Looking ahead

‘Tis the season for journalism predictions. For those of us who are journalism obsessed, it’s enlightening (and fun) to hear what other similarly obsessed people see when they peer into the crystal ball.

And when you read them as a collection, the forecasts coming out now are even more useful because you can see some themes emerging. Here are some so far:

The journalism-creator connection. Project C’s Liz Kelly Nelson told Joshua Hunt for CJR that she’d like to see stronger newsroom-creator partnerships. For Digiday, Krystal Scanlon presents a chart-based piece on what the creator economy is going to look like next year.

News in the era of AI. Nieman Lab’s 2026 predictions include several takes on AI and journalism. Parker Molloy writes that AI has an agenda. Salt Lake Tribune CEO Lauren Gustus writes we’ll stop freaking out about AI, because it will “focus journalists on the work people want us to do.” Similarly, The New York Times’ Rubina Madan Fillion says AI will help reporters “uncover stories that would otherwise remain hidden.”

How newsrooms can keep people engaged. One way is by exploring ways journalists can make the news “a more joyful experience,” writes Northwestern professor Stephanie Edgerly in Nieman Lab. For CJR, Mary Retta dissects how “news avoiders” are actually getting their information.

These are topics we’ll also be talking about in 2026 as we work to help local newsrooms across the country. We invite you to help us refine our agenda for next year — our 80th anniversary — by taking our impact and needs survey by tomorrow’s deadline.

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> When powerful people bully the press, they’re really trying to silence the public (Poynter) 

The kind of reporter bullying we’ve seen lately from President Trump and other officials usually involves a larger message of intimidation, writes Poynter’s Kelly McBride. “When officials lash out at a reporter, they’re really sending a message to anyone who exercises their democratic right to question authority,” she says. 

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Culture & Inclusion

>> UN agency reports rise in violence against women journalists and activists linked to online abuse (Associated Press) 

A new study found that more than two-thirds of women journalists, rights defenders and activists have reported violence online, writes Jamey Keaten. “What begins on a screen can quickly fuel harassment, intimidation, and even real-world harm,” the UN study says.

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> The Center for Community Engaged Media provides support for new student journalism collaborative (Temple University) 

The aim of the group is to bridge the gap between student and professional newsrooms in the Greater Philadelphia area, writes Ireland Davies. It was driven by a need — noticed by Haverford College senior Jackson Juzang — for an umbrella organization where student newsrooms in the city could connect with one another, Davies writes.

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Revenue & Resilience

>> The casino-fication of news (Popular Information) 

Judd Legum writes that deals between cable news networks and the prediction market Kalshi
“will transform every news event into a betting opportunity.” The partnerships, he writes, “take a style of reporting popularized by election polls — horserace-style coverage that emphasizes who is ahead or behind — and expands it to virtually every topic.”

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What else you need to know

📖 404 Media is making a zine (404 Media)

🧑‍💻 Listen: The Associated Press is increasingly a content supplier to tech (The Rebooting Show)

🔉 Yahoo launches afternoon audio digest powered by AI (Axios)

👾 AI critics funded AI coverage at top newsrooms (Semafor)