Powerful partnerships 

This week, an investigation by journalists from five news organizations revealed how “forever chemicals” used in making stain-resistant carpeting has left a legacy of pollution throughout the South.

As the Associated Press explains, the reporting was part of an investigative collaboration that included the AP, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, AL.com, Frontline (PBS) and The Post and Courier. It was supported through AP’s Local Investigative Reporting Program and Frontline’s Local Journalism Initiative, which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

By now it’s been well established that powerful journalism can be produced by collaborations among newsrooms — including some that might otherwise consider themselves competitive. Projects like this show that when local reporters from different communities band together, they can tell stories with national or regional implications.

Writing for the Institute for Nonprofit News last week, Paulina Velasco described her collaboration work with the 100 INN members who form the Rural News Network to produce community-based reporting in rural communities across the U.S. Stories from a series on food insecurity, called “Sowing Resilience,” were published in more than 700 outlets, she writes, widening their impact.

What ensured its success, she writes, was “each newsroom’s connection to community and focus on its audience.”

For other examples of the kinds of high-impact journalism from partnerships, the Center for Cooperative Media’s Stefanie Murray late last year assembled a list of 10 collaborations that “broke new ground, generated impact, or were otherwise noteworthy.”

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Arrests of independent journalists reveal new media challenges to autocrats (Lucid, on Substack, by Ruth Ben-Ghiat) 

We know that journalists are being arrested because “the more lawless governments become, the more they need to control the narrative,” writes Ruth Ben-Ghiat. But independent journalists make that control more difficult, which is why journalists like Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are targeted. “The explosion of creator and influencer communities with transnational followings on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and other platforms has challenged the power of traditional party and private media channels,” she writes.

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Culture & Inclusion

>> Join us: Apply to attend our API Local News Summit on Youth Trust and Civic Resilience

We’re gathering local media decision makers and civic experts in West Palm Beach, Fla., on March 25-26 to identify and advance solutions that help local news organizations build trusted relationships with young people. If you’re at a local or community-centered news organization and working on projects that empower young people or equip young talent for civic engagement, we encourage you to apply below for a remaining spot. Read more here about how to apply. The deadline is Feb. 11.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> The real threat of AI is the collapse of trust (Poynter)

The greatest danger isn’t the fake images, “it’s the collapse of trust in real evidence,” writes Adam Rose, a fellow at the Starling Lab For Data Integrity. “Seeing is no longer believing, and our institutions are unprepared for it,” Rose writes. He explores some potential solutions for the problem.

>> Join us: AMA on local news, trusted messengers and history 

Americans face increasing news fatigue and dissatisfaction with national politics. But they often love and value the community they live in — and that offers unique opportunities for local news, including in 2026, our country’s semiquincentennial. Join Sam Ragland Feb. 19 for an interactive session from API and the Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism & Citizenship.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> A running list of publisher lawsuits targeting Google’s ad tech practices (Digiday)

Sara Guaglione has compiled a rundown of U.S. publishers’ lawsuits against Google, which they say has dominated ad servers and made it difficult for publishers to use other platforms. She gives examples of the legal claims publishers are making and explains what remedies they are seeking in court.

  • Related: Google’s ad tech litigation defense grows as publishers pile on (Bloomberg Law)

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What else you need to know

🤔 DOJ failed to address press law in application to search Washington Post reporter’s home (The New York Times)

🦗 Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts (The Guardian)

📰 In Minneapolis, all-encompassing immigration story tests a newsroom in midst of digital transition (Associated Press)

🗣️ How to advocate for yourself as a freelance journalist (Association of Health Care Journalists)