ISSUE

Winter 2022

The New Look of the Labor Beat

Once considered a marquee assignment, the labor beat spent years on the decline. Over the past decade, however, the beat has bounced back to cover everything from how Uber treats its workers to the #MeToo movement to the lack of affordable child care.

Fueled by the Great Recession, the rise of digital media, and the pandemic, today’s labor beat tackles a different set of questions from its union-centric predecessor: Will many white-collar workers never return to the office? Will pandemic-battered workers press for workplace safety? And will the Great Resignation cause American corporations to treat their workers far better?

Articles

Covering Covid-19 and Connecting with Sources in Quiet Moments

Covering Covid-19 and Connecting with Sources in Quiet Moments

Bethany Mollenkof, photojournalist and 2021 Nieman Visiting Fellow, on photographing the devastation the coronavirus is bringing to Southern and rural Black communities: “When I am creating portraits of someone, I…
Newsrooms Are Unionizing Pretty Much "Nonstop." Here's Why

Newsrooms Are Unionizing Pretty Much “Nonstop.” Here’s Why

Journalists are responding to consolidation and ongoing revenue challenges by joining the unionization wave
From Covid-19 to #MeToo, The Labor Beat Is Resurgent

From Covid-19 to #MeToo, The Labor Beat Is Resurgent

After years of declining coverage, more newsrooms are making workplace safety, unionization, and remote work front-page stories
A Green Light for Corruption

A Green Light for Corruption

Researchers say there are tangible costs when a community loses its newspaper. The question is, do we want to pay now or pay later?
The Media and the Ballot Box: Confronting 21st Century Voter Suppression

The Media and the Ballot Box: Confronting 21st Century Voter Suppression

As more states restrict ballot access, news outlets must invest in consistent voting rights reporting that cuts through lies, distortion, and disinformation
"I Had To Talk To the People Who Were Tasked With Freeing Me"

“I Had To Talk To the People Who Were Tasked With Freeing Me”

Jason Rezaian, NF ’17, wanted to tell the story of his release from an Iranian prison from multiple perspectivesIn early fall, Spotify released a podcast series I’ve been working on…
Journalism Helped Me Regain Power Over My Own Story

Journalism Helped Me Regain Power Over My Own Story

Finding meaning, agency, and purpose in reporting from my home country of Venezuela
Revealing the Failures of the Juvenile Justice System

Revealing the Failures of the Juvenile Justice System

Tennessee Watson, NF ’20, on trying to answer the question: Why do American policymakers continue to invest in incarcerating children?The United States incarcerates kids at substantially higher rates than most…
In Europe, Podcasters of Color Make Their Own Space for Conversations on Race

In Europe, Podcasters of Color Make Their Own Space for Conversations on Race

Podcasts are popping up across the continent to fill the coverage void of race and racism in mainstream media
Launching A Newspaper During A Pandemic

Launching A Newspaper During A Pandemic

How conversations over coffee helped Sipho Kings, NF ’18, create The Continent, a weekly that has grown its audience to 15,000 subscribers in 105 countries A good coffee can help…
The Emancipator's Co-Editors-in-Chief Are Bringing the 19th Century Abolitionist Paper to Life

The Emancipator’s Co-Editors-in-Chief Are Bringing the 19th Century Abolitionist Paper to Life

Deborah Douglas and Amber Payne on building on The Emancipator's historical roots, reimagining the newsroom hierarchy, and centering their work in joy
In India, the Last Few Bastions Of The Free Press Stand Guard Against Rising Authoritarianism

In India, the Last Few Bastions Of The Free Press Stand Guard Against Rising Authoritarianism

Over the last seven years, newsrooms have found themselves in the trenches, holding the Modi government to account
Journalism in Myanmar: “An Apocalypse for The Media”

Journalism in Myanmar: “An Apocalypse for The Media”

Myanmar’s former ‘outlaw’ journalists lead the battle for a free press

Masthead

Publisher
Ann Marie Lipinski
Editor
James Geary
Senior Editor
Laura Colarusso
Assistant Editor
Natalie De Rosa
Designer
Dan Zedek
Cover Art
Michael Kirkham