Independent journalism on the future of #NewsMedia

The Alestle fights to maintain editorial independence

When a student newspaper challenges its university’s administration, who protects the journalists’ right to report without interference or intimidation? At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), a long-simmering conflict between administrators and The Alestle dramatically escalated this year. In this month’s “J-School Desk” feature, Alyssa Choiniere examines the dispute and the broader implications for student press freedom at a time when campus newsrooms nationwide face increasing institutional pressures.

Advertisers buy growth, not advertising

Advertisers aren’t shopping for impressions, clicks or the latest digital marketing products. They’re looking for solutions that help their businesses grow. In her latest “Ad Sales Life” op-ed, Shannon Kinney challenges media sales professionals to move beyond product pitches and focus on the business outcomes their clients hope to achieve. She explains how asking better questions, understanding clients’ motivations and aligning advertising strategies with their goals can transform salespeople into trust business advisers.

As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution charts its digital-only future, it’s betting that specialized newsletters can help turn casual readers into loyal, paying subscribers. In this E&P Quick Read, Taayoo Murray explores how a new business newsletter is intended to reach younger professionals, while building reading habits and creating opportunities for subscription growth.

Rural newsrooms are fighting for survival, but their greatest challenges extend well beyond shrinking advertising revenue and limited staffing. In communities where businesses are disappearing, populations are aging and philanthropic resources are scarce, even the most innovative journalism ventures struggle to find sustainable business models. In this E&P exclusive — with the help of news professionals from the Clarendon Enterprise, Allegheny Mountain Radio and 100 Days in Appalachia — Taayoo Murray examines the precarious state of rural journalism and the strategies helping news organizations endure.
More E&P Exclusive Reporting
How do you make the U.S. Constitution — a document created nearly 240 years ago — relevant, accessible and engaging to today’s news media audience? At TribLIVE, Columnist and Community Engagement Editor Lori Falce found a creative answer. Her yearlong editorial series, “Constitution Under Construction,” explores the amendments through the lens of architecture. In this E&P Quick Read, Bob Miller shares how Falce’s innovative approach to constitutional education resonated with readers across the political spectrum and demonstrated the enduring value of a thoughtfully curated opinion page.
When local newsrooms shrink or disappear, the consequences extend far beyond diminished government accountability and civic engagement. Local theaters, museums, orchestras and other cultural institutions lose something equally vital: the visibility, credibility and community connections that arts journalism provides. In his latest “Democracy Desk” op-ed for Editor & Publisher, Stuart N. Brotman explores that their survival is inextricably linked.
Behind every newspaper is a team of dedicated professions whose ingenuity, technical expertise and determination keep the presses running. Six of these exceptional individuals have been named as the 2026 Operations All-Stars, recognized by Editor & Publisher magazine and the International Newspaper Group (ING) for excellence in circulation, distribution, manufacturing and engineering. E&P Publisher Mike Blinder introduces this year’s winners and runners-up, sharing insight into their accomplishments and leadership philosophies.
For more than three decades, Max D. Lederer Jr. championed independent journalism at Stars and Stripes, serving the military community while navigating the extraordinary challenges of publishing news around the globe. Now, as Editor & Publisher’s 2026 News Executive of the Year, Lederer is being recognized for his service, courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to a free press. In E&P’s November cover story, Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck chronicles his remarkable journey from the U.S. Army to award-winning news media publisher.
Artificial intelligence is often discussed as a single technology, but that shorthand obscures important differences in how these systems work and what they do. In his latest E&P column, Chad Davis argues that newsrooms need a clearer understanding of the technologies behind the hype. He explores AI through two practical lenses: the tools journalists use and the topics they cover. Understanding those distinctions can help journalists make more informed decisions, ask tougher questions and better explain AI’s impact on their communities.
Obituaries have long been a reliable revenue stream for newspapers and an important connection to the communities they serve. But as families increasingly turn to funeral-home websites, social media and other digital alternatives, publishers are seeing that business decline. Can newspapers reclaim their place in this changing market? In this E&P Quick Read, Taayoo Murray examines new research on obituary revenue, the competitive challenges publishers face and innovative approaches to preserving a valuable business, a historical record and an enduring community tradition.
There’s no single bullet for sustaining a profitable news media business, but publishers are finding creative ways to diversify their revenue streams and strengthen audience relationships. From membership programs and community experiences to sponsored podcasts, niche publications and innovative advertising products, opportunities abound. In this E&P “Revenue Roundup,” Bob Miller speaks with three industry leaders — Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell, Publisher Uriah Kiser from Potomac Local News, and Ryan Dohrn, founder and president of Brain Swell Media — about the strategies they’ve deployed, what’s generating revenue today and where they see opportunities for growth.
Newsrooms have spent decades documenting history, but are they making the most of their own archives? Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities for newsrooms to unlock decades of reporting, rediscover valuable institutional knowledge and uncover stories hiding in plain sight. In this E&P Quick Read, Tandy Lau explores how digital preservation efforts and emerging AI tools are helping publishers turn yesterday’s news into a valuable resource for tomorrow’s reporting.
As advertisers begin planning for 2027, media sales professionals may be asking the wrong questions. In her latest “Ad Sales Life” op-ed column, Shannon Kinney explains why conversations shouldn’t begin with advertising budgets, but with clients’ larger business objectives — and how getting into the room earlier can transform a salesperson from vendor to trusted adviser.
Following the money behind federal political appointees can require digging through thousands of documents scattered across government agencies. ProPublica has done much of that legwork for journalists. In this E&P Quick Read, E&P’s Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck reveals how ProPublica’s “Trump Team Financials” project combines data, technology and accountability journalism.
Fresnoland has grown from an experiment in public-service journalism into a nine-person nonprofit newsroom producing ambitious accountability reporting for California’s Central Valley. But proving the value of the journalism is only part of the challenge, building a sustainable business to support is another. In this E&P exclusive “News Media Profile,” Taayoo Murray explores how Fresnoland is growing its audience, diversifying revenue and remaining steadfastly focused on the community it serves.
Temple University’s student journalists aren’t merely practicing how to produce a newscast — they’re doing the real thing, complete with breaking news, live reporting and the pressure to get the story right. In this E&P Quick Reads exclusive, Bob Miller goes beyond the scenes of “Temple Update,” whose student team recently earned the program’s first Student Edward R. Murrow Award for the “Excellence in Video Newscast” category.
What if local newsrooms could expand their coverage and reach simply by sharing more of their journalism with one another? In this E&P Quick Reads exclusive, Alyssa Choiniere introduces readers to Plucky Wire, a free collaborative newswire connecting more than 400 newsrooms and helping publishers find, share and amplify local reporting from around the country.
What can open-door newsroom policies teach us about a healthy democracy? In his latest “Democracy Desk” op-ed column, Stuart N. Brotman reflects on Gloria Steinem’s philosophy of the editorial meeting — freewheeling, inclusive and open to unexpected voices — and considers what it can teach us about listening, challenging our assumptions and making room for different points of view in civic life.
As data centers spread across the country, communities are asking urgent questions about water, power, land use, tax incentives and public benefit — and local journalists are being called on to find the answers. In this E&P exclusive, reporter Tandy Lau explores what it’s like for reporters on the front lines of the data-center boom — how they’ve mastered an emerging beat, navigated public concerns and uncovered the local consequences of Big Tech’s far-reaching expansion.
As AI-generated cartoons and columns make their way onto opinion pages, newsrooms face increasingly urgent questions about standards, transparency and trust. In his latest “News Media Today” op-ed column, E&P’s Rob Tornoe examines some recent controversies over AI-generated content and argues that publishers need clear rules for how — and where — the technology is used.
With the 2026 midterms fast approaching, newsrooms are preparing for an election shaped by national politics, questions about election security and voters hungry for trustworthy information. For E&P’s October cover story, Editor-in-Chief Gretchen A. Peck spoke with reporters and editors at Votebeat, The Associated Press, The Daily Beast and The Salt Lake Tribune about how they’re planning coverage before, during and after Election Day.
Read the Current Issue Online
Change may be inevitable, but constant disruption doesn’t necessarily make an organization better. In his September “The Corner Office” op-ed column, Doug Phares contends that effective leaders know when change is necessary and when stability is the better strategy. He explores how leaders can guide their teams through uncertainty, minimize needless disruption and provide a steady hand when change arrives without warning.
What happens when high school students are asked to tackle declining media literacy and trust in news? They come up with solutions. In this month’s “Shoptalk” op-ed, journalist Linda Carpio Shapley recounts a Problem-Based Learning experiment that challenged 9th graders to think critically about journalism and to devise creative ways to help people identify trustworthy information. Their ideas also offer newsrooms a compelling reason to engage young people in conversations about the future of news.
Public media survived the loss of federal funding, but is survival enough? In his September “Innovation in Practice” op-ed, E&P columnist Chad Davis contends that public media is at a pivotal moment that calls for the DIY spirit of punk and a willingness to rethink what public media can be. Davis explores how collaboration with nonprofit newsroom, filmmakers, game developers and other nontraditional partners could help usher in public media’s next era.
Foreign correspondents venture far from home to tell consequential stories of people, politics, conflict and crisis — often encountering funding challenges, logistical hurdles and operational dangers. In E&P’s September “Association Insider,” Bob Miller introduces readers to the Overseas Press Club of America and the journalists and journalism it salutes.
What separates a trusted sales adviser from someone simply selling advertising? In her September “Ad Sales Life” opinion column, Shannon Kinney argues that the best media sales professionals look beyond a client’s marketing needs to uncover the business challenges driving them. She explores how curiosity, business acumen and even AI can help sales teams deepen client relationships — and ultimately build more sustainable revenue.
After 35 years, cartoonist Lincoln Peirce has retired the daily “Big Nate” comic strip, but he’s not quite ready to leave the 6th grade behind. In his “News Media Today” op-ed column, E&P’s Rob Tornoe talks with Peirce about the remarkable evolution of “Big Nate,” the culture loss that comes as newspapers and their comic pages decline, and why editors should make room for a new generation of cartoonists.
Can coffee and tea help fuel a new model for investigative journalism? The Newsground is betting on it, pairing ad-free reporting with beverage subscriptions. In this E&P Quick Read, Alyssa Choiniere explores Founder Scott Stedman’s unconventional approach to building audience, funding ambitious investigations and turning a familiar morning ritual into a new business model.
Finding and keeping talented journalists has become one of the news industry’s toughest challenges, and former recruitment playbooks may no longer be enough. In this E&P in-depth exclusive, Alyssa Choiniere addresses dilemmas like: Where can recruiters find promising candidates today? What do journalists and news media professionals expect, in terms of compensation, benefits and organizational culture? And how can employers create workplaces that make staff feel valued, so they want to stay for the long term?
For 60 years, The Atlanta Voice has chronicled, celebrated and amplified Black Atlanta, carrying forward a mission born during the Civil Rights Movement. Today, the publication is honoring that legacy while embracing new ways to reach and serve its community. In this profile of The Atlanta Voice, E&P’s Tandy Lau explores how the historic Black newspaper honors its past while evolving for the future.
As Congress debates policies with impact to local newspapers — from rising postal rates to AI companies scraping original journalism — America’s Newspapers President and CEO Dean Ridings argues that news media publishers need to bring their concerns and suggested solutions to the legislative branch. In this debut of Riding’s monthly E&P opinion column, Ridings makes the case for why news media leaders need to show up, speak out and make sure Washington hears “The Newspaper Perspective.”