ISSUE

Fall 2020

The Newsrooms We Need Now

As American society grapples with growing demands for racial justice, American newsrooms are struggling with how to appropriately respond. Beyond making newsrooms more diverse, how should journalism meet the challenges of the moment and change newsroom structures and cultures that uphold oppression?

In a series of essays, thought leaders reflect and offer prescriptions for what the news industry needs to do.

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Articles

Thought Leaders in Journalism on How to Meet the Challenges of This Moment
From the Curator

Thought Leaders in Journalism on How to Meet the Challenges of This Moment

Journalists from AP, CNN, ESPN, Futuro Media, The New York Times, Press On, and elsewhere offer their prescriptions for what the news industry needs to do
Ann Marie Lipinski
September 23, 2020
Providing Better Narratives About Africa For—and by—Africans
Niemans @ Work

Providing Better Narratives About Africa For—and by—Africans

Hannane Ferdjani, NF ’20, launched her program “Beyond the Noise” to report on the pandemic’s impact on AfricaProviding better narratives about Africa — it’s been my journalism quest since I…
Hannane Ferdjani
September 23, 2020
Photographing Grief during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Visual Journalism

Photographing Grief during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Lisa Krantz, a 2020 Nieman Fellow, on covering the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on her community as a photographer for the San Antonio Express-News:“I met this family at a prayer vigil…
Lisa Krantz
September 23, 2020
Journalists Need to Create a Sense of Belonging
Opinion

Journalists Need to Create a Sense of Belonging

Progress on racial equity starts with a steadfast commitment to constant newsroom evolution
Rob King
September 22, 2020
Newsrooms Need a Plan to Diversify Investigative Teams, Too
Diversity in Journalism Opinion

Newsrooms Need a Plan to Diversify Investigative Teams, Too

Having a variety of backgrounds on investigative teams is key to accountability journalism
Ron Nixon
September 21, 2020
Journalism Must Be an Act of Community-Building
Opinion

Journalism Must Be an Act of Community-Building

Building better news systems through collective power, shared trust, and radical imagination
Cierra Hinton
September 18, 2020
Journalists Can Help People Tell Their Own Stories by Talking Less, Listening More
Opinion

Journalists Can Help People Tell Their Own Stories by Talking Less, Listening More

“Our role is facilitator instead of interpreter, catalyst instead of judge”
Erika Dilday
September 16, 2020
Newsrooms Should Make Space for Emotions
Opinion

Newsrooms Should Make Space for Emotions

Fostering more empathetic, honest, and grounded newsrooms will produce deeper storytelling
Dilshad D. Ali
September 15, 2020
Before You Can Fix Your Newsroom, You Need to Fix Your Life
Diversity in Journalism Opinion

Before You Can Fix Your Newsroom, You Need to Fix Your Life

“Those bookshelves in your Zoom backdrop should overflow with literature that challenges your world view”
S. Mitra Kalita
September 9, 2020
A News Startup Focuses on Making a Business out of Reporting on China
Niemans @ Work

A News Startup Focuses on Making a Business out of Reporting on China

David Barboza, NF ’16, is turning information gathered by his journalists into a database for companiesDuring much of my time working as a journalist at The New York Times, I…
David Barboza
September 4, 2020
Want Diverse Newsrooms? Unions Push for Pay Equity As a Path Forward
Diversity

Want Diverse Newsrooms? Unions Push for Pay Equity As a Path Forward

“If we can’t make bold changes now, it seems like we never will”
Kristen Chick
September 3, 2020
Journalists Need to Remember that Not All News Readers are White
Diversity in Journalism Opinion

Journalists Need to Remember that Not All News Readers are White

Dear Journalism: Audiences of national media have too long been presumed to be white. A New York Times editor argues it’s time to change that
Marc Lacey
September 1, 2020
Is Movement Journalism What's Needed During this Reckoning over Race and Inequality?
Diversity in Journalism

Is Movement Journalism What’s Needed During this Reckoning over Race and Inequality?

A movement journalist examines what it means to engage with communities and challenge the status quo
Tina Vasquez
August 25, 2020
Following the Money at the University of Michigan Hits Home for Reporter
Sounding

Following the Money at the University of Michigan Hits Home for Reporter

I used to be the king of the N-S-A:No.Strings.Attached.I was single. I had no children. And I was a renter.When the discount plane fare to Japan arrived in my inbox,…
Matthew Dolan
August 19, 2020
“Collaboration is the Future of Journalism”
Features

“Collaboration is the Future of Journalism”

To meet the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and the racial justice movement, the historically competitive media culture is becoming more collaborative
Casey Quackenbush
August 11, 2020
A Journalist Brings Her Reporting Acumen to American History
Niemans @ Work

A Journalist Brings Her Reporting Acumen to American History

Nieman curator Howard Simons used to tease our class of ’77 about the number of members who abandoned journalism. Mel Goo became a lawyer; Dolly Katz, an epidemiologist. Al Larkin…
Paul Solman
August 10, 2020
In Photographing Social Justice Protests, Respect Means ‘Looking Again’
Diversity in Journalism Opinion Visual Journalism

In Photographing Social Justice Protests, Respect Means ‘Looking Again’

Dear Journalism: If visual journalists privilege conflict over collaboration and community, we fail in our duties as witness, truthful storyteller, and concerned citizen
Melissa Bunni Elian
July 29, 2020
As the November Election Approaches, Are Newsrooms Ready for Guccifer 3.0?
Watchdog

As the November Election Approaches, Are Newsrooms Ready for Guccifer 3.0?

Russian, Chinese, and Iranian disinformation campaigns are targeting the November vote. Journalists need to figure out how to responsibly handle hack-and-leak operations like those that marred the 2016 ballot
Christa Case Bryant
July 28, 2020
Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and “The Pipeline Problem”
Diversity in Journalism Opinion

Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and “The Pipeline Problem”

Dear Journalism: Beyond public statements, commit to building the relationships needed to broaden your work and workplace’s look, feel, and sound
Doug Mitchell
July 24, 2020

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Ann Marie Lipinski
Editor
James Geary
Senior Editor
Jan Gardner
Editorial Specialist
Eryn M. Carlson
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Shelby Grebbin
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Dan Zedek