E&P Reports with Mike Blinder

For nearly five decades, Jim Slusher has been one of the Midwest's most thoughtful voices on what journalism owes its readers — and how it earns their trust. As managing editor for opinion at the Daily Herald, he's spent his career pulling back the curtain on newsroom decisions and defending the value of open, honest dialogue. Now, with his new book To Nudge the World, Slusher is challenging both journalists and audiences to rethink how truth and trust are built in an era of noise and doubt. His message is clear: transparency isn't a luxury for journalism — it's the lifeline that keeps democracy alive.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/jim-slusher-on-rebuilding-trust-and-why-his-new-book-aims-to-nudge-the-world,258665

In a world overwhelmed by AI-generated imagery and shrinking newsroom budgets, the value of authentic photojournalism has never been more at risk — or more essential. The National Press Photographers Association is sounding the alarm: visuals aren't just decoration, they're the backbone of truth, trust, and emotional connection in journalism. In this exclusive interview, NPPA Vice President Lauren Steinbrecher and Grady College's Mark E. Johnson break down why local publishers, students, and reporters must fight for the future of visual storytelling. Because if we lose the image, we may just lose the story itself.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/why-visuals-still-matter-inside-nppas-fight-for-the-future-of-photojournalism,258582

Local news is collapsing at an alarming pace — more than 3,500 newspapers have vanished since 2005, with 130 disappearing just last year. In this episode, we interview Tim Franklin and Zach Metzger of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, the researchers behind the 2025 State of Local News report, which paints a dire picture of vanishing watchdogs, expanding news deserts, and a shrinking connection between journalism and the communities it serves. Yet amid the bleak data are signs of reinvention, from public radio stations stepping up to statewide networks and philanthropic partnerships gaining traction outside major metros. This isn't just a crisis — it's a make-or-break moment for rebuilding local journalism from the ground up.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/the-state-of-local-news-more-urgency-than-optimism,258462

Journalist & best‑selling author Beth Macy returns to the town she once delivered newspapers in to ask: what happens when the civic fabric fractures and no one is left to tell the story? In her new memoir Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America, Macy digs into her hometown of Urbana, Ohio — exploring how the collapse of local news, growing economic despair and social isolation reshaped a community she loved. Along the way, she argues that if journalism disappears from small‑town America, the consequences are national. Her message is clear: local reporting isn't just "nice to have," it's the glue that holds democracy together.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/bestselling-author-journalist-bethmacy-returns-home-in-papergirl,258348

Local news is changing faster than anyone imagined — and Northwestern University's Medill School just put numbers to the chaos. Its new State of Local News 2025 report reveals a seismic shift: smartphones have overtaken TV, content creators now rival traditional outlets, and only 15% of Americans say they're willing to pay for local journalism. For Medill's Tim Franklin and Stephanie Edgerly, the findings are both a wake-up call and a roadmap for survival. The future of local news, they warn, depends on how fast publishers adapt to audiences who've already moved on.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/state-of-local-news-2025-smartphones-surge-content-creators-rise-and-only-15-pay,258226

What happens when a county government tries to silence its watchdog? In Pender County, North Carolina, officials yanked away the Post and Voice's legal notices — a critical revenue lifeline — not because the paper failed to fulfill its duty, but because it did. Publisher Andy Pettigrew called out backroom deals and ran biting editorial cartoons, prompting the commissioners to strike back. Now, the fight has moved from the courthouse steps to federal court, raising a chilling First Amendment question: If politicians can punish a paper for speaking the truth, what local newsroom is safe?

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/local-publisher-fights-back-after-county-strips-legal-notices-in-retaliation,258103

Polarization isn't just dividing dinner tables anymore — it's turning deadly in the wake of the Charlie Kirk tragedy and now the ICE office shooting in Dallas. The role and responsibility of opinion journalism has never been more scrutinized. That's why we turned to Nicole Russell, one of USA Today's leading conservative voices, who has spent more than a decade writing on politics, culture, and policy. She has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Federalist, consistently offering a sharp conservative perspective on some of the most hotly debated issues of our time. In our conversation, Russell opens up about how she balances tone and responsibility, the blurred line between news and opinion, the future of editorial pages, and what advice she has for local publishers navigating this polarized moment.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/nicole-russell-usa-todays-conservative-voice-on-why-opinion-journalism-still-matters,257962

When billion-dollar networks like CBS and ABC cave to political pressure and late-night stars like Colbert and Kimmel get muzzled, what chance does a small-town publisher have? If Washington can bend the most prominent players in media, local newspapers — already stretched thin by lawsuits, advertiser boycotts, and the rise of AI — are staring down an even harsher storm. That's why Bob Corn-Revere, one of America's top First Amendment lawyers, warns now is the moment to stiffen spines. "A spine is a terrible thing to waste," he said — and for publishers, wasting it could mean losing the last line of defense for democracy.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/networks-under-fire-and-what-it-means-for-local-publishers,257824

In a world where speaking out can result in being silenced forever, journalism itself is under attack. Hours before this conversation was taped, commentator and podcaster Charlie Kirk was gunned down at an event at Utah Valley University — a stark reminder that public voices, whether political or journalistic, face real and rising danger. Against that backdrop, Dr. Peter Laufer, world-traveling journalist, author and editor of the new book "Don't Shoot the Journalists: Migrating to Stay Alive," joined E&P Reports to explore what's at stake when reporters are exiled, threatened or even killed — and what our society loses when truth-tellers are taken off the stage.

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

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/after-the-kirk-shooting-peter-laufer-warns-journalism-is-more-dangerous-than-ever,257691

When E&P reported on Sept. 2 that Broad + Liberty and Access Network were merging to form the Fideri News Network, the press release generated more questions than answers: What exactly is this new company? How is it structured? Is it truly positioned to become a meaningful player in today's media landscape, or simply a rebranding of existing outlets? To delve deeper into the announcement, E&P sat down with Broad + Liberty CEO Terry Tracy and Access Global Advisors CEO Jim McDonald, now chairman of the network, for a closer look at what Fideri actually is — and what it aims to become.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/behind-the-launch-a-closer-look-at-the-philly-areas-new-fideri-news-network,257601