Today, more than 200 news organizations across America are accepting the call of the Boston Globe to remind readers that we are not your enemy or purveyors of "fake" news, as some politicians would have you believe. We're joining them, not to defend ourselves or to preach the First Amendment at you, but to remind you we're on the same side, whether we always agree or not. At its best, a local news organization should both reflect its readership and challenge it at the same time. That means by telling the stories of as broad a spectrum of our readership as we possibly can and representing a wide array of viewpoints on the editorial page. And we should also be an advocate for your shared interests. And to that end, we're going to let some of our recent work speak for itself * Harrisburg police reopen cold case killing of former high school sports star (April 2018) A nearly three-decade-old homicide of a high school sports star was reopened in April, spurred by an … [Read more...] about In the face of ‘fake news’ claims, here’s why local news matters more than ever
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13 universities to experiment with local news collaboration with $430,000 in funding through the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education
10 universities each won $35,000 for fourth round of the challenge; three universities selected from past challenge winners won a grand prize and research prizes /EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Online News Association today announced that 10 universities each won $35,000 microgrants for the fourth round of the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education. The fund also awarded a $50,000 grand prize to the University of Nevada, Reno, and research prizes of $15,000 each to San Diego State University and West Virginia University. The projects receiving funding were announced Aug. 8 at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) 2018 Conference. This year’s winning projects include experiments in community data journalism, covering the U.S.-Mexico border and delivering news in rural indigenous communities. The 10 winning universities for this year’s microgrants and their projects include: Emerson … [Read more...] about 13 universities to experiment with local news collaboration with $430,000 in funding through the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education
Does local news matter any more? This photographer has a definitive answer
Sunday August 5, 2018 12:01 AM My Turn: The Reading Eagle editor's thoughts and views Written by Garry Lenton Last week I wrote about the struggle to maintain community journalism in the face of dwindling advertising and rising production costs.The column was well received and generated some encouraging comments from readers. But the best summation of what I was trying to say came from Tom Boland, a freelance photographer who works with our sports department, and whose namesake uncle, Thomas N. Boland, served as managing editor of the Reading Eagle from 1967 to 1982.Tom's letter to sports editor Terry Bickhart was not prompted by my scribbling. He never saw my column. He told me he was inspired to write after visiting Montreal. The paper there didn't have much, he said.He said his letter was "a pat on the back" to the Eagle's journalists."I just think people don't get enough credit for what they do," he said.Here's part of what Tom wrote:"I am a born-and-raised Reading (or … [Read more...] about Does local news matter any more? This photographer has a definitive answer
New York AG Candidate Says Facebook and Google Are ‘Parasites’ Destroying Local News
New York attorney general candidate Zephyr Teachout discusses her plan to curb Facebook and Google’s adverse impact on local news outside The New York Daily News office. Hollis Evey It’s no secret that Facebook and Google have a lot of digital advertising power. But that power has a chilling effect on many aspects of the media landscape, especially local journalism.Zephyr Teachout wants to change that. On Wednesday, the New York attorney general candidate outlined her plan to stop the digital advertising duopoly that’s choking local news.Teachout fittingly made her stand outside the offices of The New York Daily News, which laid off half of its reporters two days ago. She said all of those jobs could’ve been saved if the “parasites” and “bridge trolls” at Facebook and Google shared their wealth with news organizations.These firms are “sucking the profits out and making it impossible for local journalism to thrive,” … [Read more...] about New York AG Candidate Says Facebook and Google Are ‘Parasites’ Destroying Local News
Daily News cuts drive fears New York City’s becoming ‘local news desert’
Zach Haberman, who was laid off Monday morning from the New York Daily News, acknowledged shortly after leaving the newsroom that the situation “sucks.” But the real story, he stressed, is “not about any individual.” “This is about this city. This is about this institution,” Haberman, who was the Daily News’ breaking news editor, told POLITICO. “And this is about the people who live here, and they lose from this.”Story Continued Below The decimation of the Daily News follows a familiar storyline in a struggling industry, as a national newspaper chain — in this case, Chicago-based Tronc — announces a “restructuring” (aka layoffs) of a paper that’s already been downsized in recent years. Tronc, which just bought the Daily News in September, laid off staffers at its Chicago Tribune in March and recently sold the Los Angeles Times, which was spared the axe as a result. But Tronc’s decision to cut the … [Read more...] about Daily News cuts drive fears New York City’s becoming ‘local news desert’