E&P Reports with Mike Blinder

Investigative journalism has never been easy. But according to the latest State of Accountability Journalism report from the University of Florida's Collier Prize, the reporters doing that work today say the obstacles are growing even as their commitment to watchdog reporting remains strong. Shrinking newsroom staffs, rising costs for public records and increasing resistance from government agencies are making investigations harder to pursue. Yet many journalists say the very pressures threatening accountability reporting are also reinforcing why it matters. As Collier Prize director Rick Hirsch put it, "this is a hard business. If you're going to stick in it, you've got to be committed and believe in the impact that it can have."

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/commitment-over-capacity-why-investigative-journalism-persists-despite-shrinking-newsrooms,260965

Rebuilding the statehouse beat: Inside The Center Square's growing newswire model

The decline of traditional newsroom staffing has thinned one of journalism's most important beats: statehouse reporting. As fewer reporters cover legislative chambers and the policy decisions shaping taxpayers' lives, new models have emerged to fill the gap. Among the fastest-growing is The Center Square, a nonprofit newswire focused on government accountability reporting that publisher Chris Krug says was built to address what he sees as a structural hole in the American news ecosystem.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/rebuilding-the-statehouse-beat-inside-the-center-squares-growing-newswire-model,260877

For generations of service members, Stars and Stripes has been known as the soldiers' newspaper, funded by the U.S. government but protected by law to report independently on the military it covers. Now that independence is facing renewed scrutiny. Signals from the Pentagon about refocusing the paper's coverage and internal policy shifts have raised concerns among journalists and press freedom advocates that the Defense Department may be seeking to reshape the mission of one of the world's most unusual news organizations.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/stars-and-stripes-defends-its-independence-amid-new-pentagon-pressures,260760

The Australian Financial Review once called Rod Sims "the most feared man in Australian business." Big Tech soon learned why. As chair of Australia's competition regulator, Sims helped design the groundbreaking News Media Bargaining Code that forced platforms like Google and Facebook to negotiate payments with publishers. In this conversation with E&P, Sims explores how the policy now sends roughly $250 million a year back to news organizations and what publishers around the world can learn from Australia's fight to make Big Tech pay for journalism.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/how-australia-forced-big-tech-to-pay-for-journalism-and-what-publishers-everywhere-can-learn,260630

A new industry survey from the Local Media Consortium (LMC) suggests that while digital revenue across local media remains relatively stable, the path forward is becoming more complicated. One of the most striking findings: the number of publishers identifying audience revenue as a major challenge has surged dramatically year over year. Fran Wills, CEO of the LMC, says the shift doesn't necessarily signal collapse — but it does reflect a new phase of pressure on subscription growth and sustainability. In a conversation with E&P, Wills breaks down what the data reveals about the evolving economics of local journalism and where publishers may need to look next for long-term stability.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at:

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/new-lmc-report-finds-digital-revenue-stable-as-audience-revenue-pressures-grow,260529

For decades, media leaders have debated whether journalism can sustain itself as a standalone business. But in a rapidly evolving landscape, Hearst is offering a different perspective — one outlined in its latest annual letter from CEO Steven Swartz, which makes clear the company's center of gravity has shifted far beyond traditional media. In a recent conversation on E&P Reports, David Carey, senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Hearst, expanded on that strategy, explaining how the company's transformation wasn't reactive, but decades in the making. His insights reveal a model that doesn't abandon journalism, but strengthens it through broader business innovation.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/a-blueprint-beyond-media-how-hearst-is-redefining-sustainability,260420

When a newsroom can't hire reporters, the problem isn't always pay — sometimes it's rent. In one coastal community, the cost of living got so high that journalists simply couldn't afford to cover the news. So instead of raising salaries or cutting coverage, the solution took an unexpected turn: they bought a condo. It's a bold move that may point to a new model for keeping local journalism alive.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/when-journalists-cant-afford-rent-one-newsroom-buys-them-a-home,260288

Local journalism isn't disappearing — it's being rebuilt in real time, and a new report from FT Strategies aims to show exactly how. Drawing on global data, newsroom case studies and on-the-ground experience, the Local News Playbook shifts the conversation from crisis to what's actually working. Instead of asking how to save journalism, the report examines what the most resilient organizations already have in common — and how others can follow. In a conversation with E&P, George Adelman, director and head of partnerships at FT Strategies, unpacks the patterns, priorities and practical steps that are redefining sustainability for local news.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/unpacking-the-local-news-playbook-what-sustainable-publishers-are-doing-differently,260183

When national attention suddenly converges on a single city, the decisions made inside one local newsroom can shape how the entire world understands what's happening. That is the position The Minnesota Star Tribune now finds itself in as immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis draws intense national and international scrutiny. In this moment, journalism, safety, credibility, and brand strategy are no longer separate conversations — they are happening at once, in real time. This behind-the-scenes look reveals how the Star Tribune's newsroom and leadership are navigating pressure, responsibility, and purpose as the world watches Minneapolis.

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https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/when-minneapolis-becomes-the-story-inside-the-star-tribunes-newsroom-and-brand-response,260084

Local journalism has no shortage of big ideas about innovation — but far fewer examples of those ideas being funded, tested, and trusted by the people closest to the work. After a year of scrutiny, retrenchment and hard questions about its future, the National Trust for Local News is experimenting with a different approach: putting real money and real authority directly into the hands of journalists. At the center of that shift is a first-of-its-kind Innovation Sprint designed to surface newsroom-driven solutions, not executive theory. This conversation explores what happens when innovation moves from the boardroom to the newsroom floor — and why that change may matter more than any single tool or grant.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at:

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/funding-innovation-from-the-ground-up-how-the-national-trust-for-local-news-is-rethinking-change,259959