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According to an analysis, The News Media Bargaining Code in Australia has resulted deals being reached between Meta and Google and publishers large and small that have allowed publishers to hire journalists, leading to what Australian journalists are saying is the best time to be a journalist. For example, The Guardian increased its newsroom employment from 70 to roughly 150 journalists, in large part due to revenue received under the Code, and the Australian Broadcasting Company announced in December 2021 that it was creating more than 50 journalist positions in regional locations as a result of the Code.

Without compensation from the Big Tech platforms for use of their content, and the tech platforms’ continued dominance over the majority of digital advertising revenue, U.S. publishers are left with scraps to invest in continuing to provide quality journalism. The Journalism Competition Preservation Act (JCPA), like the Australia Code, would create journalism jobs in the U.S., requiring the Big Tech platforms to compensate news publishers for use of their content, funneling needed revenue to publishers that can be used to hire reporters.

Local news reporters are members of the community and they work hard to deliver important news and information that their fellow community members want and need, as well as hold government officials and others in positions of power accountable. When you support journalism, you support your neighbor and your community by supporting job creation.

If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage. When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and the creation of journalism jobs.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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Legislation around the world to require Big Tech platforms to pay news publishers for use of their content is working.

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Legislation around the world requiring Big Tech platforms such as Google and Meta to pay news publishers fairly for use of their valuable content is working. In Australia, the News Media Bargaining Code (NMBC) is balancing the playing field between publishers and online platforms, allowing for a more sustainable foundation for the preservation of high-quality journalism.

Right now in the U.S., Google and Facebook capture the vast majority (70%) of all digital advertising dollars, leaving publishers with insufficient resources to reinvest in providing the journalism Americans need and rely on to stay informed and engaged. Ad revenue for Facebook and Google is four times larger than for all U.S. news publishers combined. In addition, research has found that two-thirds of searches on Google don’t end in a click to a third-party site because they use large segments of publishers’ content to keep users from leaving their platform.

Small publishers on their own have no negotiating power to challenge the basic terms offered by the dominant tech platforms. Bipartisan legislation currently under consideration in the U.S., the Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA), like the NMBC, would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to receive fair compensation for the use of their content.

If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage. When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news and quality journalism live to report another day.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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One-fifth of the population lives in a news desert or in a community at risk of becoming one.

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We sometimes take for granted that our local newspaper will always be there when we need it. But the stark reality is that one-quarter (2,500) of the country’s newspapers have shuttered since 2005, and another third are expected to close by 2025 if we don’t do something to reverse this startling trend. Lower-income communities are disproportionately impacted by the closure of local newspapers, which serve as a check on the local, state and federal governments.

When residents lose their local news source, they lose their community watchdog and their way to stay connected, informed and engaged about what’s happening in their community. Supporting quality journalism is the only way to stop the growth of news deserts.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) is a bipartisan bill that would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to ensure they are treated fairly and compensated justly, helping to sustain this critical function in our society. If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage.

When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news publishers can continue to invest in providing the important news and investigative journalism you want and need to help stay informed and engaged.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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Without quality journalism, we’d be cut off from the outside world.

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Have you ever thought about how many times you look at your phone in a given day, and how much your need to be connected with your community and the world through staying informed about the latest news and information from local news publishers drives that behavior?

From the latest weather affecting your neighborhood, to community events offering enrichment and connection, to local government corruption that harms residents, local news reporting strengthens our community. But local papers across the country are under threat. Big Tech doesn’t produce original journalism – they take advantage of the news and information created by local publishers, reaping the financial benefits without paying for it.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) is a bipartisan bill that would allow local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to ensure they are treated fairly and compensated justly. If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA now, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage.

When you support the JCPA, you support journalism and help to ensure news publishers can continue to invest in providing the important news and investigative journalism you want and need to help stay informed and engaged.

Contact your member of Congress today to support the JCPA and help sustain your local journalists and news publishers: 202.224.3121

Learn more about the JCPA

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The post Support Journalism. Support the JCPA. appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Local news organizations are under pressure. Local news strengthens our community, but local papers across the country are under threat. Big Tech takes advantage of the news and information created by local publishers, but they won’t pay for it.

The Journalism Competition & Preservation Act (JCPA) is a bipartisan bill that allows local news companies to negotiate with Big Tech to ensure they are treated fairly and compensated justly. If Congress doesn’t pass the JCPA, communities across America will continue to lose quality local, fact-based news coverage.

Contact your member of Congress to support the JCPA and ensure Big Tech doesn’t cancel local news: 202.224.3121

Download Ads here:

Print:

PDF:

Full-page (11.55″ x 21″)

Quarter-page (5.7″ x 10.5″) 

EPS:

Full-page (11.55″ x 21″) – via Dropbox

Quarter-page (5.7″ x 10.5″) – via Dropbox

Other print sizes:

PDF:

10 x 20″
10 x 10″ 
10 x 21″ 

EPS:

10 x 20″  – via Dropbox
10 x 10″ – via Dropbox
10 x 21″  – via Dropbox

Digital:

To download the ads, click on the image of the ad or the “Download ad” link, then right click and select Save Image As to save the ads to your computer. Link the ads here: https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/digital-programs-and-advocacy/safe-harbor-resource-center/

Digital Cube (300 x 250 px)
Download ad

Digital banner (970 x 250 px)
Download ad

Digital banner (728 x 90 px)
Download ad

See the impact in our Grassroots Support for the JCPA infographic.

Additional JCPA Ads

The following ads from the News/Media Alliance are provided for members and newspapers to run in their print and online publications. We have provided a digital video ad, as well as print and static digital ads in various sizes.

Jump to:
Digital Video Ad
Print Ads
Digital Ads
Overview of the JCPA – Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

Digital Video Ad

Run our digital video ad encouraging the public to tell their members of Congress to support the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA).

Click on the link/image below to download the 30-second video ad file (MP4) via Dropbox. Note: As it is a large file, this video may take several minutes to download.

A link to download the 15-second pre-roll version is also available below the screen shot.

Link ad to: https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/digital-programs-and-advocacy/safe-harbor-resource-center/.

Download video ad (via Dropbox)

Download 15-second pre-roll ad (via Dropbox)

Print Ads

We have provided PDF and EPS files of the full-color print ad (full- , half- and quarter-page sizes) and the JPEGs for the digital cube and banner ads.

The print ad can be customized to include your local Congress member’s contact information.

Ad #1: Your Community Could Lose Local News

Full-page (11.55 x 21″):

Full-page PDF
Full-page EPS  (via Dropbox)

Quarter-page (5.7 x 10.5″):

Quarter-page PDF  (via Dropbox)
Quarter-page EPS (via Dropbox)

Other sizes (PDF):

10 x 20″ (Color)
10 x 20″ (BW)
10 x 10″ (Color)
10 x 10″ (BW)

Ad #2: Don’t Let Big Tech Cancel Your Local News

Full-page (11.55 x 21″):

Color:

Full-page PDF
Full-page EPS (via Dropbox)

Black and white:

Full-page PDF 
Full-page EPS (via Dropbox)

Quarter-page (5.7 x 10.5″):

Color:

Quarter-page PDF 
Quarter-page EPS (via Dropbox)

Black and white:

Quarter-page PDF 
Quarter-page EPS (via Dropbox)

Other sizes (PDF):

10 x 10″ (Color)
10 x 10″ (BW)
10 x 20″ (Color)
10 x 20″ (BW)
10 x 21″ (Color)
10 x 21″ (BW)

Digital Ads

Click on the link/image below and then right-click and select Save Image As to download the digital ads.

Ad #1: Your Community Could Lose Local News.

Link to bit.ly/jcpasupport

Digital banner (970×250)

Digital cube (300×250)

Ad #2: Big Tech is a threat to local journalism.

Link to https://p2a.co/cvmdq0p

Digital cube – (300×250)

Ad #3: Don’t Let Big Tech Cancel Your Local News Coverage

Link to bit.ly/jcpasupport

Digital GIF (320x480px)

Click here to download MP4 (click on the three dots in the lower right corner of the video and select Download)

Overview of the JCPA – Journalism Competition & Preservation Act

The free and diverse press—particularly local press—is the backbone of a healthy and vibrant democracy. But the control of access to trustworthy news online has become centralized by just two platforms. The Pew Research Center reported in 2017 that the majority of Americans access news through only two platforms—Facebook and Google—noting that “Facebook outstrips all other social media sites as a source of news.” Recent market reports also indicate that these same companies control the vast majority of online referrals for news and the bulk of digital advertising revenue, while revenue for news publishers has plummeted by $31 billion since 2006.

The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) creates a temporary safe harbor for news publishers to band together to negotiate with online platforms to improve and protect Americans’ access to quality, trustworthy sources of news online.

Learn more about the JCPA

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The post Ads: Support Local News, Support the JCPA appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Photo by Melpomenem via iStock/Getty Images Plus

We’ve created a short trivia game all about impactful local journalism stories from our Index of Impactful News. Give it a spin and learn about some of the incredible ways that local journalism impacts communities across the country. Afterward, stop by our Index and check out some of the other stories we’ve collected — or submit one yourself here!

The post Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Local News Impact appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Today, the News Impact Project celebrates its one-year anniversary. Thanks to this program, we’ve highlighted hundreds of news stories from our members and other local news publishers showcasing the amazing impact local news has on their communities.

Often, we think of news as covering the bad things: the tough stories, about crimes and wars and government corruption, and so on. And since launching the News Impact Project in the first month of 2020, when we were just beginning to hear about a new deadly virus on the other side of the world that was quickly spreading, there has certainly been plenty of that. But, amidst the stories of division and distress, there was something else far more compelling: optimism. Many of the stories were there because something terrible was happening, but by telling those stories, the reporters could also help make things better.

At the same time that we launched the News Impact Project to the public, we also launched our Index of Impactful News, which is an impressive list of hundreds of examples from news publishers all over the country of impactful local news stories. Many of our members sent in stories for inclusion in the Index. We featured several articles from the Index showing how newspaper reporting spurred concrete change in communities across the country. For example, one newspaper’s story helped to free wrongly convicted people from prison. Another called out law enforcement for their negligence in seeking justice for rape victims, resulting in the adoption of a new bill to help victims. And one local radio station’s segment on the affordable housing crisis in their community even resulted in a listener stepping up to buy a house for a nonprofit in need!

As the year unfolded, we developed separate Index pages for impactful stories about major events, including COVID-19 and the presidential election. While there were many stories published about the tragedies experienced from the pandemic and the political division dominating the election season, the stories featured in the Index provided important information and education to help members of communities navigate these issues safely and smartly.

There are so many incredible pieces out there, but it’s easier to find them reading a local newspaper. That’s why the Alliance has produced several tools to help our members promote the importance of supporting their publications through subscribing, donating, and telling others who will do the same. You can download our “Subscribe to Your Local Newspaper” ad to run in your print and digital publications, and use our News Impact Project Tool Kit in your meetings with community leaders and policymakers to encourage them to support subscribing to the local newspaper.

As we continue to grow the Index of Impactful News, please be sure to send us your stories to include. We have a short form here that is quick and easy to complete – you can be as detailed or as concise as you like in your response. The story doesn’t have to have won a Pulitzer, either! It can be everyday reporting that has helped members of your community be more informed and engaged about local issues of importance to residents. We hope you will share with us the positive impact you’ve had on your communities, so that we can continue to show the amazing work you do and value you provide, and why the need for high-quality local journalism is more critical than ever.

The post News Impact Project Celebrates First Anniversary appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Photo by FreshSplash via E+/Getty Images

“Collaboration” became a buzzword in journalism in 2020, but the Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News were thinking about how they could partner up to better serve communities in and around Dallas before everyone else started talking about it.

For Jamie Hancock, the North Texas editor at The Dallas Morning News, and Cheryl Smith, the publisher of Texas Metro News, collaboration was an obvious next step when they spoke in 2019. Both women saw holes in coverage from their outlets that they knew their counterparts could help fill. Not to mention, they saw a great opportunity for their teams to learn from each other, helping to shore-up any gaps in their coverage and build a community with their readers.

How It Started

Hancock, who leads coverage of suburban Dallas, noticed a lack of Southern Dallas coverage from Dallas Morning News. “We felt like we couldn’t just start covering that area after really not paying enough attention to the needs of readers in those communities,” Hancock said. So, she and her team met with leaders from the communities to figure out the best way forward, and one of them happened to mention Cheryl Smith.

Hancock was familiar with Smith and the Texas Metro News, so it was a no-brainer that she would reach out to her about a potential collaboration. Their first meeting was exploratory, with a lot of questions and answers from both publications, but Smith said she felt like the collaboration was a good fit from the start.

“This is not seen as a ‘little sister, big sister’ type venture, but equals,” Smith explained.

Hancock agreed, noting, “It was really important to us that The Dallas Morning News [wasn’t] coming in and trying to Bigfoot or tell anybody what to do, or say, ‘Hey, we’re doing this thing and you guys are along for the ride.’”

“I’m big on collaborations,” Smith added. “This isn’t something that just hit me this year.”

Smith was slightly concerned that people, upon hearing about the collaboration, might think the Dallas Morning News was trying to take over Texas Metro News, which has been growing and receiving more local acclaim. With Texas Metro News being a Black-owned publication, she knew people would be watching, especially as more Black-led publications have been sold to white-owned companies in recent years. One industry leader went so far as to tell Smith that “the leaders of the Black press would be turning over in their graves” because of the collaboration. But after getting to know Hancock and the Dallas Morning News team, Smith knew she didn’t have to worry. “We were doing good journalism before, and it’s only getting better,” Smith said. Now, when asked about the collaboration, Smith said, “I tell people, ‘Oh no, to the contrary, I bought The Dallas Morning News,’” Smith joked with a hearty laugh.

Another concern was that people would think this collaboration came about after the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. However, both Smith and Hancock are clear that this partnership is not an effort by the Dallas Morning News to reach out to the Black community because of recent events – the two publications discussed the partnership at the start of 2020 and, although it wasn’t formally put into place until June, they had been building the framework for months beforehand.

What the Partnership Entails

The partnership kicked off with staff development trainings for reporters from both publications on a variety of topics, from how to cover certain types of stories to finding new sources and covering the current news events like COVID and the new civil rights movement.

“I’m really happy that we have Cheryl’s voice and the voices of her team members in the room when we have these training sessions, because it really matters to us that we get it (coverage of the Black community) right,” Hancock said. “We don’t want there to be issues with our coverage. We want to speak to the community and hear from them before we even cover a thing. So that’s part of why we’re in this partnership. I think it’s going to strengthen the coverage of the Black community in Dallas. And that’s something that’s really important for us going forward.”

“We’re having some really good conversations,” Smith added. “When we get out of these sessions, we’re talking about what we learned, what we need help with, and we’re sharing different perspectives.”

The partnership also involves content-sharing, which has only recently launched. Texas Metro News has a “DMN Stories” tab on their homepage with short blurbs about and links to recent Dallas Morning News stories that may interest them. Meanwhile, Dallas Morning News has worked with Texas Metro News to source stories and has cited their reporters on some of their local news.

Collaboration in Action

One prime example of how this collaboration works was a piece about the recent death of the mayor of DeSoto, a Dallas suburb. Hancock heard the news of the mayor’s death directly from Smith. Hancock said, “That allowed us to have a story up much, much sooner than we would have otherwise. And it would not have been as well-sourced if not for Cheryl.” Dallas Morning News published a story that night, while Texas Metro News published their own story the next morning.

It never occurred to Smith to keep the news of the mayor’s passing to herself so that she could “break” the story.

“I want to be respectful and not take something that Cheryl wouldn’t want us to,” Hancock explained. “I wouldn’t post anything from Texas Metro News if I wasn’t sure it was okay to put on our site first, and I think she would be the same way. She wouldn’t tweet out a tip that we gave her … without knowing it was okay.”

The partnership is still in its infancy, but Hancock is certain that even when the relationship is tested by breaking news, their positive working relationship with Texas Metro News will keep things from getting competitive.

“There are just fewer journalists on the street these days than we used to have. It’s a basic fact and an unfortunate fact. But that means … that we all work together to collaborate and get the best stories out there and tell the best stories to our audience to help them help them live better lives and know about their communities,” Hancock explained. “And if the best way to do that is to collaborate with each other … rather than compete with each other, than that’s what we do.”

Smith wants her staff to form relationships with the Dallas Morning News staff, as well as to help them. She wants to make sure that she leads by example, so she checks in with Hancock and her team whenever she can to make sure they’re offering as much help as they can.

“If The [Dallas] Morning News suffers, journalism suffers,” Smith added. “We’re in the business together.”

An aerial view of Dallas, Texas by RoschetzkyIstockPhoto via iStock/Getty Images Plus

The Partnership at Work in the Community

The two newsrooms have also held events for the community together. Their main event this year was called “Vote About It,” a voter-registration drive. Thanks to their partnership, they were able to reach more members of the community.

The event also ended up being much more diverse – and much more representative of the community – because of their partnership. Smith pointed out to the Dallas Morning News marketing department a lack of diversity on a panel they were arranging for the event. In this instance, Smith especially wanted to see some younger people on the panel, because, as she put it, “I don’t want to hear from all these [old] folks!”

“I’m proud to say that the panel we ended up with [thanks to Cheryl] looked really great,” Hancock said. “It was very representative of what I think Dallas looks like.”

What the Future Holds

“When I think about other cities trying to do this, [I think] ‘every city needs a Cheryl,’” Hancock said with a laugh. “If your city doesn’t have a ‘Cheryl’ leading a Black-owned newspaper, then I think it’s going to be a tougher lift, because she’s somebody who has a deep commitment to journalism and to getting things right.

“She has the connections in the city to make it happen and the foresight to think about [others],” Hancock added. “I hope that other cities have that type of person.”

The ease of the relationship between Hancock and Smith has certainly made the partnership easier to maintain, both admit, though the commitment from their newsrooms also helps.

While their formal partnership launched amidst the pandemic, neither publisher has “sat around idly waiting for this to be over,” Smith said. Both newsrooms have taken active roles in the workshops they’ve attended (virtually) together, and both have worked to make sure they’re offering real value to their new partners.

During their weekly meetings, Hancock and Smith discuss their individual coverage, chat about new ways to enhance their partnership, and catch up with each other, as both colleagues and new friends.  They also plan for the future of their partnership. Smith is looking forward to doing more community events with the Dallas Morning News, while Hancock is looking forward to collaborating on more community-focused journalism. Hancock has even asked Smith to be part of the team at the Dallas Morning News to help them better focus their reporting efforts in South Dallas and in the suburbs that Texas Metro News serves.

“I’m really looking forward to doing [stories] that will benefit the community and to involving Cheryl and her team in that process,” Hancock said.

“We often talk about the stories we go into other communities to tell, and all the negative stories about these [communities], but we don’t seek them out when we have a regular story to tell, and that’s what we want to be doing,” Hancock added. “We’re doing that more and more now. A lot of our journalists are now committed to getting diverse sources and people of color in their stories and not just [for stories like] ‘your community is a food desert.’ We want to tell stories that resonate with those communities. I’m really looking forward to that.”

“Dallas is so diverse, and there are so many stories to tell,” Smith said. “And I’ve come to the realization that I can’t [cover them all] on my own. But guess what? Between the two of us, we can do a whole lot more.”

The partnership so far has been incredibly beneficial to both newsrooms. “In a short amount of time, I think we’ve done a lot, but there’s still so much that we haven’t done and so much under the surface that we haven’t scratched yet,” Hancock said. “I’m excited for the future.”

“I am so optimistic about it,” Smith agreed. “I get giddy just thinking about the possibilities because there are no limitations.”

Keep reading: The Dallas Morning News/Texas Metro News collaboration is featured as a case study in the News Media Alliance’s Collaboration Guide, Tips for Successful News Publishing Partnerships

The post How Two Texas News Outlets Are Taking Collaboration to the Next Level appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Arlington, VA – The News Media Alliance today sent recommendations to President-Elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s transition team outlining policy positions on regulations and existing laws that deter investment and limit growth in the news media industry.

The Alliance continues to lead the news sector’s efforts to protect the constitutional right to a free press. That objective also requires government policies that support a vibrant and growing news industry.

“Quality journalism is the foundation of a fully functional democracy, and our members have proven again and again how essential they are to the communities they serve,” said David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance. “Unfortunately, the current environment has made continuing to deliver vital information to the public significantly more challenging than it has been in years past. From a complicated and unfriendly digital ecosystem that favors big tech over local news to limited government engagement with the press, publishers have had to fight to constantly evolving challenges. We encourage the new Administration to revisit these policies and practices as it charts a new course for our nation’s future.”

The Alliance’s recommendations outline key public policy positions that involve such issues as: the passage and enactment of a limited antitrust safe harbor allowing news publishers to collectively negotiate with the tech platforms; a comprehensive revision of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 that holds the platforms accountable and is not exported in international trade agreements; taking an active role in passing a COVID relief package that includes PPP affiliation exemption and tax benefits for local news; reigning in the overly expansive “fair use” defense to copyright protections that have been continually eroded by the courts in recent years; developing privacy policies that respect a consumer’s right and are proportionally targeted at platforms who financially benefit from flagrant use of consumer data across the web; and protecting press access and freedom to assure the government is open and accountable to the public.

You can read the full list of policy recommendations here.

###

Media contact:
Lindsey Loving
Director, Communications
lindsey@newsmediaalliance.org
571.366.1009

The News Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 news organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print, digital and mobile publishers of original news content. Headquartered near Washington, D.C., in Arlington, Va., the association focuses on ensuring the future of news media through communication, research, advocacy and innovation. Information about the News Media Alliance (formerly NAA) can be found at www.newsmediaalliance.org.

The post News Media Alliance Outlines Policy Objectives to Biden-Harris Transition Team appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

News Media Alliance Illustration: Photo via Fredex8 / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Overview

Election news coverage is often considered horse-race coverage, but this election, news outlets across the country have focused on something far more impactful in 2020 — how Americans are being affected by changes to voting procedure amidst the ongoing public health crisis, as well as what voters need to know to ensure that their votes count. From local outlets focused on their regions’ residents to national outlets giving voice to concerns of disabled voters, publishers have turned their attention to helping ensure a deeper understanding of the election process and Americans’ civic responsibility. Americans need this kind of critical reporting ahead of the U.S. Presidential election, as well as future elections, and local news media have a unique ability to provide it.

In this special section of the Index of Impactful News, we provide several examples of impactful election news stories that would not have been possible without the work of local news publishers.

Impactful Election Stories

Alaska Public Media, “By mail, early, in person: Here’s a guide to voting in Alaska” – “Early voting started Monday in Alaska for the general election, and more than 35,000 Alaskans have already returned their absentee ballots. For those who haven’t cast their ballots yet, here’s a quick guide on how to vote this year.”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Election 2020: Georgia voter guide” – “Much is at stake, with polls showing close races for president, two U.S. Senate seats and a few U.S. House seats. A number of state legislative races are considered competitive. And then there’s the Covid-19 pandemic, which is changing how Georgians are choosing to vote, and court battles that are already being fought over voting issues and ballot access.”

Austin Monthly, “Tired of Our Broken Democracy? The Texas 2020 Voter Guide is For You.” – “Instead of focusing on hotly debated partisan issues, it addresses 10 core problems that are deteriorating our political system—and where local politicians stand on each.”

Avant-Youth, “Election debacles: A closer look at Georgia’s voting system” – “The first step in finding a solution to our election problems is understanding the voting process, at least this way we can understand who’s responsible for what. Georgia’s voting laws can be really difficult to understand, mostly due to its nebulous systems and obscure rules as to who or what is in charge of anything.”

Bangor Daily News, “Everything Mainers need to know to vote in the 2020 election” – “We’ve been asking you all year about the subjects you care about. We used those responses to ask pointed questions of the candidates. The result is this voter guide, which distills the positions of top-tier candidates while putting questions to every candidate for Maine’s 186 state legislative seats.”

The Beacon, “Young Kansans could prove to be a powerful voting bloc on Election Day” – “Kansas’ electoral landscape looks a lot different than it did four years ago, especially for the state’s youngest eligible voters, according to a Beacon analysis of the most recent voter registration data from the Kansas Secretary of State’s office.”

Charlottesville Tomorrow, “How to “cure” and avoid ballot mistakes” – “With a higher volume of mail-in votes occurring this year, some worry that the margins for error in the hands of registrars and voters is higher. Meanwhile, new state law passed during Virginia’s special session aims to make it easier for voters to vote — however they choose — and to fix errors that arise.”

Civil Eats, “Fighting Voter Suppression, Environmental Racism, and Corporate Agriculture in Hog Country” – “In an election like none before it, the residents of North Carolina—particularly the hog- and poultry-intensive eastern counties—are fighting long odds to regain the power of their vote.”

CNN, “How to help people with learning disabilities cast their votes” – “There are a lot of Americans who find the act of voting difficult because of learning disabilities and their obstacles are getting new attention as awareness of these disabilities increases.”

Colorado Public News, “The Colorado Voter’s Guide To The 2020 Election” – “We hope this comprehensive and convenient non-partisan guide will help voters across the state make sense of a lengthy ballot in a crucial election. Curious how we put this guide together? Take a look at this quick explanation. Looking for more in-depth information on what’s up for the vote in Denver? Fear not, Denverite has you covered.”

The Colorado Sun, “Colorado money tracker: A look at the candidates and campaigns spending to influence the 2020 vote” – “The majority of the money spent in a political campaign is aimed at persuading voters to pick a certain candidate and turnout to vote. The tools of the trade are familiar: television commercials, glossy mailers, yard signs, flashy digital ads, text messages, phone calls and more.”

The Denver Post, “Colorado’s vote-by-mail ballots begin life in Washington State and end in storage. Here’s what happens in between.” – “Colorado’s mail-in voting system is as safe as it gets, local and national experts, election judges, Republicans and Democrats agree — despite efforts by President Donald Trump and others to question the security of voting by mail.”

Detroit Free Press, “Heads up, Michigan. Here’s what disinformation experts are watching for on Election Day” – “Given attempts to mislead or deter voters ahead of the election and the possibility that no presidential race winner will be declared on Election Day, researchers and experts on disinformation advise Michiganders to be extra careful about where their information comes from in the next few weeks.”

Detroit Free Press, “Michigan prepares for possible legal challenges on and after Election Day” – “While it’s rare for legal action to decide the ultimate outcome, election-related lawsuits are not new in Michigan. And the impact of the delay in final results from an unprecedented number of absentee ballots, COVID-19 complications and misinformation about the veracity of the election from President Donald Trump make it clear voters should not be surprised to see some litigation after polls close on Nov. 3.”

The Gazette, “Voter guide: What you need to know about early voting, voting by mail and Election Day voting” – “Early voting in Iowa for the Nov. 3, 2020, election begins Oct. 5 and ends Nov. 2. Here’s what you need to know and where you can go to find information about voting and the candidates on the ballot.”

Gothamist, “2020 Voter Guide For New York And New Jersey” – “Are you ready for the most consequential general election of our lifetimes—which also happens to be occurring during a global pandemic? If you need to brush up on some details our new, comprehensive 2020 Voter Guide for New York and New Jersey, from WNYC/Gothamist, City Limits, and Gotham Gazette.”

The Hastings Banner, “The difference between absentee and vote-by-mail” – “This year, more Americans than ever will be voting absentee or by mail so it is important to understand the similarities and differences between the two. While vote-by-mail and vote absentee are often used interchangeably, there actually is a difference between the two systems.”

Indiana Daily Student, “How to Vote” – “Voting is confusing. If you’re a college student or Monroe County resident, this quiz will help you register and plan how you’ll submit your ballot for the November election.”

Isthmus Community Media, “College students fill gaps in Wisconsin’s poll worker shortage” – “Currently, there is a nationwide shortage of poll workers. Older and retired volunteers typically staff poll stations around the country but many this year are not working due to concerns around COVID-19.”

KALW, “Reaching Communities With Low Voter Turnout” – “As Election Day approaches, we’re focusing on communities with historically low voter turnout in five Bay Area counties. These 5 areas include West Oakland in Alameda County, Richmond’s Iron Triangle in Contra Costa County, Bayview-Hunter’s Point in San Francisco, East Palo Alto in San Mateo County, and Fairfield in Solano County.”

The Kansas City Star, “Want to make sure your mail ballot is counted in KS or MO? Here’s what you need to know” – “For anyone casting a mail ballot for the first time in 2020, here’s what you need to know to make sure your vote gets counted.”

KCAW, “2020 Election Hub” – “On Tuesday, November 3, Alaskans will cast their ballots in the 2020 General Election. To help voters make informed decisions, Raven Radio has expanded our election hub this year to provide election coverage beyond Sitka’s municipal election, to include information on regional races and elections in our listening communities.”

KQED, “11 Million Households, 10 Languages — That’s Right, It’s The Official Calif. Voter Guide” – “‘Who gets to write the arguments for and against the ballot measures in the state’s official voter information guide?’ Nichols asked. ‘How are they picked? And why does Gary Wesley write so many of them?'”

LevittownNow.com, “GENERAL ELECTION 2020: How To Vote” – “Thanks, in part, to a grant from the American Press Institute and the LevittownNow.com team, we’ve been able to create this everything-you-need-to-know guide for voting either in-person or by mail.”

Long Beach Post, “Long Beach Voter Guide: Debate roundups, local measures and vote center locations” – “Over the past several weeks we’ve written about where and how voters can cast their ballots, what is at stake with the local Measure US and the multiple candidates running for office. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know in order to help you make the best decisions.”

The Longmont Leader, “Longmont voter guide: What you need to know for the 2020 election” – “How to cast your ballot, when to vote and everything else you need to know to have your voice heard in November.”

Los Angeles Times, “The Times Publishes Voter Guide and Election Resources as Early Voting Begins” – “The collection includes step-by-step guides, explainer videos, in-depth reporting on candidates and ballot propositions, and more.”

Mahoning Matters, “What you need to know about Ohio drop box restrictions” – “How many drop boxes can each Ohio county set up for collecting absentee ballots cast in the November presidential election, and where can they be located? It’s a seemingly simple question with a complicated answer.”

Malheur Enterprise, “VOTING VITALS: The latest count on ballot returns in Malheur County and key voting information”

The Mercury News, “2020 California Election Guide: What you need to know about mail-in ballots, propositions and more” – “Have you cast your ballot yet? Hundreds of thousands of California voters have already voted. If you’re one of them, or are still looking over your ballot, here’s a collection of stories that will bring you up to date on the voting process and the important issues and races on California’s 2020 ballots.”

Mississippi Free Press, “Bipartisan Bill Would Allow All Mississippians to Vote In-Person Absentee Starting Oct. 5” – “Mississippi voters could have the opportunity to begin voting in person on absentee ballots with no excuse necessary if the Legislature adopts a bill a bipartisan group of three Mississippi House representatives proposed today. Without changes, most Mississippi voters will have to vote in person on Election Day with few exceptions—and without a statewide mask mandate in place as of the governor’s decision yesterday.”

Montgomery Advertiser, “A voter’s guide to the constitutional amendments on Alabama’s 2020 ballot” – “Alabama’s ballot includes six state constitutional amendments, covering voting; the operation of the state judiciary; racist language in the state’s 1901 Constitution, and the use of guns in churches in two counties in north Alabama.”

The Nevada Independent, “In long Nevada early voting lines, enthusiasm and a sense of election’s high stakes” – “Droves of Nevada voters came out to the polls for the first day of in-person early voting in a divisive election that some characterized as one of the most important of their lifetimes.”

New Haven Independent, “Voter Guide: What’s On The Ballot” – “Voting has started earlier than ever for more voters this year — so here’s an early guide to articles about competitive races to help you figure out how to mark your ballot.”

The News & Observer, “Voting problems? The N&O’s partnership with Electionland is tracking and investigating” – “Again this election season, The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun are working with Electionland, a national project to track and investigate voting problems in North Carolina.”

The New York Times, “‘A Failed System’: What It’s Like to Vote With a Disability During a Pandemic” – “An estimated 38 million eligible voters have disabilities. It has always been hard for them to vote, and this year has brought even more obstacles.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Easier? Not for all.” – “Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail law has expanded access — primarily for middle-class and affluent voters who would likely have voted anyway. A year later, poor Philadelphians are still more likely to vote in person.”

Popsugar, “How Casting Your Ballot in the 2020 Election Could Help End Voter Suppression” – “In 2020, voters face even more hurdles, as politicians and officials who want to suppress the vote exploit barriers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, overcoming these hurdles to cast your ballot could not only affect the outcome of the election, but also help shape policies that safeguard the right to vote in the future. Here’s what experts want you to know.”

QCity Metro, “Inside the work to educate thousands of formerly incarcerated NC residents about their voting rights” – “Groups are reaching out to prospective Mecklenburg County voters, including people whose voting rights have been restored following a recent court ruling.”

San Francisco Chronicle, “2020 Voter Guide” – “Your guide to the ballot measures, propositions and races that Bay Area voters are deciding.”

Scalawag, “How photo ID laws and provisional ballots target the most marginalized Southerners” – “Tennessee is one of seven states with strict photo voter ID laws—along with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia in the South—meaning anyone who votes without an ID that “matches” their physical presentation according to poll workers is issued a provisional ballot. Those provisional ballots only count if the voter provides their ID shortly after.”

The Seattle Times, “Election 2020 voter guide: What you need to know for your ballot due Nov. 3” – “In Washington, the election is mail-only, though counties provide accessible voting centers for people who need assistance completing their ballots.”

South Florida Sun Sentinel, “Voter Guide: South Florida 2020 General Election” – “The South Florida Sun Sentinel surveyed candidates running in this year’s general election and is presenting their responses below as submitted. Not all candidates responded to the questionnaire. Unopposed and write-in candidates are not included.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Show Me the Money” – “Explore campaign contributions to Missouri’s state and congressional politicians.”

St. Louis Public Radio, “St. Louis Voter Guide: What To Know About The Key Contests On Your 2020 Ballot” – “Nov. 3 will be unlike any other Election Day. New rules for mail-in and absentee voting have granted voters more ways than ever to cast a ballot — and raised concerns about election integrity and legal challenges to the vote-by-mail policies. Officials predict an unprecedented turnout in Missouri, which as of Oct. 2 has added more than 130,000 registered voters to the rolls since 2016.”

Tampa Bay Times, “So you want to vote by mail in Florida? Here’s what you need to know.” – “Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.”

Tucson Sentinel, “Friday last day to request vote-by-mail ballot in Arizona” – “Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told voters to request their ballot-by-mail to get a general election ballot sent to their home. Early voting in person remains available through Election Day, Nov. 3. About 1.3 million people have already cast their ballots in the state.”

Uvalde Leader-News, “Nearly 25% of voters have voted” – “With about a week and a half remaining to vote early before the Oct. 30 deadline, approximately 23.65 percent of Uvalde County’s 17,430 registered voters have already cast their vote for the Nov. 3 general election. Tomorrow is the last day to request a ballot by mail.”

Washington City Paper, “D.C. At-Large Councilmember Voters Guide 2020” – “We asked 22 candidates the same questions about prominent issues in D.C., including housing, education, and policing, among others.”

The Washington Post, “America in Line” – “Long before Election Day, voters across the country have been lining up to cast their ballots. We sent teams of reporters and photographers to six cities — Houston, Albuquerque, Chattanooga, Sarasota, Atlanta and Columbus — to capture how people feel as they wait for their chance to be heard.”

WBUR, “Election 2020’s Voter Suppression Reality” – “Voting is one of the most essential rights of any democratic citizen. We take a look at the various forms of voter suppression we see across the country, and discuss how it’s affecting American democracy ahead of the November presidential election.”

WDET, “Everything You Need to Know to Vote in 2020” – “Find the key information and deadlines you need to know for registering to vote, requesting and returning your absentee ballot, or voting in person.”

WFAE, “2020 N.C. Voters Guide” – “Learn everything you need to know about voting in the upcoming election, including how to vote in person or through the mail as well as local candidates’ positions on various issues and why they think you should vote for them.”

WTOP, “Advocates encourage people with learning disabilities to make plan to vote” – “People with learning disabilities face stigma, low expectations and lack of understanding, but advocates stress that they still have a right to vote.”

If you would like to submit a story for inclusion in our Impactful Election Stories, or the Index of Impactful News, click here.

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Did you miss our webinar on January 21, 2020? Do you want to learn about the News Impact Project and how you can start tracking impact in your newsroom? Below you’ll find video of the webinar, all the slides presented, and links to all the resources and stories discussed during the presentation.

If you want to learn more about the News Impact Project, you can email jennifer@newsmediaalliance.org.

Full video:

News Media Alliance slides:

Detroit Free Press slides:

Resources and stories: 

USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project
“Non-Profit Journalism: Issues Around Impact,” Richard Tofel, ProPublica, 2013
“Measuring Impact: The Art, Science and Mystery of Nonprofit News,” Charles Lewis and Hilary Niles, 2013
“Up and Down with Ecology: The ‘Issue-Attention’ Cycle,” Anthony Downs, 1972
“Beyond Clicks and Shares: How and Why to Measure the Impact of Data Journalism Projects,” Lindsay Green-Barber, The Data Journalism Handbook 2, 2018
“Democracy’s Detectives: The Economics of Investigative Journalism,” James T. Hamilton, 2016
Detroit Free Press “Impact and the Free Press” Page
“Make Your Date: The investigation explained,” Detroit Free Press, 2019
“As Mayor Mike Duggan touts Make Your Date’s success, Detroit’s preterm birth rate spikes,” Detroit Free Press, 2019
“Out of Gear: Follow the full Ford Investigation,” Detroit Free Press, 2019
“US fraud prosecutors demand Ford Focus, Fiesta documents,” Detroit Free Press, 2019
“Detroit Free Press Community Impact Report,” 2019
“How the USA Today Network Is Measuring Impact in Its Newsrooms,” Media Shift, 2017
“Measuring Impact Will Increase Audience Trust,” Nieman Lab, 2018
“How a local paper built a tool to measure impact,” Columbia Journalism Review, 2017

Webinar Speakers:

Anjanette Delgado, Senior News Director for Digital, Detroit Free Press

Anjanette Delgado is the senior news director for digital at the Detroit Free Press and a contributor to the Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project. She led development of an impact tracker at Gannett in 2016. Chartbeat selected her as a leader in the field of real-time analytics in 2014 for her work at lohud.com in New York, and she was featured in an international documentary on journalism’s digital transformation for ARTE TV. In a past life she was the top editor of The Salinas Californian and El Sol newspapers in California, a designer and a reporter. Twitter: @anjdelgado.

Mark J. Rochester, Senior News Director for Investigations, Detroit Free Press

Mark J. Rochester is senior news director for investigations. Mark has overseen investigations that have resulted in new federal and state legislation, congressional hearings and regulatory reviews. His career includes senior leadership positions at the Indianapolis Star, Newsday, the Denver Post, the Associated Press and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He served on the national board of directors of Investigative Reporters & Editors and is currently on the national advisory board of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University in Washington, D.C.

Phoebe Wall Howard, Reporter, Detroit Free Press

Phoebe Wall Howard has worked in the Midwest, South and California covering business, politics, government regulation and labor negotiations. She returned to Detroit to cover the auto industry for the Detroit Free Press in 2017. Her investigation into the defective transmission Ford used in Focus and Fiesta cars for nearly a decade prompted three members of Congress to call for an investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice to launch an investigation and Ford to extend warranties on 600,000 transmissions — yet 1.5 million remain on the road. Howard has a background in magazine, newspaper, radio and TV news with an expertise in political polling and social media.

Joe Guillen, Reporter, Detroit Free Press

Joe Guillen has been covering city governance and development issues for the newspaper since 2013. His recent work includes an investigation, with Kat Stafford, involving the Detroit mayor’s office that led to an ongoing criminal investigation into the destruction of government emails. He has covered Detroit city hall, been a member of the investigations team and previously worked at The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer covering county and state government.

Kat Stafford, Reporter, Detroit Free Press

Kat Stafford is a Detroit government accountability at the Free Press. A Detroit native who has received several awards for her work, she is vice president of the Board of Directors for the SPJ Detroit chapter and is a board member of the Detroit Young Professionals, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of the next generation of metro Detroit leaders. Her recent work includes an investigation, with Guillen, involving the Detroit mayor’s office that led to an ongoing criminal investigation into the destruction of government emails.

Moderator: Jennifer Peters, Reporter, Trends & Insights, News Media Alliance

Jennifer Peters is the trends and insights reporter and social media manager at News Media Alliance. She is focused on the ways in which the news media industry is changing and how those changes impact the way journalists create new work. With the News Impact Project, she and the Alliance are working on showing the value news media has in local communities across the country.

Prior to joining News Media Alliance, Jennifer spent more than a decade in journalism, both in print and digital, working for glossy magazines and digital news outlets. She has written hyper-local news stories, as well as stories of international interest, and her work has covered every aspect of human existence, from love and sex to war and death.

In addition to her work at the Alliance, Jennifer recently published a book on misinformation for students, You’re Being Duped: Fake News on Social Media (Enslow, 2019).

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