 16, 2025
Poynter names Selection Board for Poynter Journalism Prizes
14 distinguished journalists to choose winners of the journalism contest
December 11, 2024
Poynter and Google News Initiative expand fact-checking efforts in Canada
New and expanded programming from Poynter’s fact-checking and media literacy initiatives will help combat misinformation
November 21, 2024
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
Global Fact Check Fund awards $2 million to 20 fact-checking groups across 15 countries
The grants support fact-checking innovation and audience engagement worldwide
January 28, 2025
An open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from the world’s fact-checkers, nine years later
As Meta announces end to U.S. fact-checking, program partners warn of a setback for accuracy online and potential global consequences
January 9, 2025
IFCN launches new Business Continuity Fund for fact-checkers facing challenges
The fund will help cover the costs fact-checkers face after violent conflicts, natural disasters or government repression
December 19, 2024
Q&A: Indian fact-checkers lead with innovation and diversity, says IFCN director after Delhi visit
The IFCN director shares takeaways from her India visit, including fact-checkers’ innovations, regional challenges and global lessons
December 17, 2024
Locally
‘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
A photojournalist reported on dozens of hurricanes over the years. Then Hurricane Helene flooded his home.
Douglas R. Clifford was in Tallahassee, preparing to cover Helene for the Tampa Bay Times, when the storm came knocking at his door.
October 2, 2024
After Hurricane Helene, ‘Neighbors are what’s getting us through this’
Coverage and help from Florida and North Carolina
October 2, 2024
News Releases
Media Transformation Challenge program announces Class of 2025
These 32 executives just began a yearlong program recognized for its unique tools, coaching support, and interconnected alumni network
January 13, 2025
Poynter and ACES announce release of Advanced Certificate in Editing
This is the third in a three-part series of cutting-edge editing certifications
January 7, 2025
2025 Poynter Journalism Prizes now open for entries until Feb. 14
The contest, which honors distinguished reporting and writing, accepts entries from US-based news outlets
January 6, 2025
Newsletters
Opinion | The media’s overall responsible plane crash coverage includes calling out Trump
Responsible media outlets are moving slowly and erring on the side of caution. The president is not. And they’re rightfully criticizing him for it.
January 31, 2025
Opinion | Media coverage of Wednesday night’s plane crash in Washington, D.C.
CNN, as it always does during big stories, immediately called upon dozens of correspondents, contributors and experts to go over the grim news
January 30, 2025
Opinion | The new White House press secretary debuts with bluster and a bang
Karoline Leavitt took digs at the press, announced a seat for ‘new media’ and seemed to reestablish the combative dynamic of the last Trump presidency
January 29, 2025
Opinion | Meta’s user fact-checking is just ‘window dressing’ without a commitment to truth
In the latest episode of ‘The Poynter Report Podcast,’ IFCN director Angie Drobnic Holan points to X’s fact-checking system as a cautionary tale
January 29, 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
‘Make every word count’ — Roy Peter Clark discusses the power of short writing
Writing coach talks about the power of revision, editor pitfalls and the prize you can win for writing short
February 4, 2025
Karoline Leavitt blamed Biden for the egg shortage, but killing infected birds was Trump’s policy, too
About 108 million commercial egg-laying chickens have died or been killed since a highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak began in 2022
February 3, 2025
Stymied by a federal health communications pause, journalists worry about what comes next
The pause has potentially left the public in the dark about updates to scientific research and public health issues like flu outbreaks
January 30, 2025
AP Stylebook update: Denali is now Mount McKinley but the Gulf of America is still the Gulf of Mexico
In a statement explaining its decision, the AP said Trump has the authority to change the mountain’s name, but the gulf is a global name
January 24, 2025
Tech & Tools
‘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
Bargaining code battle shifts to European copyright law, taxes also under consideration
Google and Meta’s tactics: tiny carrots and the threat of large sticks
December 23, 2024
Opinion | Can AI run with the bulls (and a pack of screaming toddlers)?
Google’s generative AI audio tool can produce an impressive facsimile of a podcast. But a tool needs a hand to hold it.
December 9, 2024
Opinion | X’s Community Notes had a marginal, if any, impact on the election
Our analysis of the 3,637 notes from Election Day shows that users found the platform’s lonely moderation instrument to be mostly unhelpful
November 14, 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