Predictions and ideas for how journalism should reinvent itself in 2025 

The Nieman Journalism Lab has begun publishing its annual journalism predictions, and many contributors predict that 2025 will mark the rethinking of what journalism means and looks like. Heather Chaplin predicts that “informal news networks […] are going to play increasingly important roles in the near future,” while Saba Long thinks journalists will adopt an insurgent strategy and take “unconventional approaches to disrupt the status quo and reclaim their relevance.” Sharon Moshavi predicts journalists will adapt by “getting outside our lane and taking bold action,” and Jonathan Hunt thinks “publishers will learn to love their websites less.” 

In the same vein, Kyle Chayka writes in the Substack One Thing that there are new rules for media outlets and journalists. He suggests that all journalism outlets need to be thinking and optimizing for video, focus on personality and relationship building, and take advantage of social platforms without becoming reliant on them. 

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

Civic Discourse & Democracy

>> Senate GOP blocks bill to protect journalists after Trump opposes it (CNN)

Republicans in the Senate have blocked the PRESS Act, which would have prevented the federal government from forcing journalists to reveal their sources. It’s unlikely that the Democrats will be able to push it through before the end of the term. 

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Culture & Inclusion

>> The real cost of ‘bad news’: How misinformation is undermining youth justice policy in Baltimore (The Sentencing Project)

An analysis of six of Baltimore’s media outlets — four television stations and two newspapers — by a criminal justice advocacy group argues that media outlets disproportionately focus on youth crime and misrepresent crime trends. 

>> Prioritizing people, well-being and resilience in journalism (Local News Matters podcast)

API’s Samantha Ragland shares practical strategies for fostering mental health and well-being in newsrooms. From rethinking urgency to embracing creativity in leadership, Ragland illustrates how newsrooms of all sizes can thrive by building connections and redefining success. 

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Community Engagement & Trust

>> What New Yorkers want from local news (New York Focus)

New York Focus shares the results of its statewide listening tour. The outlet found that people wanted to engage more with politics and their communities, but felt that they lacked the information to do so. 

>> How two nonprofits are demystifying journalism with a postcard (Poynter)

Nonprofit news outlet PublicSource has partnered with immigrant organization Define American to help immigrants better understand the journalistic process. The postcard-size handouts, available in several languages, explain an interviewee’s rights as well defining terms like “on the record.” 

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Revenue & Resilience

>> New from API: Last call to apply for the Table Stakes Revenue Experiments Cohort Grant

The American Press Institute would like to award $5,000 to up to eight U.S. Table Stakes Alumni news organizations to support experiments that further develop a revenue stream for their organization. Fill out this form by TODAY, Friday, Dec. 13. This opportunity is funded by The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund.

>> CNBC to launch a new unit devoted to creating content aimed at niches of its audience (Variety) 

CNBC plans to add products focused on the coverage of wealth, as well as one on women’s leadership. These products may incorporate television segments, digital pieces and events. 

>> Newsrooms are playing Russian Roulette with libel insurance (Substack, Second Rough Draft) 

Richard J. Tofel makes the case that newsrooms need to be more careful about what they look for in libel insurance to ensure that they have a reasonable retention (aka deductible) rate and that they are able to choose their own lawyers and make their own decisions about settlements if they are sued. 

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What else you need to know

🇦🇺 Australia to introduce ‘news tax’ on tech companies (Financial Times)

⚖️ Judge rejects sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion in dispute over bankruptcy auction (Associated Press) 

💰 MacArthur Foundation announces $20 million to support newsrooms and provide journalism infrastructure (MacArthur Foundation) 

🏆 Donald Trump is Time magazine’s Person of the Year (Semafor) 

🎤 Report for America announces expansion of model, invigorated future for local news (Report for America) 

📻 Trump picks hardline Republican Kari Lake to lead Voice of America (Reuters) 

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Weekend reads

+ The Tulsa Local News Initiative is the latest in an effort to boost local journalism across the country (Columbia Journalism Review) 

+ ProPublica’s reporting on Pete Hegseth is journalism done right (Poynter)

+ Italian freelance journalists are not alright (The Fix)