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. more

Fox News’ average total-day audience declined 27% from a year earlier during October’s ratings period, while CNN and MS NOW gained viewers, according to Nielsen data reported by TheWrap. Fox averaged 1.1 million viewers, its smallest monthly total-day audience since December 2023. more

CNN, MS NOW and Politico have amended their lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that continued restrictions on presidential press-pool coverage violate their constitutional rights, CNN reports. The filing seeks permanent relief against exclusions the outlets say are based on the administration’s dislike of their reporting. more

The Society of Professional Journalists is criticizing FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s warning that broadcasters airing purportedly fake polls could violate federal rules. In an Oct. 28 statement, SPJ said regulatory threats risk discouraging legitimate election coverage and undermining editorial independence. more

The National Press Photographers Association has published guidance to help visual journalists prepare for the 2026 elections, addressing polling-place access, photography restrictions, voter privacy and safety. The resource covers early voting, Election Day and vote counting. more

The Georgia Trust for Local News has named Macon native Micah Johnston editor and publisher of The Telegraph. Johnston had been interim editor of the combined Telegraph and Macon Melody newsroom following the trust’s acquisition. more

Abbi Bennett is joining CBS Austin as a sports anchor and reporter, MySA reports. The former North Texas television reporter announced the move on social media, bringing her coverage to Central Texas audiences after working in her hometown of Dallas. more

Longtime radio executive Matt Hanlon died Oct. 20 after suffering a heart attack, Radio Online reports. His career included leadership roles at Citadel Broadcasting, Entercom, Townsquare Media and Saga Communications, as well as a decade at Katz Media. more

LIFE magazine will return to regular print publication Nov. 23 with a $45 quarterly edition, TheWrap reports. Backed by Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner’s Bedford Media, the revival pairs premium print journalism with plans for digital stories, documentaries, video and live experiences. more

Skydance TV co-chair George Cheeks has outlined the executive structure for the combined television operation following the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger, according to a staff memo published by Variety. The structure clarifies oversight of CBS News, local stations, television studios, sports and cable networks. more

Indianapolis offers a close-up view of how television consolidation is reshaping local journalism, according to a new Medill Local News Initiative report. Interviews with industry leaders, researchers and the city’s public editor explore the trade-offs between financial scale and distinct local coverage more

The Cottage Grove Sentinel announced it would shut down after its Oct. 28 edition, ending a newspaper history dating to 1889, KLCC reports. The Oregon weekly cited a sharp decline in revenue. more

News networks occupied six places in September’s top 10 traditional-media YouTube channels by unique U.S. viewers, according to Chartbeat data published by StreamTV Insider. Election coverage and the dispute over White House press access helped drive audience growth across the category. more

Sen. Adam Schiff is urging Meta to abandon proposed commercial terms that publishers fear would give the company broad rights to collect content from their websites, Nieman Lab reports. The California Democrat’s intervention adds a U.S. political challenge to the growing dispute over the terms. more

A jury convicted British far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, of two counts of harassment causing fear of violence involving MailOnline journalists, Courthouse News Service reports. The case concerned messages, calls and social media posts targeting the reporters after coverage identified his family’s holiday location in Cyprus. more

Student journalists at Edison High School in New Jersey have published a detailed explanation of their sourcing after their principal challenged the accuracy of an editorial about school-district finances. The Eagle’s Eye editorial board’s Oct. 26 response links public records, meeting recordings and prior reporting to the claims in its original piece. more

Fact-checking has changed political journalism by making it more common for reporters to directly identify unsupported claims, writes Angie Drobnic Holan for Poynter. But the field now confronts a more chaotic information environment, with conspiracy theories and fabricated media competing for attention alongside policy disputes. more

A closer look at communities labeled news deserts finds information and independent reporting continuing outside established newspaper structures, Nieman Lab reports. The Independent Journalism Atlas examined 46 of the 238 news-desert counties identified in Medill’s latest State of Local News report. more