Poynter

10/17/2026

Over the past year and a half, journalists have been sued, defunded, shut out, investigated, assaulted, harassed, berated and more. But who was responsible? And what are the long-term impacts?

Poynter has tracked more than 100 federal actions affecting journalists and news access through our Press Freedom Watch project. Here's what we've learned.

For 18 months, Poynter has tracked federal actions affecting journalists and news access, revealing a rapid, sweeping change in the media landscape

10/16/2026

Election results tell you who won the votes and where the votes came from, but understanding voters’ motivations requires better data – and deeper reporting.

Read the commentary:

Election results tell us how people voted, but understanding why requires better data — and deeper reporting

10/16/2026

Initially, President Donald Trump said he approved the Pentagon’s plan to livestream an ex*****on, “but in the end, even Trump realized this was a bad idea,” writes senior media writer Tom Jones.

Trump announced Thursday on Truth Social that the ex*****on will still take place, but it won’t be livestreamed.

Read this story and more: https://buff.ly/e2rxgp2

Usually, President Trump and Pete Hegseth are on the same page, but the president's backtrack of support delivers a major blow.

10/15/2026

CNN, MS Now and Politico had their White House access restored by a federal judge this week while their case plays out in court, but similar press access battles are playing out all across the country.

Journalists at the state and local levels are being turned away from press conferences, stonewalled by politicians and excluded from government spaces they previously had access to. It won’t stop them from reporting on their elected officials, but it does make their jobs harder.

Poynter’s press freedom reporter Angela Fu reports on the impacts of a shrinking local news landscape, how independent journalists are also being targeted, and how journalists are working around restrictions.

🔗Read the story: https://buff.ly/hX45N1Y

10/15/2026

Some details surrounding a Russian lab worker’s death of an unknown pneumonia parallel COVID-19 news that unfolded seven years ago, but health security experts say they don’t see signs this is a precursor to another pandemic.

A federal judge again sided with CNN, MS NOW and Politico in their fight to retain White House access

10/15/2026

A federal judge ruled this week that the Trump administration violated the First and Fifth Amendment rights of CNN, MS Now and Politico when it barred the outlets from the White House. The judge also ordered the administration to restore their access while the case plays out in court.

The ruling marks yet another setback in Trump’s efforts to restrict press access.

A federal judge again sided with CNN, MS NOW and Politico in their fight to retain White House access

10/14/2026

Black Indy LIVE bills itself as “a viral news source for the state of Indiana” and its creator calls the platform a “statewide news aggregator,” meaning it repurposes news stories reported by other news outlets.

Is the viral digital news platform worthy of Indy’s attention?

An in-depth analysis of the digital news platform Black Indy LIVE

10/14/2026

At recent midterm rallies, President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Texas Democrat Jame Talarico is a vegan who “throws up all over the place” after eating meat.

Talarico isn’t a vegan, and the president has provided no evidence. Read the full PolitiFact fact-check:
https://buff.ly/GRc81rX

The Texas Democrat once advocated for reducing meat consumption. Trump has turned that into a recurring rally line unsupported by evidence.

10/14/2026

Many of the nation’s most prominent and decorated student media operations operate at universities that don’t offer journalism majors, or have a formal journalism department. But student journalists on those campuses don’t mind.

In fact, many described finding a certain freedom in figuring things out on their own.

Read this story from the Student Press Report:

Hundreds of college newspapers publish at universities that don't offer journalism majors. That's no problem for the students.

10/14/2026

In her first press briefing on Tuesday, a visibly nervous Katie Zacharia met with the media for 14 minutes, mostly reading prepared notes. Already, questions are mounting about her hiring, her legal credentials and her future in the job.

“Here’s how you know it’s bad: Insiders are already asking if her days are numbered,” writes senior media writer Tom Jones.

Read this story and more in today’s Poynter Report:

After a rocky 14-minute briefing, questions are mounting about Zacharia’s hiring, her future in the job and her legal credentials