How traditional news outlets are grappling with their current role in the media landscape 

In the wake of last week’s presidential election, newsrooms are reflecting on the role of the modern media in elections. 

For Politico, Steven Waldman writes that how people get their news is a major indicator of how they vote. Demographics who are more likely to get their news from social media platforms were more likely to vote for President-elect Trump. In Semafor, Max Tani and David Weigel write that mainstream media outlets simply have less reach and influence than in the past when it comes to impacting elections. 

Stephen J. Adler writes for the Columbia Journalism Review that news outlets need to get past the “myopia” of New York and Washington D.C. by partnering with local news outlets around the country who can better cover the specific issues that smaller cities and communities are facing. “It helps to have a national perspective, and it helps to have local knowledge—you need both,” he writes.

News In Focus
Headlines, resources and events aligned with API’s four areas of focus.

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> ‘Death by a thousand cuts’: How experts warn Trump could use an authoritarian playbook to go after the media (CNN)

European experts who have seen erosion in press freedom in recent times say that authoritarian leaders prefer to chip away at press freedom in small ways. This can include lawsuits, attacking journalists, pressuring news outlets to self-censor and having wealthy allies purchase news outlets. 

>> An equation to cultivating good conflict (Good Conflict)

Try this formula to help you fight smarter: Remember your goal, slow down the conflict, loop or reflect back, and identify options together.

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Culture & Inclusion

>> New from API: What’s striking news leaders about listening in a polarized world; what’s striking researchers 

Here are some of the calls to action that sparked interest from news leaders over several recent API Local News Summits: reach beyond the politically involved; elevate identities and shared experiences beyond politics; design thoughtful community engagement structures; and develop skills to convene and facilitate.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> We need a Wirecutter for groceries (Nieman Lab)

News organizations could think about service journalism at the most local level by developing a regularly updated guide to the best grocery prices at local supermarkets. 

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Revenue & Resilience

>> LinkedIn’s new strategy to target news content (The Fix)

LinkedIn’s strategy of promoting news content as other social platforms move away from journalism will benefit news targeted at young professionals. LinkedIn users tend to be college educated and looking for professionally-oriented content. 

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What else you need to know

⚖️ OpenAI defeats news outlets’ copyright lawsuit over AI training, for now (Reuters) 

🖥️ Washington Post employees ordered back to office 5 days a week (The New York Times) 

📺 Chris Wallace quits CNN to build future in streaming (The Daily Beast) 

🪧 New York Times Tech Guild ends strike (The New York Times)

🗞️ French news titles sue X over allegedly running their content without payment (The Guardian)