Behind the News
Stories I’d like to see
The mysterious allure of cruises, Al Sharpton conflict check, and doing the math on Ukraine bailouts
By Steven Brill Mar 11, 2014 at 12:45 PM
In his "Stories I'd like to see" column, journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill spotlights topics that, in his opinion, have... More
United States Project
Two local papers have accepted money from City Hall in 2014. Is this a thing now? (UPDATED)
Deals raise ethical questions—and in one case, complaints from rival news outlets
By Corey Hutchins Mar 11, 2014 at 11:45 AM
CHARLESTON, SC -- Last month, a story popped up about local officials in a suburb of Madison, WI, voting to... More
The Audit
A letter from death row backfires on Gawker (UPDATED)
The site let Ray Jasper whitewash the brutal killing he helped commit
By Ryan Chittum Mar 11, 2014 at 07:50 AM
Gawker has long delighted in thumbing its nose at journalism convention, and that's fine. On the other hand it makes... More
Cloud Control
Saving orphan photos
On the internet, photos are separated from their owners—often on purpose
By Sarah Laskow Mar 11, 2014 at 06:50 AM
Say you're writing a blog post, and you're pulling from a bunch of different sources around the Web. Say one... More
Language Corner
Spellbound
Grammatically incorrect pop culture
By Merrill Perlman Mar 10, 2014 at 02:50 PM
In between National Grammar Day and the national conference of the American Copy Editors Society, let us lament that "popular... More
Behind the News
The future of data journalism at the Washington Post
Life after Ezra Klein
By Edirin Oputu Mar 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM
When blogger and commentator Ezra Klein joined the Washington Post in 2009, he was 25 years old and barely known... More
The Audit
Newsweek and ‘trust us’ journalism
“The Face of Bitcoin” promised too much
By Ryan Chittum Mar 10, 2014 at 11:00 AM
Leah McGrath Goodman tells Felix Salmon this about her controversial Newsweek piece on the founder of Bitcoin: "If I read... More
The Second Opinion
What do you mean, control drug prices? We can’t do that
The latest fight over Medicare rules shows why American healthcare costs are so high
By Trudy Lieberman Mar 10, 2014 at 06:50 AM
Update, 1:44 pm: CMS has backed off the proposed rule changes, The Hill reports. Want to understand why American healthcare... More
Behind the News
Fox News subpoena case appealed to Supreme Court
Aurora shooting suspect James Holmes’ lawyers are asking the country’s highest court to consider forcing reporter Jana Winter to reveal confidential sources
By Nicola Pring Mar 7, 2014 at 04:50 PM
The New York Court of Appeals ruled in December that Fox News reporter Jana Winter did not have to testify--and... More
The Audit
The NYT preps its paywall part deux
A few details emerge on the cheaper NYT Now, plus a high-end subscription
By Ryan Chittum Mar 7, 2014 at 03:00 PM
The New York Times has been looking for ways to build on the massive success of its three-year-old metered paywall... More
The Kicker
Must-reads of the week
Bitcoin inventor revealed, First Look confronted, American journalism Travoltified
By The Editors Mar 7, 2014 at 02:50 PM
Culled from CJR’s frequently updated “Must-reads from around the Web,” our staff recommendations for the best pieces of journalism (and... More
The Audit
The Satoshi Paradox
Newsweek out on a wire with a Bitcoin blockbuster
By Felix Salmon Mar 7, 2014 at 11:00 AM
Newsweek wanted a scoop for its relaunch cover story, and boy did it deliver: it uncovered the identity of Satoshi... More
The Observatory
The end of obesity, sort of
On the heels of a White House media blitz, two contrasting press releases reveal a misleading story
By Alexis Sobel Fitts Mar 7, 2014 at 07:15 AM
Last week's health headlines were punctuated by a conveniently timed bit of news: On the heels of the White House's... More
United States Project
The First Amendment vs. death penalty secrecy laws
In Missouri, it’s against the law to name pharmacies that produce drugs for lethal injections. Two news organizations did so anyway. What happens next?
By Deron Lee Mar 7, 2014 at 07:00 AM
From 1995 to 2006, when the state of Missouri executed a convict by lethal injection, the process was overseen by... More
The Audit
An enterprising Journal fills gaps on investor protection
An outstanding investigation of FINRA, Wall Street’s self-regulator, continues
By Ryan Chittum Mar 7, 2014 at 06:50 AM
The Wall Street Journal has an excellent investigative series going into Wall Street self-regulator FINRA and how its system of... More
News Literacy
News literacy declines with socioeconomic status
Students from families with a lower socioeconomic status tend to be less confident and capable in navigating the Web to find credible information
By Ben Adler Mar 6, 2014 at 02:50 PM
Remember the digital divide? It was the next big problem circa 1995. Rich people had computers and Internet access, and... More
#Realtalk
The new dream job
And the end of old-media prestige
By Ann Friedman Mar 6, 2014 at 11:00 AM
For years, even as most print-centric publications downsized, they maintained their status as the crème de la crème. The journalistic... More
Behind the News
Detroit’s one-man brand
Steve Neavling is trying to monetize a home-grown city reporting site
By Aaron Foley Mar 6, 2014 at 06:50 AM
Steve Neavling may be one of the most hated men in Detroit. Since leaving his post as a Detroit Free... More
The Audit
The Guardian’s digital boom
Revenue rises sharply online for a second-straight year
By Ryan Chittum Mar 5, 2014 at 03:00 PM
The Guardian had another big year of digital business last year, further brightening the paper's long-term outlook. The paper says... More
The Kicker
Nonprofit angel wings
Sometimes, contra Jeff Jarvis, philanthropy is the answer to journalism’s problems
By Steven Waldman Mar 5, 2014 at 02:25 PM
Digital professor and provocateur Jeff Jarvis recently tweeted, "Every time a rich person gives to a nonprofit, a journalism startup... More
The Audit
Marc Andreessen’s news-business fairy tale
The news industry is not in for exponential growth
By Ryan Chittum Mar 5, 2014 at 07:30 AM
Marc Andreessen has some outlandish predictions about the future of the journalism business: I am more bullish about the future... More
Critical Eye
Lethal immigration
In Mirta Ojito’s latest book, a notorious hate crime gains context and analysis
By Marcela Valdes Mar 4, 2014 at 02:50 PM
One Saturday night in November 2008, after drinking a few beers and joshing around with their friends, seven high-school boys... More
The Second Opinion
Covering the $1,000 pill
Five questions reporters still need to ask about very expensive new drugs like sofosbuvir—-and the cost of healthcare overall
By Trudy Lieberman Mar 4, 2014 at 11:20 AM
Are the costs of super expensive drugs--to cure whatever ails Americans--justifiable? The drug sofosbuvir, used to treat hepatitis C, has... More
Who cares if it’s true? - Modern-day newsrooms reconsider their values
What Is Russia Today? - The Kremlin’s propaganda outlet has an identity crisis
And from the left…Fox News - There’s more to Fox News’ strategy of hiring liberals than creating a public boxing match
Why Skype isn’t safe for journalists - Here are some alternatives for secure voice calls to use instead
Placing a bet on USA Today - Gannett has long felt the television model could translate into print. Now it’s using its flagship paper to double down on that idea.
Email blasts from CJR writers and editors
Is the London Review of Books the best magazine in the world?
“I think there’s an awful lot of short opinion around, and it’s quite nice to find an argument in a piece that isn’t just stated”
Even before Fort Lee lane closings, Port Authority was a Christie tool
The politicizing of 9/11 wreckage
“Our research found that black boys can be seen as responsible for their actions at an age when white boys still benefit from the assumption that children are essentially innocent”
Can you tell the between content created by a software program and news written by a flesh-and-blood journalist?
President Obama on Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
“Is it going to be hard in two years when you are no longer President and people stop letting you win at basketball?”
CJR's Guide to Online News Startups
ACEsTooHigh.com – Reporting on the science, education, and policy surrounding childhood trauma
Who Owns What
The Business of Digital Journalism
A report from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Questions and exercises for journalism students.
