The Poynter Institute @poynterinstitute.bsky.social

Journalism. Truth. Democracy.

We’ve been a school for journalists for 50 years. Home to the Poynter newsroom, PolitiFact, MediaWise and the International Fact-Checking Network.

Fox News host Jesse Watters said there’s plenty of precedent for President Donald Trump’s threat to blow up Iranian power plants. But the historical examples he cited have important differences.

Read the PolitiFact story: www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2026/jesse-watters-bombing-power-plants-war-crime/
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“If news is the first draft of history, the loss of local news archives means a loss of memory, culture, identity and, sometimes, reality,” writes Poynter faculty and director of craft and local news Kristen Hare.

www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/saving-local-news-also-means-saving-the-archives/
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🗞️Today is #LocalNewsDay! 🎉 We’re celebrating the media outlets that keep our communities informed, connected and strong. Join us by sharing a story that matters and supporting your local newsroom.

Visit localnewsday.org to learn more, or find trusted local news outlets near you.
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President Donald Trump appears to be waging two wars these days: one against Iran and the other being his continuing battle with the media.

Read this story and more in today’s Poynter Report, our Monday-Friday media industry newsletter: www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/savannah-guthrie-return-today-show-mom/
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📰 Local News Day is almost here!
April 9 is a national day of action to celebrate the local news that keeps our communities informed and connected.
👉Support your local newsroom. Share a story that matters. Stay connected.

Visit localnewsday.org to find trusted local news outlets near you.
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Circle City Broadcasting laid off journalists at WRTV, a local TV newsroom in Indianapolis, after purchasing the station for $83 million. It's an example of the type of consolidation happening in television markets across the country. www.poynter.org/business-work/2026/wrtv-staff-layoff-indianapolis-broadcast-consolidation/
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Poynter found more than 70 stories dating back to October that included reporting, writing and photography from local journalists without attribution. www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2026/nota-news-local-outlets-ai-plagiarism/
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Leaders said Nota News was an experiment not meant to be seen by readers. But some of the company’s actions conflict with that.

A Sept. 16 Nota press release touts the initiative, which included Microsoft, TollBit and BizBudding’s Springwire as partners. The release listed URLs of all 11 sites.
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President Donald Trump’s 19-minute address from the White House on Wednesday offered little beyond familiar talking points, leaving Americans and the networks that had to interrupt regularly scheduled prime-time programming frustrated.
Read more in today’s Poynter Report: buff.ly/CquJgrd
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🗞️Have you been looking for a way to support your local news? Come celebrate Local News Day with us on April 9! You can visit localnewsday.org to find trusted local news outlets near you. #LocalNewsDay
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Keep learning. Find a mentor, be a mentor.

Here are five evergreen tips for journalists (based on decades spent in the newsroom), from Poynter adjunct faculty Tom Huang: www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/be-a-lifelong-student-say-the-hard-things-and-more-practical-tips-for-journalists/
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Many journalists are covering trauma where they live. That can mean that even when the assignment ends, the story does not.

Here are strategies for journalists to set boundaries, cope with stress and navigate uncertainty: www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/when-theres-trauma-at-work-in-the-building-or-at-the-scene-how-can-journalists-manage-stress-and-fear-minneapolis-ice-washington-post/
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Start with a problem, not a mandate. Use AI to get closer to your audience.

Here are five lessons and takeaways from MediaWise director Alex Mahadevan following a day of panels on trust, newsroom AI tools and the economics of an industry in transition:

www.poynter.org/tech-tools/2026/how-to-start-using-ai-journalism/
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“If reporters can’t safely cover protests, one of the most visible forms of democratic expression becomes harder to document,” writes Poynter contributor Jason Collins.

Read the story:
www.poynter.org/business-work/2026/why-are-journalists-arrested-protests-rights/
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Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, President Donald Trump insisted that Iran was “totally defeated,” the war is over and that the “fake news” media is the only thing keeping the war going.

Read this and more in today’s Poynter Report, our #media industry newsletter.
www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/trump-blames-media-war-iran/
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“It would appear that the media’s court victory was short-lived as the Pentagon continues to hassle any press that won’t simply act as cheerleaders for the Department of Defense and the Trump administration,” writes senior media writer Tom Jones.

Read now: www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/ice-airports-radio-show-linda-arizona/
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Young creators will get training in media literacy, responsible AI use and storytelling to create content their peers can trust. The grant will also support updates to Poynter’s AI ethics guidance for newsrooms.

Learn more at www.poynter.org/news-release/2026/mediawise-launches-teen-creator-network-social-media-video-tiktok/
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Today, teens are shaping how the news is understood on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. 📱

That’s why MediaWise is launching the Teen Creator Network with Local News International, backed by a $300,000 grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.

Here’s what's involved ↓
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As bystander and surveillance videos continue to drive major news stories, visual investigation skills are mandatory.

Here are 5 tips to verify video authenticity online, debunk AI-generated content and become a better visual investigator: www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/bystander-surveillance-video-ai-visual-investigations-journalism/
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“In the longer term, the greatest danger posed by AI isn’t fake images themselves, it’s the collapse of trust in real evidence,” writes Poynter contributor Adam Rose.

Here’s why journalism needs to prove which images are authentic — not just label deepfakes: www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/the-real-threat-of-ai-is-the-collapse-of-trust-deepfakes/
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“How disturbing that the head of the FCC is pushing for a certain type of content that resembles, quite frankly, state TV. And that he wants those who might say something he or the government disagrees with to be punished,” writes senior media writer Tom Jones.

www.poynter.org/commentary/2026/brendan-carr-pro-american-broadcasters/
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You won't want to miss this 👀

Come chat with Poynter's Tom Jones LIVE on Instagram tomorrow at 4 p.m. eastern on @poynter_institute! He's going to yap about all things craft, the changing media industry and Vanderpump. It's an AMA, so bring your questions!

🔔 www.instagram.com/poynter_institute
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"When you bring together accomplished women who are facing similar leadership challenges, the biggest lessons don’t just come from our training, but from one another."

This Poynter program has transformed nearly 700 careers since 2015. Meet the new class: www.poynter.org/from-the-institute/2026/poynter-names-35-journalists-selected-for-competitive-2026-leadership-academy-for-women/
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No, a viral video of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference doesn’t prove he’s dead. Here’s why PolitiFact rated that claim Pants on Fire! www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/benjamin-netanyahu-six-fingers-dead/
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How can you tell what’s real from fake when your feed is flooded with images and videos that can easily be altered or imagined by AI?

First, slow down. Next, check the source.

Here are three tips from MediaWise to help you sort through the noise: www.poynter.org/fact-checking/media-literacy/2026/how-do-i-know-if-thats-real-3-tips-from-poynters-mediawise-to-stay-smart-in-tricky-times-misinformation-deepfakes/
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Newsroom leaders – Here’s a plan to assemble the information and resources needed to respond to threats against First Amendment rights:

www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/how-to-build-a-newsroom-plan-for-responding-to-first-amendment-threats/
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Much of the viral imagery on social media in the days since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran doesn’t show real or current events. Bad actors have overwhelmed feeds with outdated and AI images and videos.

Here’s how to spot inaccurate content online: www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2026/fake-images-iran-war-how-spot-them/
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Don’t worry, we’ll wait… Learn more about pitching Poynter: docs.google.com/document/d/1dJhnHfljnDyKG_mh_N2TmHPmVEycRFeKdP4m6azU0v4/edit?usp=sharing
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Could the U.S. implement a military draft for the war in Iran?

Here’s how a draft would work in the U.S. and in what circumstances it could be implemented (from PolitiFact): www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2026/karoline-leavitt-military-draft-reinstated/
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How is AI reshaping journalism?

We’re diving deep at AI x Journalism Day 2026 during SXSW! Join us on March 16 as Hacks/Hackers and Poynter bring together journalists, technologists and researchers to explore AI’s role in public media, moderation and platform accountability: buff.ly/N1VOfjw
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