E&P Reports with Mike Blinder

Disinformation is no longer a background hazard of modern journalism — it is a coordinated, weaponized assault on truth itself. In a world where lies travel faster than facts and chaos is deliberately engineered to exhaust the public, national security correspondent JJ Green says journalists are now fighting a real war for credibility. Drawing on decades of coverage of intelligence, conflict zones and information warfare, Green frames today's media crisis as an existential battle for democratic survival. His new book, "The Noise War," is not a warning shot — it's a field manual for journalists on the front lines of disinformation.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/inside-the-noise-war-a-field-manual-for-journalists-fighting-disinformation,259836

Local journalism is shrinking in much of the country — but The Baltimore Banner is moving in the opposite direction. In just two years, the nonprofit newsroom has grown into Maryland's largest reporting operation, expanded beyond Baltimore, and built a fast-growing base of paying subscribers. Now, with their new editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper at the helm, The Banner is doubling down on a belief that many in the industry have quietly abandoned: scale still matters. In this wide-ranging conversation, the newsroom's new leader explains why growth, impact, and sustainability are inseparable — and what local journalism risks losing if it stops thinking big.\

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/the-baltimore-banner-enters-a-new-year-and-a-new-chapter-with-a-new-editor-in-chief,259711

What news consumers are really saying about AI: insights from the Trusting News/LMA study

A new national survey of nearly 1,500 local news consumers reveals growing concern about AI's role in journalism—but also a clear path forward. Funded by the Walton Family Foundation and conducted by the Local Media Association and Trusting News, the study shows audiences overwhelmingly want human oversight, transparency, and clarity about how AI is used. John Humenik of LMA and Lynn Walsh of Trusting News joined E&P Reports to break down the results. Their message: trust is still journalism's greatest asset—AI can't replace that.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/988-say-ai-cant-replace-journalists-new-study-reveals-why-that-matters-now,259577

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Jeff Jarvis has never been interested in nostalgia. In a wide‑ranging conversation with E&P Magazine, the longtime media critic, author and journalism educator argues that the survival of local news depends not on preserving legacy structures, but on abandoning them. From print to platforms, from content to community, Jarvis insists that journalism's future lies in collaboration, service and listening — not scale or tradition.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/new-year-new-rules-jeff-jarvis-says-local-journalism-must-reinvent-itself-now,259465

Free expression in America isn't collapsing all at once — it's eroding quietly, often in ways the public barely notices. In a wide‑ranging conversation, First Amendment scholar Stuart N. Brotman warns that political pressure, platform power and public misunderstanding are reshaping the boundaries of press freedom in real time. Drawing on decades of experience across academia, government and media policy, Brotman makes the case that the next few years will be decisive. And he argues that local journalism may be the strongest remaining force capable of rebuilding trust, civic understanding and a shared commitment to free expression.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/scholar-stuart-brotman-sounds-the-alarm-free-expression-is-under-fire,259377

California isn't just a state. It's a story still being written, and USA Today wants a front-row seat. With the launch of Today Californian, the national news giant is investing in a bold new experiment: statewide coverage designed to meet readers wherever they are — from inbox to Instagram. "We're positioning ourselves as highly relevant," says Greg Burton, the project's editorial lead. The goal? To create a digital-first newsroom that feels local, acts regional and delivers impact at scale.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/rewriting-the-california-story-usa-today-bets-big-on-statewide-local-journalism,259321

Mark Puente didn't go to j-school — he drove trucks for 15 years before stepping into a newsroom. But when a judge tried to block him from observing a public court hearing, Puente didn't flinch. Armed with experience, instinct, and a phone call to his editor, he stood his ground — ready to risk contempt rather than walk away. What followed wasn't just a clash over access, but a moment that reveals why blue-collar grit still matters in American journalism.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/from-hauling-freight-to-holding-judges-accountable-mark-puentes-fight-for-courtroom-access,259215

If you think young people aren't paying attention to the news, think again — they are, and they have thoughts. A new study reveals just how skeptical today's teens are about the press, and the results should make every newsroom take notice. From questions of fairness to fears of fabrication, Gen Z is forming strong opinions about who to trust. In this episode, we dive into what teens really believe — and why it matters for the future of journalism.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/half-of-us-teens-think-journalists-make-up-quotes-and-do-favors-for-sources-new-report-finds,259102

Robert Whitehead believes the news industry is entering a make-or-break era defined by AI disruption, collapsing platform traffic and growing public distrust. In a conversation with E&P, he said generative AI is "as transformative as electricity." He warned that publishers are still distracted by "shiny objects" instead of rebuilding the fundamentals that audiences actually value. His new report, authored for the INMA, outlines why newsrooms must urgently rethink distribution, trust, and brand experience to survive. And unless publishers rapidly differentiate their value and restore confidence in their journalism, he argues, they risk losing relevance at the very moment democracy needs them most.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/a-global-perspective-on-what-news-publishers-must-do-next,258967

For more than 160 years, Stars and Stripes has walked a razor-thin line: serving the U.S. military while holding it accountable. Publisher Max Lederer says that balance remains as vital — and as fragile — as ever, noting that "our staff are paid by the Department of Defense" even as the newsroom is mandated to stay "balanced, objective, independent and impartial." Today, new Pentagon access rules, collapsing trust in media, and seismic digital shifts are putting that independence to the test. Lederer argues the mission endures because "we are dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. military community… from within the Department of Defense," a position no other newsroom occupies.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/stars-and-stripes-at-a-crossroads-inside-its-mission-press-freedom-challenges-and-digital-future,258686