Category Archives: Analysis

In an age where young people are increasingly disconnected from traditional political processes, philanthropy has a unique opportunity to address the gap by supporting initiatives that center youth voices in civic discussions. One promising approach can be seen in Baltimore, where the Baltimore Beat, a grantee of The Pivot Fund, collaborated with nonprofit Wide Angle YouthContinue reading “How Funders Can Boost Youth Voter Turnout and Civic Engagement”

When we think about voter guides, they often focus on candidates and issues, but what if we turned our attention to young people? Baltimore’s initiative, led by Pivot Fund grantee partner Baltimore Beat and nonprofit Wide Angle Youth Media, offers a brilliant blueprint for bringing youth voices into the center of election discussions. The American PressContinue reading “How to Highlight Youth Voices in Your Next Election Voter Guide”

Covering debates is a critical opportunity for publishers to inform audiences, highlight key issues, and provide a platform for different viewpoints. However, with the increasing spread of misinformation and the polarization of news consumption, it’s more important than ever to implement robust strategies for covering debates and ensuring that all information presented is accurate andContinue reading “How Publishers Can Effectively Cover Debates”

As the 2024 election season intensifies, the challenges facing journalism are more significant than ever, especially when unexpected crises emerge. From the misuse of embargoed information and unintended bias in reporting to incidents like a recent radio host admitting to using pre-selected questions provided by President Biden’s campaign, the potential for communication crises is vast.Continue reading “Funders Guide: Helping Publishers in a Communication Crisis”

As the 2024 election season heats up, the stakes for journalism are higher than ever. Newsrooms face unique challenges, especially when unexpected crises arise. Whether it’s the misuse of embargoed information, unintended bias in reporting, or more serious incidents like a recent case where a radio host interviewed President Biden and later admitted the campaignContinue reading “Preparing for Crisis Communication During Election Season”

To maximize your impact and efforts, engage with your community strategically. Janey Tate, publisher of Hy-Lo News, exemplifies effective collaboration in producing comprehensive election coverage, securing additional revenue, and optimizing her time—critical objectives for small newsrooms. Tate partnered with The Miami Foundation to moderate two candidate forums. The opportunity came about because she had nurtured the relationshipContinue reading “Hy-Lo uses strategic partnerships to flesh out election coverage”

During a presidential election, it’s easy to see politics as a clash of titans playing out in packed stadiums and brightly lit television studios, with millions in ad dollars spent to package candidates and turn out their supporters for one fateful day in November. But philanthropic funders have found a different way to support democracy,Continue reading “Local journalism: democracy’s low-key ground game”

As a journalist, part of the job is countering mis- and disinformation. But unlike breaking news, you don’t have to wait for it to write about it. Sure, misinformation is getting worse, with AI making it easy to create fake images and customize content for target audiences. But it’s also been around long enough thatContinue reading “How news orgs can innoculate audiences against misinformation”

Local news plays a crucial role in the functioning of democracy, particularly during local elections, by acting as the primary conduit of information between candidates and constituents. The significance lies in the ability to provide detailed, context-rich coverage that national media often overlook. By focusing on issues that directly affect your communities—such as zoning laws,Continue reading “Election resource guide: How local newsrooms can cover elections”

A recent radio episode reminds us that all people in all media must serve audiences in the most ethical way possible at all times. Media entrepreneurs, independent publishers and others working to provide accurate information to underserved communities can’t sidestep ethics. That is a fast way to erode the fragile trust the public has in journalists. AccordingContinue reading “Everyone Practicing Journalism Today Needs ‘Energy for Ethics’”