It’s a weird time to be a journalist. Digital news archives are disappearing. Generative AI is giving em dashes a bad name. Layoffs. Consolidations. Buyouts. Burnout. Countless, daily insults from the nation’s most powerful people. At the same time, the work to share truth and report the news is needed now more than ever.
It’s a nonstop grind, and a nearly nonstop news cycle.
Well, as the saying goes, you have to laugh to keep from crying.
That’s what happens every Friday on our Instagram account, where thousands of journalists swarm to like, share, comment and commiserate together on our meme posts.
Humor has become a gateway for us to connect with and better understand our audience, and our industry. The jokes — some critiques on outdated industry practices, others funny translations of all-too-familiar moments — allow us to spark conversation (we see you, DM senders) on the topics top of mind for journalists right now. We post memes not just to provide levity, but to document a moment in history for our industry and to create a space where all the things journalists are facing feel less isolating. We see you. We support you.
Thank you to the thousands of journalists who follow us and support our memes, and cheers to a new year of chaotic and memeable moments.
Here are some of the top memes of the year, based on how our audience reacted:
1. Is it breaking news? Or is the news breaking me? Trust me. At this point, it’s both. (Bonus: I know you’re doing your best to “meet the moment.” The body is keeping score for your own good … I think? Here’s a part two for those of you who need more.)
2. Local news mega-stans link up. The future is in our hands. Break free, get more supportive and take things into your own hands.
3. The 2025 news cycle was unforgettable in the worst way.
4. The new pope definitely knows which style is superior (don’t forget, he’s one of journalism’s most famous advocates): Chicago pope vs. AP Style pope.
5. Recording audio versus listening to your voice? We know you’d block out the sound with nails on a chalkboard if you could.
6. Are you also still a little confused about what happened here at The New York Times, guys?
7. An informed audience is one that reads beyond the headline. We love it when the audience reads beyond the headline.
8. It starts to feel like everything everywhere all at once. There’s just always something about that last slide.
9. It was a weird time for AI usage in newsrooms. Can somebody please tell it that we’re not going down (or giving up our em-dashes) without a fight?
For more memes, visit Poynter on Instagram @poynter_institute.
