Innovation in Focus' Ishrat Madiha spoke with Gabrielle Contesti to learn how NowKalamazoo uses creative in-person strategies to deepen community ties and media literacy. Contesti also shares how other small newsrooms can replicate these efforts.
The 2025-26 RJI Fellows will present their projects at 11 a.m. CT Thursday, March 5, on Zoom. Watch demos of each Fellow's resource and ask questions. These tools, programs and platforms were built to address a current need in journalism. Register today: umsystem.zoom.us/webinar/regi....
Introducing Audacity Media Lab, which provides a framework and toolkit for journalists to produce impact-driven stories that address real-world community problems through a theory-of-change model. The tools and resources were developed by RJI Fellows Nicole Lewis and @lamthuyvo.bsky.social.
RJI Fellow Tara Francis Chan has launched Powering News, a free resource hub designed for cooperative, staff-run nonprofit and democratic newsrooms. The project features the first national survey-based database of 35-plus worker-friendly newsrooms. rjionline.org/news/announc...
RJI Fellow Cara Kuhlman created "A Tour Guide for Journalists," a free resource for local and independent journalists ready to take their storytelling outside. The guide covers everything from why walking tours work as a journalism strategy to how to plan, launch and measure your first pilot.
Introducing RJI Fellow Monica Williams' Grants for Journalists, a database curating funding opportunities for journalists and newsrooms. Here's how to use the site: rjionline.org/news/introdu....
Covering Immigration: RJI Fellow Claudia Yaujar-Amaro built a free, bilingual toolkit that gives any journalist or newsroom in the U.S. access to legal glossaries, verification frameworks and ethical reporting guides. rjionline.org/news/coverin...
For one week, journalism students create or expand on each newsroom's digital strategies and provide training on key tools, with particular focus this year on incorporating AI to streamline processes without creating content.
"Enter/Exit: Trauma-Informed Praxis for Visual Journalism" includes "essays, interviews, case studies and creative contributions exploring topics such as informed consent, trauma and body language, anonymous portraiture, and more," write RJI Fellows Sarah Blesener and Jennifer Jacklin-Stratton.
Four international graduate students from @mujschool.bsky.social have been selected as 2026 RJI Student Innovation Fellows. This summer, each Fellow will spend 12 weeks helping a news outlet create or expand upon innovative projects that address a particular need in community journalism.
What separates a "good" grant application from a "great" one? RJI Fellow Monica Williams asked the people who actually make the final decision.
"With more than 1 million registered drones in the U.S. since the end of 2024, the implications of a total ban would be seen as devastating to the multiple industries that have adopted and been revolutionized by DJI drones," writes Dom Lee, professor of drone journalism at @mujschool.bsky.social.
RJI Fellow Cara Kuhlman, who’ll publish "A Tour Guide for Journalists" in March, recommends four city locations – found in cities across the U.S. – where news organizations can focus their coverage.
"Rather than guessing what resonates with readers," writes Steve Baragona, "the platform provides real-time analytics that help editors and reporters understand their audience and adjust coverage accordingly — turning hunches into actionable intelligence." Via @newsmediahelpdesk.org
Innovation in Focus' Ishrat Madiha recently spoke with Jenna Spinelle and Brandon Stover, who created a curated list of podcast episodes educators could use in their classrooms. Here's their advice to educators who struggle with adding podcasts into their curriculums.
Collecting first-party data doesn't have to be boring. Read about how Admiral helped Golf.com collect user data in a way that readers actually enjoy.
Illustration by Susan Stellin, adapted from multiple depictions of the pyramid of evidence.
Asking key questions when evaluating studies can help improve the quality of reporting about research, writes Susan Stellin, MPH. Here are seven questions to consider when interpreting research about drugs and addiction: rjionline.org/news/evaluat....
RJI and the @localnewsimpact.bsky.social Consortium today launched "Commissioning a Local News Ecosystem Assessment: An Operational Toolkit," a resource to streamline research into the forces and players that shape local news.
Measuring impact is crucial for nonprofit newsrooms to secure funding and demonstrate how their work effects change. Here are four strategies for measuring community impact. By RJI Fellows Nicole Lewis and Lam Thuy Vo.
Read on: rjionline.org/news/when-it....
Are you facing more resistance when seeking comment? RJI and SmithGeiger Group are conducting a national study to understand how growing hostility and strategic silence are reshaping journalism and how newsrooms can respond more effectively.
"Because the core values of news professionals and Big Tech oligarchs are so different, you might expect news organizations to stand up against Big Tech at the state legislature," writes Don Marti. "You’d be wrong."
Last chance: Come ask questions about the 2026-27 RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships on Jan. 29. Applications close on Feb. 6, 2026. Register now: umsystem.zoom.us/webinar/regi....
The grant will allow VERDAD to add support for additional languages such as Arabic, Haitian Creole and Vietnamese, making the tool a more comprehensive monitor of non-English radio broadcasts. It will also fund features that enhance usability for journalists and enable real-time fact checking.
No matter the sort of newsroom you’re building, here are seven startup mistakes and how to avoid them. Hint: There's no such thing as the perfect workplace.
A study of 135 US weekly newspaper leaders found that charging for obits is a common practice, but the revenue typically provides only a marginal contribution to overall income. While 88% of surveyed weekly newspapers charge a fee, 80% reported that this accounts for less than 5% of total revenue.
The era of "no comment" is evolving from a simple refusal into a potential manipulative strategy. To understand how this shift impacts journalistic credibility and public perception, RJI and SmithGeiger today launched a landmark national survey.
Which types of projects are you interested in reading about or partnering on next? Here are two ways to let us know: (1) Join us for our next Community Call on Tuesday, Jan. 21: bit.ly/IIF-January. (2) Complete our online survey: bit.ly/IIF-survey26. Thank you for your time and feedback.
Luz is a free chatbot that helps journalists develop solutions journalism ideas in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Built by RJI and @elcolectivo506.bsky.social, Luz also connects journalists with resources for further learning about solutions journalism. Read on: rjionline.org/news/introdu....
Pictures of the Year entry deadline extended to Jan. 18. Learn more and submit entries: poy.org. #Photojournalism #Photography
RJI Fellow Cara Kuhlman is building a digital guidebook to help newsrooms engage in walking tours as a medium for local journalism. She toured the Big Apple with Augustin Pasquet, CEO of Untapped New York, to learn more about Untapped's tour operations. Read on: rjionline.org/news/a-light...
