News

The Year we Redefine our Relationship with Audiences and our Role in Society

If you work in journalism, you might recognize that 2024 was a year of reckoning for our industry. I certainly do. 

Insights into Journalism and Advice for Student Reporters Heading into 2025, from ICFJ Knight Fellows

As we kickstart 2025, we asked our ICFJ Knight Fellows about their outlooks for the new year, and what challenges and/or opportunities they’re preparing to face head on. The Fellows also provided their topline advice for student and early-career journalists to succeed in today’s news industry.

How One News Outlet is Amplifying Solutions for Prenatal Care in the Amazon

Women who live in riverside communities in the Amazon often contend with challenges that prevent them from accessing critical prenatal care, from low tide levels to long, costly journeys. But in the Brazilian state of Pará, in a riverside city of 72 islands, the rate of pregnant women accessing treatment has improved. A reporting series from Amazônia Vox, a news outlet founded by ICFJ Knight Fellow Daniel Nardin, explored how the city’s floating medical clinic made an impact.

ICFJ Voices: José Nieves, on Sustainability for Exiled Newsrooms

José J. Nieves is an ICFJ Knight Fellow developing resources to help newsrooms in exile plan for a sustainable future. Originally from Cuba, Nieves has been running his independent media platform El Toque from exile since 2019. From afar, El Toque became known for an innovative tool it developed: an exchange rate calculator for the informal market in Cuba. This tool is the first of its kind for Cubans, and has greatly impacted those within the country and El Toque’s success as a publication.

Rana Sabbagh: Fighting for Justice in the Middle East

When Rana Sabbagh was a young girl in Jordan, her German mother introduced her to the idea of Gerechtigkeit, which translates roughly to “justice” or “fairness.” Sabbagh’s career as an investigative journalist has revolved around this ideal: that justice, accountability and the rule of law matter. Today, Sabbagh — ICFJ's Knight Trailblazer Award winner — continues to drive hard-hitting investigations in the Middle East.

A World Where Facts Matter: Reflections on the 2024 Elections

This week’s election was the most consequential in modern U.S. history, with far-reaching implications across the world.

Journalists in the ICFJ network, both in the U.S. and globally, covered the vote and will report on its aftermath for years to come.

Electoral Disinformation, But No AI Revolution Ahead of the US Election — Yet

Many predicted a revolution in the world of disinformation during the 2024 U.S. election due to the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI). But it hasn’t come to pass – at least not yet. ICFJ Knight Fellow Laura Zommer breaks down how to monitor the status of disinformation and AI in the days leading up to Nov. 5.

Reinventing Journalism: New Ideas for a People-Centric Sustainable Future

ICFJ Knight Fellow Mattia Peretti worries that journalists have lost touch with their mission — or are at least confused about it. In his keynote address given at Media Party Buenos Aires, he explores the value of journalism and financial sustainability in the industry.

“Hablando en Plata”: A Video Podcast About the Sustainability of Media Outlets in Exile

How to generate money – “plata” in Spanish, the slang used in many Latin American countries – is one of the most pressing concerns among journalists and media outlets today. In the Spanish-language video podcast "Hablando en Plata," ICFJ Knight Fellow José J. Nieves discusses different business models for media outlets.

Toward an Audience-Centric Future for Journalism

Some journalists are taking initiative to reorient the industry toward what they believe will be a more prosperous future – by centering audiences first and foremost.  Newsrooms today already have taken steps to prioritize the audiences they serve, noted Raghu. “Ten, 12 years ago, there was this very, very different atmosphere where journalists would write for journalists,” she said. Capitalizing on this momentum will be key. “[The journalism industry now] is automatically and very organically turning to being user-centric.”