Solutions Journalism Approach to Democracy
Solutions Journalism Reports on Action – But It’s Not Advocacy
Covering politics with a solutions journalism lens means talking to people most affected.
How Supreme Court Reporters Set Themselves Apart
An ‘Exclusive Club’ Covers the Supreme Court. Here’s a Look Inside
The leak of the Supreme Court’s draft abortion ruling was unprecedented. Now, Supreme Court reporters think the beat is changing.
Engaging Younger Audiences in Political Coverage
Young Audiences Crave Relevant Political Coverage, Says Washington Post Deputy Politics Editor
It takes more than TikTok or hype to make political reporting relevant to younger readers, Washington Post Deputy Politics Editor Brianna Tucker said.
Supreme Court: Where to Dig for News
Pay Attention to Cases the Supreme Court Hasn’t Yet Agreed to Hear, Attorney Advises
80% of the Supreme Court Bar are white males. For better coverage, journalists should interview other lawyers — and historians.
So You Want to be a Pentagon Reporter?
Build Sources in the Pentagon, Use Outside Sources Too
Covering the Defense Department is not all Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne.
Rosenberg: What News Media Misses About Trump
Rosenberg’s Take on Mar-a-Lago, Police Brutality and His Years at DOJ
When it comes to charging Donald Trump, former FBI and DOJ counsel Chuck Rosenberg warns against “certitude.”
Is America at Risk of a Civil War?
In A 21st-Century Civil War, Guerrilla Or Terrorist Attacks Are Directed At Civilians
Jan. 6 response was key to whether the United States would move closer or further from civil war, Barbara F. Walter says.
How to Find Stories in Employment Data
Plan Your Stories Around the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Release Calendar
Looking at unemployment trends can lead to larger investigation. AARP’s Senior Policy Advisor Jen Schramm shares her data tips with NPF fellows.
Trump’s Family Separation Policy: Telling Difficult Stories
"We Need to Take Away Children": The story behind the story
An 18-month investigation by The Atlantic’s Caitlin Dickerson exposed the Trump administration’s family separation policy.
Democracy at Risk or Politics as Usual?
7 Tactics Authoritarians Use and What Journalists Can Do
Protect Democracy’s “Authoritarian Handbook” can help journalists distinguish between autocratic threats vs. hard-nosed politics.
Mar-a-Lago, Investigating Trump and Covering the DOJ
Investigations Into Trump, Hunter Biden, Matt Gaetz, Oath Keepers And Proud Boys Will Keep Reporters Busy Into The New Year
Evan Perez of CNN and Carrie Johnson of NPR explain how to cover a Department of Justice that doesn’t leak.
Election Security Issues to Watch in 2022, 2024
What Keeps The Experts Up At Night?
Experts on misinformation, online harassment and election security share their concerns and hopes for election audits and public trust.
How Jan. 6 Changed the Congress Beat
Congressional Reporters Offer Insights and Tips for Covering The Hill Post January 6.
Capitol Hill reporters from PBS Newshour, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and CNN share advice for reporters covering Jan. 6, spending bills and more.
Abby Phillip’s Advice: Get Out of D.C.
Reporters Can Gain Skills Outside of Washington, Says CNN Political Correspondent
By tackling different beats, CNN’s Abby Phillip said journalists will find new perspectives that will strengthen their reporting.
The First Amendment, Crisis Edition
Emergency legal briefing for journalists on social media bans, the meaning of ‘incitement’ and threats to free speech.
In response to Donald Trump’s Twitter ban following the Jan. 6 insurrection, three free speech experts discuss First Amendment protections, limitations and challenges in law, policy and social media.
FEC Commissioner Shares Campaign Finance Challenges
How Journalists Help Blow the Whistle on Campaign Finance Violations
While the Federal Election Commission is trying to stay on top of campaign finances as technology rapidly changes, journalists can help look out for violations.
Unlocking Census Data
Demographic Data Can Help You Reimagine Your Beat
Taking the plunge with demographic data is worth the effort, said Sean McMinn of Politico
Getting The Most From Government Data
Recognizing What The Data Doesn’t Say Is Equally Important
NPR producer Huo Jingnan offered Widening the Pipeline fellows a simple strategy for starting a data-driven project
Republican Strategist Takes On Journalism Bias
Conservative’s Tips on Journalism, Fairness and Getting Republicans to Call Back
GOP adviser Matt Mackowiak shares how politicians decide what issues to elevate and which journalists to talk to.
Model Bills: A Tool to Track Across States
How to Report on “Copycat Legislation,” from Abortion to Critical Race Theory
How to identify model bills using the Center for Public Integrity’s tool and find out the special interest groups behind them, according to ‘Copy. Paste. Legislate’ journalists Michael Squires, Kristian Hernandez and Preethak Rebala.
Redistricting and Gerrymandering: 2022 Edition
When One Party Controls Redistricting, Expect Abuses, Voting Advocate Says
Gerrymandering is an “attack on minority political power,” says Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Justice.
Election Polling: How to Spot a Bad Poll
Political Polling Can Offer Voter Snapshots If Journalists Don’t Over-Interpret Them
Election polls can be easily over-interpreted by journalists and the public, Texas Politics Project director Jim Henson warned NPF Statehouse reporters.
Bills: How to Understand Legislative Language
Statehouse Reporters Should Ask, ‘Who Really Wants This Bill?’
University of Texas law professors Hugh Brady and Randall Erben share how to analyze new legislation - even without a law degree.
Voting Rights: How to Track Bills Affecting Voters
250 Voting Rights Bills to Watch in 2022
Voting Rights Lab lawyer demonstrates tracking tool for statehouse journalists, while Texas Tribune reporter and Common Cause advocate remind reporters to focus on voters’ human stories.
9 Tips for Beat Reporters, From Novice to Expert
Diving into Sanctions or an Agency: How Reporters Can Start Getting Exclusives
AP reporter Fatima Hussein started covering the U.S. Treasury Dept. just a month before new sanctions on Russia. Here’s her advice for journalists.
PACER: How Journalists Mine Records
Use PACER to Find Court Records and Background People
Brad Heath is a reporter with a law degree – and it shows – as he teaches journalists how to use PACER, Lexis Nexis and other tools – and avoid common errors.
21 Types of Political Spin You Should Know
Political Spin and How Journalists Can Spot It, From Someone Who’s Worked Both Sides
Reporters know about “dog-whistling,” but what about “mediated authenticity,” controlling reporters with a “drip” or “the dead cat bounce”?
Build Sources from the Outside In
Practical Tips for White House Journalists
White House reporters from the AP and Washington Post share their advice for getting scoops and dealing with harassment.
Susan Page’s Five Lessons for Journalists
USA Today’s Washington Bureau Chief Shares Tips from Covering Seven Administrations
“The turmoil of the Trump presidency, the attack on the capital on January 6th was a reminder of the fragility of our democracy and the role that journalism has to play.”
How to Track Government Spending
Watchdogs GAO and Taxpayers for Common Sense Share Tips for Journalists
“Budgets aren’t about numbers. They’re about priorities.”
A FOIA Field Guide
When Filing Records Requests, Be Targeted and Organized
The New York Times’ Washington bureau FOIA coordinator offers an in-depth field guide for reporters on how to navigate federal and state public records requests.
Polling the Pollsters
As Communications Technology Changes and Partisanship Increases, Pollsters Adapt
Taking the pulse of America is getting harder in hyper-partisan times, but the nation’s main pollsters still generally get it right.
Over-Policed and Under-Protected
Homicides of Black Men Go Unsolved as Police Focus Efforts Elsewhere
A top advocate of police reform says U.S. needs a major rethinking of policing strategies to reduce violence and end racial disparities.
The Nitty Gritty of the White House Beat
Getting access to key players isn’t impossible. Be bold and persistent.
From the briefing room to the press secretary offices and beyond, the environment and culture of the White House beat have changed.
Measuring Poverty and Inequality
Tools and Data to Quantify Reporting on Poverty
You can measure inequality and its pain with detailed data on poverty.
Budgets, Debts and Deficits
More Spending, Less Revenue, Bigger Problems
The federal budget process can be tricky to navigate. Learning the basics can help better inform audiences.
Covering the Supreme Court
Be Prepared — Before and After the Gavel Strikes
The law and its players can be intimidating. Don’t let it consume you. Rely on your journalism skills.
Covering Federal Courts
The Federal Courts Beat Offers News Pegs for Every Issue
The Supremes get the most attention, but the federal courts offer a chance to break news, avoid spin, build sources – plus much more.
Financing Rural America
Biden Admin. Pumps $1.25 Billion into Rural Lending
Community development financial institution experts say CDFIs can help alleviate rural poverty and racial inequities where previous pandemic relief failed. How journalists can track COVID-19 federal funding in their communities.
Mining the Federal Regulatory System
Great scoops lurk in the comments on proposed rules. Here’s how to find them.
Congress and the White House get most of journalists’ attention, but reporters should learn to mine the federal regulatory system, where arcane rule changes can lead to big shifts in power and money.
