A very 2025 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving journalism is almost a genre in itself, with much of it falling into the “how to” category. But this year all the usual angles have an added intensity that makes them feel less predictable. Some examples:

How to survive talking about politics at the holiday table is a hardy perennial — but this year, that subject feels more fraught. “Between the recent government shutdown, election season, and debates over immigration, it doesn’t take much for dinner talk to get heated,” noted The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Tiffani Jackson.

How to navigate air travel is another routine holiday assignment. This year’s added twist is that the season is expected to be the busiest in 15 years, writes the AP’s Rio Yamat.

How to help feed the hungry is a common service journalism story around Thanksgiving. This year, those who help say people are still bouncing back from the pause in food benefits during the government shutdown, as Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Elise Catrion Gregg reports.

Finally, this year there is — of course — an AI angle to Thanksgiving. As Bloomberg’s Davey Alba and Carmen Arroyo write, AI slop is infiltrating cooking recipes on the internet. Cooking bloggers say consumers are getting recipes “remixed” by AI, which could lead to disastrous outcomes.

“That’s not just bad for business; it’s potentially ruinous for a holiday dinner table if home cooks, inspired by pretty AI-generated photos, try recipes that turn out unappetizing or that defy the laws of chemistry,” they write.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, which we hope will be guided by real food journalists (or old-fashioned cookbooks), and we’ll see you back here on Monday with a new series that looks back at our work in 2025.

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Critical ignoring: A strategy for information overload (Psychology Today)

Susan A. Nolan and Michael Kimball synthesize a research paper by psychology researchers Stephan Lewandowsky and Ralph Hertwig, who say “information overload” can undermine democracy. The paper describes “critical ignoring,” a tactic that allows you to make choices about what you can and should ignore.

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Culture & Inclusion

>>  Three lessons in unethical media behavior (American Crisis by Margaret Sullivan)  

The past couple weeks have provided stark examples of what not to do when it comes to journalism ethics, writes Margaret Sullivan. She also gives three examples of the opposite — articles and actions that she found inspiring.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> Extra! Extra! In Maine, a cafe helps subsidize a community newspaper (CBS News)

CBS’ Sunday Morning profiles Maine’s Midcoast Villager, whose business includes a cafe serving blueberry pancakes and lattes. Owner Reade Brower says the cafe-plus-news model is part of a strategy to “revolve around community.”

>> Help us help you: Take API’s needs and impact survey

The role of local and community news has never been more important. And API remains steadfast in our mission to support and strengthen local news leaders through practical programs, research, tools and training. Now, we’d love to hear from you. Please take our impact survey, which can be accessed here.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> The Salt Lake Tribune will drop its paywall next year, CEO tells donors at NewsMakers gala (Salt Lake Tribune) 

Lauren Gustus, The Tribune’s executive editor and CEO, announced last week that beginning in early 2026, the news organization’s reporting will be free online. “The Tribune cannot afford to continue to limit who has access to independent and trusted news,” she said. “Making the news is only the first step — we must also ensure people can find it.“

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What else you need to know

🌎 11 local story ideas from the 2025 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change (The Journalist’s Resource)

🤝 Newsrooms embrace pay cuts for the greater good (Reynolds Journalism Institute)

🏛️ Nonprofit news outlets are often scared that selling ads could jeopardize their tax-exempt status, but IRS records show that’s been rare (The Conversation)

🏁 IndyStar to relocate newsroom in downtown Indianapolis (Indianapolis Star)