Behind The Detroit News’s deep dive on property taxes

Lead reporter Christine MacDonald discusses how the investigation came together

By Anna Clark   Feb 28, 2013 at 04:57 PM

DETROIT, MI -- Word came this afternoon: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will announce Friday whether he intends to name an... More

The new copyright alert system is running

And here’s what will happen if you run up against it

By Sarah Laskow   Feb 28, 2013 at 03:30 PM

This week, after years of negotiating and planning, five of the largest Internet service providers in the country, in partnership... More

Brain mapping

NYT raises questions about federal project, science press provides answers

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 28, 2013 at 03:00 PM

On February 17, The New York Times touched off an anxious debate in the neuroscience community with a front-page article... More

Time to leave budget biases behind

Deficits are falling and government jobs are disappearing. Is it really so obvious we have a spending problem?

By David Cay Johnston   Feb 28, 2013 at 03:00 PM

With the automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration set to take effect Friday--and plenty of other budget wars looming... More

Is the Washington Post pro-gay?

If they are, it shouldn’t be at the expense of covering anti-gay individuals

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 28, 2013 at 02:50 PM

Last week, The Washington Post asked itself an interesting question in a headline: "Is The Post Pro-Gay?" Meaning, does it... More

Don’t judge a Bloomberg Businessweek by its cover (UPDATED)

Andres Guzman drew the controversial cover

By Sara Morrison   Feb 28, 2013 at 02:24 PM

Before we all jump on the "Bloomberg Businessweek is racist" bandwagon, let's take a second to ask: Who actually drew... More

Policing the food police (part 1):
the assault on salt

Covering government efforts to improve the nation’s eating habits is more complicated than it seems

By Sibyl Shalo Wilmont   Feb 28, 2013 at 12:11 PM

This is the first installment in an occasional series that will examine media coverage of public initiatives aimed at ending... More

Dealing with harassment and sexism

How to shut it down

By Ann Friedman   Feb 28, 2013 at 06:50 AM

"Can I be your Clark Kent?" "If you got shrapnel in your ass, I'd be happy to take it out."... More

A BusinessWeek cover crosses a line

Minorities as greedy grotesqueries fueling a new housing bubble

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 28, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Bloomberg BusinessWeek is a lot edgier than its predecessor, at least where design is concerned. Sometimes it's too edgy, like... More

And that’s the way it was: February 28, 1967

Henry Robinson Luce, co-founder of Time Inc., dies at age 68

By Sang Ngo   Feb 28, 2013 at 06:49 AM

On this day in 1967, Henry Luce, perhaps the greatest magazine editor/publisher of the mid-20th century, died in Phoenix. Born... More

Healthcare costs: A moment of clarity

Steve Brill stands his ground on ABC

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 27, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Bravo for Steve Brill! His appearance on ABC's This Week was a rare example of a guest on a... More

A Laurel to Univision 41’s Arantxa Loizaga

For making good use of the familiar, local-anchor-goes-to-White House encounter

By Richard Parker   Feb 27, 2013 at 11:00 AM

AUSTIN, TX -- Often, when a local television station gets summoned for a one-on-one interview with the president, it... More

The Green Lantern Theory of Sequestration

Hey, pundits: President Obama can’t magically solve the budget impasse in Washington

By Brendan Nyhan   Feb 27, 2013 at 10:40 AM

One of the recurring themes in commentary on national politics is the demand for the president to change politics as... More

Commercialization of the academy: diet supplements edition

The LAT’s Hiltzik on professors who hawk Herbalife

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 27, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Herbalife story is a business-press feast. You've got warring billionaires, the words "Ponzi scheme" being thrown around, a televised... More

And that’s the way it was: February 27, 1860

Abraham Lincoln delivers an antislavery speech at Cooper Union in New York City that propels him to the presidency

By Sang Ngo   Feb 27, 2013 at 06:49 AM

Having lost Illinois's election for the US senate in 1858, Abraham Lincoln was a longshot for the presidency in 1860.... More

Medicare Uncovered: What’s in a name?

The GOP puts some new lipstick on an old idea: vouchers

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 26, 2013 at 03:08 PM

National Journal's Margot Sanger-Katz picked up a juicy Washington tidbit worth passing on to healthcare reporters and interested readers.... More

Guns and public records: The Cherokee Scout’s saga (UPDATED)

Another newspaper gets wounded—and an editor resigns—in the fight over weapons and privacy

By Corey Hutchins   Feb 26, 2013 at 02:05 PM

UPDATE (5pm, February 26, 2013): This afternoon, the Cherokee Scout announced that its editor, Robert Horne, resigned. Horne originally made... More

Fortune on the French

France’s “unproductive labor force” is, in fact, quite productive

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 26, 2013 at 11:22 AM

The abrasive tire CEO Maurice Taylor made news last week when he lashed out at French workers as "lazy" good-for-nothings.... More

Stories I’d like to see

America’s lobbying abroad, and following a wonder drug’s money trail

By Steven Brill   Feb 26, 2013 at 11:15 AM

In his "Stories I'd like to see" column, journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill spotlights topics that, in his opinion, have... More

And that’s the way it was: February 26, 1909

The first successful color motion picture process is shown to the general public

By Sang Ngo   Feb 26, 2013 at 06:49 AM

On February 26, 1909, 21 short films were shown at the Palace Theatre in London. It was the general public's... More

The Big Boys: An affordability puzzle

Healthcare Insurers push a one-sided meme, and the press runs with it

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 25, 2013 at 03:00 PM

During the long debate over health reform, one issue barely discussed was whether the Americans who would be required... More

Its time

That ol’ apostrophe again

By Merrill Perlman   Feb 25, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Of the many small errors that bedevil many writers--and enrage their teachers and editors--there is perhaps none so simple to... More

Open access and the press

Two ways the new eLife could improve media coverage

By Elizabeth Robinson   Feb 25, 2013 at 11:00 AM

After a decade of growth, the open-access movement in scientific publishing still hasn't overthrown the traditional model of paid content... More

Exit Interview: CUNY J-School loses its Shepard

Founding dean returns to the classroom

By Cyndi Stivers   Feb 25, 2013 at 09:00 AM

Steve Shepard has long been one of the wisest, most reasonable men in the Fourth Estate. So it is bittersweet... More

Audit Notes: Seattle paywall, private equity taxes, mortgage security fraud

The Seattle Times will charge online readers beginning next month

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 25, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Seattle Times is the latest paper to join the paywall movement. It looks like it's basically copying The New... More

And that’s the way it was: February 25, 1928

The Federal Radio Commission grants the first commercial television license in the United States

By The Editors   Feb 25, 2013 at 12:49 AM

On February 25, 1928, Charles Jenkins Laboratories of Washington, DC, became the first holder of a US television license. W3XK,... More

A puzzling parade of projections in PA

As debate on Medicaid expansion continues, can reporters point the way to credible figures?

By Anna Clark   Feb 22, 2013 at 03:45 PM

DETROIT, MI -- Would a Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania cost the state millions? Billions? Or will it actually bring in... More

An eye on the Times-Picayune’s numbers

Some questions about what executives say are positive circulation trends

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 22, 2013 at 03:00 PM

We'll have a long story on the Times-Picayune next week, but Publisher Ricky Mathews and Editor Jim Amoss released some... More

Must-reads of the week

“One thing that really divides Norway is bark”

By The Editors   Feb 22, 2013 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

Beijing’s blinding pollution

The press should not ignore dirty air in other cities

By Shiwani Neupane   Feb 22, 2013 at 02:30 PM

As resources become scarcer and cutbacks in foreign bureaus more common, international reporting is becoming geographically biased. This trend was... More

People aren’t too worried about the sequester. Is the media to blame?

Coverage is too often dull or absent, but NYT piece on air travel is a standout

By David Cay Johnston   Feb 22, 2013 at 12:14 PM

Americans are not especially worried about the mandatory federal spending cuts set to begin March 1, widely cited polling by... More

Composition 101: A. Lincoln, Instructor

By Kevin Coyne   Feb 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM

At some point every semester, I ask the journalism students I teach a question that is meant to make them... More

Behind AP’s new ‘husband, wife’ guideline

It’s an attempt to fix a perceived slight to married gay couples

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 22, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Associated Press did the right thing on Thursday. After a week in which gay reporters, LGBT blogs, gay advocacy... More

Content economics, part 1: advertising

The dismal state of ads in online publishing

By Felix Salmon   Feb 22, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Back in December, Peter Kafka summed up the most important question with regards to the future of online advertising. Do... More

And that’s the way it was: February 22, 1924

Calvin Coolidge broadcasts the first presidential radio address to the American public

By The Editors   Feb 22, 2013 at 06:50 AM

If Barack Obama is our first social-media president, then Calvin Coolidge rightly deserves to be called the first wireless-telegraphy president.... More

ProPublica shines a light on dark money

In the murky new world of money-and-politics reporting, even small victories are hard won

By Mariah Blake   Feb 21, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Over the last two years, political reporters have shined a glaring spotlight on super PACs and their funders. Just ask... More

AP’s first usage guidelines on ‘husband, wife’

The new entry comes in response to anger over a memo to avoid the words to describe gay couples

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 21, 2013 at 01:00 PM

Last week, Jim Romenesko published an internal memo from the Associated Press about how to refer to gay and lesbian... More

Sequester debate takes hold in the press

The good, the bad, and the indifferent in this week’s coverage—plus some resources for reporters just tuning in

By David Cay Johnston   Feb 21, 2013 at 11:00 AM

With mandatory federal spending cuts looming on March 1, news organizations have finally begun running down the numbers on whose... More

Dead tree edition

Time to stop holding funerals for print

By Ann Friedman   Feb 21, 2013 at 11:00 AM

"How can we get institutions and organizations to stop holding conferences titled 'The Death of Print'? I have no time... More

Audit Notes: Hank the hero, Des Moines, Norwegian wood

The FT’s John Gapper reviews the former AIG CEO’s autobiography

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 21, 2013 at 06:50 AM

John Gapper's Financial Times review of the new Hank Greenberg (the disgraced former AIG CEO, not the All Star baseball... More

And that’s the way it was: February 21, 1925

The New Yorker publishes its first issue

By Sang Ngo   Feb 21, 2013 at 06:49 AM

On February 21, 1925, The New Yorker debuted. It was founded by Harold Ross, one of the original members of... More

The Boston Globe, up for sale again

The Times goes all in on the Times

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 20, 2013 at 05:35 PM

Back in 1993, The New York Times Company bought the Globe for about $1.8 billion (adjusted for inflation). Four years... More

The AP’s (digital) news standards

The outlet verifies and sources all social media-based information

By Kira Goldenberg   Feb 20, 2013 at 03:48 PM

On Tuesday night, at the Associated Press headquarters on far West 33rd Street, Muck Rack and the AP hosted a... More

Drones and transparency

White House criticized for secrecy, PBS’s NOVA for conflict

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 20, 2013 at 03:45 PM

It's no secret that journalists, especially those on the science beat, don't think that President Obama has lived up his... More

The New York Times and the rehabilitation of Steven Rattner

A monthly column not enough, the fallen former NYTer now gets the Sorkin treatment

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 20, 2013 at 03:00 PM

The New York Times is declaring that disgraced private equity mogul Steven Rattner has gotten his reputation back in the... More

Immigration reform and private prison cash

Key lawmakers in the immigration debate are among the top recipients of campaign contributions from the prison industry

By Sasha Chavkin   Feb 20, 2013 at 02:20 PM

As immigration reform picks up steam in Congress, conventional wisdom holds that a handful of key players are shaping the... More

Handling Facebook’s fickle functionality

How news outlets choose to promote work when the formula keeps changing

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 20, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Facebook's promoted posts feature sparked privacy concerns for individuals last week, when the company debuted a feature allowing individual users... More

Audit Notes: scoops and leaks, CNBC hardball, FT on Dow Jones CEO

The WSJ sniffs at a USA Today exclusive on Obama’s immigration plan

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 20, 2013 at 06:50 AM

It's totally a shoe-leather scoop when you get the story. It's a "leak" when somebody else does. That's what The... More

And that’s the way it was: February 20, 1943

The Saturday Evening Post publishes the first of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms

By Sang Ngo   Feb 20, 2013 at 06:50 AM

In his 1941 State of the Union address, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt enumerated four essential human freedoms: freedom of speech,... More

Digging for dark money

Guardian, CPI expose secretive climate-denial funding network

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 19, 2013 at 03:20 PM

Just over a year ago, Peter Gleick, a scientist and climate-change activist, obtained a cache of internal documents from The... More

Brand extension

Why trademarks should be honored

By Merrill Perlman   Feb 19, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City called for a ban on "Styrofoam" containers, saying in his State of the... More

From women’s page to style section

Women still need a place to have a voice in the absence of mainstream media equality

By Sarah Jaffe   Feb 19, 2013 at 02:50 PM

When the Washington Post decided, in January of 2013, to run a story about feminists' disputes over Michelle Obama's time... More

The third party fever dream, revisited

Five points for reporters to consider about third party prospects

By Brendan Nyhan   Feb 19, 2013 at 12:30 PM

National Journal's Ron Fournier has posted a gracious reply to my CJR column challenging what I considered to be his... More

Exchange Watch: growing pains in Connecticut

Is the state’s model insurance plan unaffordable?

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 19, 2013 at 10:59 AM

On October 1, state health insurance exchanges throughout the country, called Health Insurance Marketplaces, will start enrolling people eligible... More

Sharing is caring

With Muck Rack’s new Who Shared My Link? tool, calculating social media shares just got easier

By Sara Morrison   Feb 19, 2013 at 06:50 AM

After Muck Rack co-founder Gregory Galant wrote a guest column for Fortune last November, he wanted to see how it... More

VA background checks, WVA bar checks

A roundup of notable coverage on politics & policy from the southeast

By Corey Hutchins   Feb 19, 2013 at 06:50 AM

COLUMBIA, SC -- With the national gun control debate now focused on the proposed expansion of background checks to private... More

Audit Notes: due diligence, Elizabeth Warren, the Murdoch way

More evidence from private lawsuits on unprosecuted bank executives

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 19, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Seattle Times follows last week's reports on Dexia's lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase of fraud for its mortgage activities during... More

And that’s the way it was: February 19, 1945

The Battle of Iwo Jima begins

By Sara Morrison   Feb 19, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Japanese island of Iwo Jima, just 650 miles from Tokyo, was strategically important to both sides of WWII. The... More

Where the jobs are

How WYNC’s data journalism efforts show new opportunities for journalists

By Beibei Bao and Jefferson Mok   Feb 18, 2013 at 02:50 PM

There are probably few things that intimidate journalists like reams of data. Unemployment might be high on that intimidation list,... More

Enforcing copyrights in Europe

In the absence of laws, private companies are doing the job

By Alison Langley   Feb 18, 2013 at 02:50 PM

In January, on the anniversary of the defeat of the Stop Online Piracy Act, an Internet activist group called Fight... More

‘47 percent’ story wins a Polk Award

Mother Jones earns a political reporting prize

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 18, 2013 at 12:15 PM

Mother Jones is one of the winners at this year's George Polk Awards, Long Island University announced Monday. Mother Jones... More

A few bad apples

Texas and the NRA’s proposal to arm teachers

By Richard Parker   Feb 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM

William Hardy Gest co-reported and co-wrote this piece. Holly Regan contributed research. AUSTIN, Texas -- As the country debates gun... More

What’s new @Twitter?

Mark Luckie leads a panel at Social Media Weekend

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM

It's maybe not how most people would choose to spend their birthday, but Twitter's manager of journalism and news, Mark... More

How to use social media in investigations

ProPublica explains at Social Media Weekend

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Investigative reporting used to be a secretive business--think Woodward and Bernstein meeting anonymous sources in parking garages. But according to... More

Homicide coverage is about people, not just stats

Stories about Hadiya Pendleton’s death should be a guide for journalists in future crime reporting

By Tanveer Ali   Feb 18, 2013 at 06:50 AM

On Friday, President Obama spoke in Chicago as a part of his post-State of the Union tour, pitching, among many... More

Amazon’s German labor fiasco

A subcontractor employed neo-Nazi guards to patrol immigrant workers

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 18, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The story of Amazon's treatment of workers took a sensational turn last week when German public television revealed that temporary... More

And that’s the way it was: February 18, 1922

Helen Gurley Brown is born

By The Editors   Feb 18, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Helen Gurley Brown was born Helen Marie Gurley in Green Forest, AR. After college, Brown began her career in advertising... More

Protecting private information online

The intersection between cyber security and intellectual property

By Sarah Laskow   Feb 15, 2013 at 05:30 PM

On Friday, Facebook revealed that it had been attacked. Company employees had visited a website that had infected their computer... More

Pass the #popcorn

ICYMI: Politico goes another round with Nate Silver

By Sara Morrison   Feb 15, 2013 at 04:30 PM

According to a recent Pew study, 16 percent of adults online use Twitter -- 8 percent daily. I'm pretty sure... More

The third party fever dream

Why do some journalists keep predicting a major challenge to the two-party system?

By Brendan Nyhan   Feb 15, 2013 at 03:30 PM

National Journal editorial director Ron Fournier is a respected journalist with years of distinguished service as an Associated Press correspondent... More

In Azerbaijan, a blogger refuses to be silenced

Emin Milli says the Internet is a lifeline for journalists living under oppressive regimes

By Alison Langley   Feb 15, 2013 at 02:50 PM

A woman asked Emin Milli and Jérémie Zimmermann if she could take a photo of the two bloggers as they... More

Must-reads of the week

Time Warner divests, Jonah Lehrer collects, Elon Musk objects

By The Editors   Feb 15, 2013 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

Caveat emptor: You’re on your own with those vitamins

In absence of oversight, journalists should warn consumers of risks as well as benefits

By Sibyl Shalo Wilmont   Feb 15, 2013 at 11:00 AM

The popular health story of the past week, picked up from ABC News to Yahoo and across the gamut of... More

Meteorite steals asteroid’s thunder

Russian ‘dash cams’ fill web with amateur video

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 15, 2013 at 10:45 AM

For the last week, stargazers around the world have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of a 150-meter asteroid that will... More

A good feting for The Feminine Mystique

But the media should be this evenhanded about feminism all the time

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 15, 2013 at 06:50 AM

It's long been interesting to me that many writers talk about feminism as having failed, or as no longer mattering,... More

Rubio and the Big Lie of the Crisis

The press fails to push back on the senator’s SOTU response whopper

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 15, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Big Lie of the Crisis keeps rearing its ugly head. The latest spotting: Senator Marco Rubio's response to Obama's... More

And that’s the way it was: February 15, 1898

The USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana Harbor, Cuba

By Sang Ngo   Feb 15, 2013 at 06:50 AM

On the evening of February 15, 1898, the US Navy battleship Maine exploded suddenly and without warning, sinking into the... More

UPDATED: All charged up

Elon Musk says NYT review of a Tesla sedan was dishonest; Broder, Sullivan fire back

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 14, 2013 at 05:30 PM

[Original column posted February 12, 12:00 p.m.] Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is all charged up over a The New... More

Nate Silver defends contested post

His decision to omit outside spending still leads to an incomplete analysis

By Sasha Chavkin   Feb 14, 2013 at 04:00 PM

On Tuesday, I wrote a post that raised questions about New York Times statistical ace Nate Silver's recent analysis of... More

When we’re just not that into you

The no-excuses truth to understanding why editors reject pitches

By Ann Friedman   Feb 14, 2013 at 11:00 AM

If you're a freelance writer or a PR professional, you probably know that pitching is a delicate art that sometimes... More

Medicare Uncovered: What the president said, and didn’t say

The search for hidden meanings in the reform rhetoric

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 14, 2013 at 10:59 AM

The president's State of the Union message may have sort of resolved the question: "Will he or won't he... More

The journalist and the politician

Former NYT reporter Arthur Krock had a long friendship with Joe Kennedy—and it showed in his coverage

By Eric Alterman   Feb 14, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Arthur Krock, one-time bureau chief and columnist for The New York Times, is an abject lesson in the temporality of... More

And that’s the way it was: February 14, 1929

Saint Valentine’s Day massacre in Chicago

By Sang Ngo   Feb 14, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Chicago Tribune "These murders went out of the comprehension of a civilized city," the Chicago Tribune editorialized, after seven... More

UN celebrates World Radio Day

Journalists and UN officials discuss why radio remains popular around the world

By Peter Sterne   Feb 13, 2013 at 04:40 PM

Wednesday, World Radio Day, marked the 67th anniversary of the United Nations's first broadcast--"This is the United Nations calling the... More

Use of private emails for public work sparks FOIA battle

The Santa Fe Reporter is using leaked emails to test the state’s FOI compliance

By Sarah Laskow   Feb 13, 2013 at 03:50 PM

In June of 2012, the political press corps in New Mexico acquired a batch of interesting emails written by some... More

Audit Notes: The FT does labor reporting, minimum wage, OC Register

An excellent look inside an Amazon warehouse in the UK

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 13, 2013 at 11:00 AM

The Financial Times has an excellent story on the dystopian work culture at Amazon warehouses: Inside, hundreds of people in... More

And that’s the way it was: February 13, 1935

Bruno Richard Hauptmann is found guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnap-death of the infant son of Charles Lindbergh

By Sang Ngo   Feb 13, 2013 at 06:50 AM

February 13, 1935. Bruno Hauptmann, an ex-convict from Germany, is sentenced to death by electric chair for the abduction and... More

‘I need rules’

Jonah Lehrer says he still intends to pursue writing

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 12, 2013 at 06:00 PM

In his first public appearance since revelations of fabrication and plagiarism derailed his career last year, science writer Jonah Lehrer... More

What’s on the chopping block?

The great sequestration guessing game: What will Democrats surrender?

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 12, 2013 at 03:01 PM

The fiscal cliff negotiations belong to the Dark Ages, the inaugural address has come and gone, the State of... More

Stories I’d like to see

Hagel’s ignorance, Big Oil in the rain forest, and a drone story

By Steven Brill   Feb 12, 2013 at 11:20 AM

In his "Stories I'd like to see" column, journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill spotlights topics that, in his opinion, have... More

State of the Union media prebuttal II

What reporters should do instead of overhyping the SOTU

By Brendan Nyhan   Feb 12, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Early each year, I brace myself for an onslaught of poorly informed commentary and polling about the effects of the... More

Nate Silver’s odd omission (Updated)

A data-driven argument about an outside political spending group doesn’t include outside spending

By Sasha Chavkin   Feb 12, 2013 at 10:50 AM

On Monday, The New York Times's resident oracle, Nate Silver, weighed in on an issue that CJR has been following... More

The NYT’s newspaper industry rarity: growth (UPDATED)

Its circulation strategy, led by the paywall, more than offsets ad losses in 2012

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 12, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The New York Times's landmark metered paywall will be two years old next month, and it's already successful beyond anyone's... More

And that’s the way it was: February 12, 2000

Charles M. Schulz, creator of “Peanuts,” dies at age 77.

By Sang Ngo   Feb 12, 2013 at 06:50 AM

On this date 13 years ago, cartoonist Charles Monroe Schulz died of a heart attack at his home in Santa... More

Pew identifies four profitable newspapers

The papers buck national trends with four different emphases

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 11, 2013 at 03:51 PM

Contrary to prevailing trends, it's not all doom and gloom in the newspaper industry -- at least, not for the... More

Martial arts

A black belt in spelling

By Merrill Perlman   Feb 11, 2013 at 03:22 PM

When a society gets out of hand, a government can try to "marshal" its forces to settle things. But the... More

Here comes the National Nurse (maybe)

A new bill seeks to elevate nursing, which could lift healthcare. Reporters might take note

By Sibyl Shalo Wilmont   Feb 11, 2013 at 11:27 AM

A few days ago, the unlikely congressional team of Eddie Bernice Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, and Peter King,... More

Public Radio Player relaunches

With an alarm feature, download options, and new ways to donate

By Hazel Sheffield   Feb 11, 2013 at 09:00 AM

A new public radio streaming app relaunches this week, giving listeners mobile access to hundreds of public radio stations and... More

The Washington Times takes a giant step—backwards

Wes Pruden rides again. Watch his words

By Mariah Blake   Feb 11, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Since their recent electoral drubbing, many Republicans are rethinking their party's relationship (or lack of one) to blacks and... More

Audit Notes: Libor Rain Man, fraud without fraudsters, George Will on TBTF

The Journal spotlights an RBS banker at the center of the scandal

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 11, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The Wall Street Journal's David Enrich has some great reporting on Tom Hayes, the RBS banker at the center of... More

And that’s the way it was: February 11, 1990

South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela is freed from prison after 27 years

By Sang Ngo   Feb 11, 2013 at 06:50 AM

If it had happened today, it would break the Internet a little. On February 11, 1990, after having served 27... More

Captain Nemo

‘Behemoth blizzard’ dominates weekend news

By Cristine Russell   Feb 10, 2013 at 10:45 PM

It was all about "The Big Dig" this weekend in snow-blanketed communities from Long Island to Maine that faced a... More

Momentum becomes Ensia

Univ. of Minnesota expands its environmental magazine

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 8, 2013 at 03:00 PM

A nonprofit environmental magazine published by the University of Minnesota that's been quietly racking up awards for three years is... More

Must-reads of the week

A drone! A drone! My kingdom for a drone!

By The Editors   Feb 8, 2013 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

At The Plain Dealer, a shrinking staff delivers some solid work

But how will statehouse and politics coverage hold up once layoffs take effect?

By Anna Clark   Feb 8, 2013 at 02:47 PM

DETROIT, MI -- There will be many rich politics stories to follow in Ohio in 2013. But when the subject... More

Koch’s closet

Exploring the former mayor’s legacy must include how his sexual orientation perhaps affected his policies

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 8, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Ed Koch drew a curtain around his sexual orientation during his life, but after his death, gay writers in the... More

Audit Notes: Wall Street fraud and coverup

JPMorgan “flouted quality controls and ignored problems, sometimes hiding them entirely”

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 8, 2013 at 06:50 AM

The New York Times has a tough report on newly uncovered emails that show Jamie Dimon's JPMorgan Chase knowingly misled... More

Copyright knights or copyright trolls?

Rulings on a couple Righthaven appeals could have a far-reaching effect on fair use

By Sarah Laskow   Feb 7, 2013 at 02:59 PM

In 2010 and 2011, Righthaven, a Nevada company that once described itself as "the nation's pre-eminent copyright enforcer," sued hundreds... More

One document, many interpretations

Varied takes on CBO report show “the media” is a competitive market, not a monolith

By David Cay Johnston   Feb 7, 2013 at 02:30 PM

What a difference reporters and editors can make in choosing from the same report what is news and where and... More

Reporting for rookies

Schooling a newbie on the basics

By Ann Friedman   Feb 7, 2013 at 11:00 AM

The line between "blogger" and "reporter" has been blurry for a long time. Those of us who went to journalism... More

The NYT on the SEC’s hunt for Stevie Cohen

The case weakens as the statute of limitations winds down

By Felix Salmon   Feb 7, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Andrew Ross Sorkin and Peter Lattman have uncovered an interesting wrinkle in the SEC's case against Mathew Martoma, the most... More

In Virginia, voter ID coverage disappoints

Reporting on Tuesday’s voter ID bills fed into—rather than clarified—the partisan debate

By Corey Hutchins   Feb 7, 2013 at 06:50 AM

COLUMBIA, SC -- In the run-up to the November presidential elections, skirmishes over voter ID requirements, among other voting rules,... More

Journalism’s circuit board

Computer literacy on the rise, but technology transfer lags

By Brad Stenger   Feb 6, 2013 at 03:00 PM

Journalists and computers have gotten through the awkward, get-to-know-ya phase of their relationship, but they still have intimacy problems, sometimes... More

NYRB celebrates its 50th

The New York Review of Books hosted an evening of readings by noted contributors

By Kira Goldenberg   Feb 6, 2013 at 10:45 AM

Photo Credit: Beowulf Sheehan Joan Didion looked tiny and frail on Tuesday night, swimming in her loose, gray top... More

Morgenson rebuts the Geithner hosannas

The Treasury Secretary’s legacy in context

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 6, 2013 at 06:50 AM

There's been an unsettling amount of hagiography in the last few weeks as top Obama financial regulatory officials departed and... More

Medicare Uncovered: parsing Senator Corker’s big bill

A primer for reporters on a significant bill

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 5, 2013 at 02:50 PM

This is the third of a series of occasional "Medicare Uncovered" posts that will look at how the media are... More

Fashion Week pregaming

The newest issue of Fashion Projects features interviews with couture critics

By Kira Goldenberg   Feb 5, 2013 at 01:45 PM

New York Fashion Week, which kicks off Wednesday night, is the big game for style magazines and fashion critics. As... More

Stories I’d like to see

Lying to the SEC, A-Rod’s contract, everybody gets hacked

By Steven Brill   Feb 5, 2013 at 11:15 AM

In his "Stories I'd like to see" column, journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill spotlights topics that, in his opinion, have... More

Obesity’s orthogonal coverage

How three writers tried to make sense of the “controversy, conjecture, contradiction and confusion” in weight loss research

By Gary Taubes   Feb 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM

Last September, CJR approached me to write an article for a special package on health and science journalism in the... More

Bloomberg unearths an Italian bank scandal

Its story reverberates across Europe

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 5, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Back in mid-January, Bloomberg's Elisa Martinuzzi and Nicholas Dunbar reported that Deutsche Bank helped Italy's third-largest bank, Monte Paschi, cover... More

The money fight for the Republican Party

The launch of the Conservative Victory Fund signals a big outside spending battle—and story—is underway

By Sasha Chavkin   Feb 5, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Last week, we wrote about how hard-right groups like the Club for Growth dominated outside spending in the last Republican... More

Towering babble

CBS Sports fumbles Super-Bowl power failure

By Robert Weintraub   Feb 4, 2013 at 03:05 PM

The true test of a team or an athlete is how they perform in a crisis, when the game goes... More

Take too

It’s a matter of perspective

By Merrill Perlman   Feb 4, 2013 at 03:00 PM

"It's going to rain, so take an umbrella," the weather forecaster says. "Shouldn't that be bring?" a correspondent writes. "I... More

Ed Koch: under the adulation

A press secretary looks back at Hizzoner and the media

By Evan Cornog   Feb 4, 2013 at 12:23 PM

The death of former New York mayor Edward I. Koch last week at age 88 brought forth a flood... More

Tracking the NYT’s evolving Koch obit

NewsDiffs reveals the newspaper’s multiple revisions, resulting in a surge of traffic

By Kira Goldenberg   Feb 4, 2013 at 11:51 AM

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch died in the wee hours of Friday morning, and The New York Times... More

Medicare Uncovered: Corker and his bill

The press needs to move out of its comfort zone

By Trudy Lieberman   Feb 4, 2013 at 11:00 AM

This is the second of a series of occasional "Medicare Uncovered" posts that will look at how the media are... More

Audit Notes: the anti-liquidation newspaper model, NYT on digital media doings

Ken Doctor spotlights Aaron Kushner’s investment at the OC Register

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 4, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Ken Doctor has a fantastic post up at the Nieman Lab on the Orange County Register, which has actually been... More

A ‘dark money’ push behind Obamacare?

Politico takes a close look at the backers of a new outreach effort

By Sasha Chavkin   Feb 1, 2013 at 03:55 PM

This morning, Politico published a fascinating story about a new campaign to support implementation of the Affordable Care Act that... More

Must-reads of the week

”’[G]et bought by a billionaire’ should be every small mag’s business model”

By The Editors   Feb 1, 2013 at 02:55 PM

Culled from CJR’s frequently updated “Must-reads from around the Web,” our staff recommendations for the best pieces of journalism (and... More

Can mental healthcare curb gun violence?

Some strong coverage takes a good look at that question, and reflects a shift in how we discuss mental illness

By Sibyl Shalo Wilmont   Feb 1, 2013 at 02:50 PM

In another lifetime, I did PR for Big Pharma and flacked for some of the biggest names in academic medicine... More

Context is crucial covering the Boy Scouts

Mentions of pedophilia fears in stories about potential gay scout leaders should be accompanied by information debunking them

By Jennifer Vanasco   Feb 1, 2013 at 11:00 AM

One of the most pernicious stereotypes about gay men is that any one of them might be a pedophile. As... More

China hacks the press

While the FBI probed whether it gave some traders an early look at government data

By Ryan Chittum   Feb 1, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Yesterday The New York Times ran this remarkable story about how Chinese hackers, presumably aligned with the military, hacked into... More

Sheen before green

Entertainment news outstrips environment news 3-to-1

By Curtis Brainard   Feb 1, 2013 at 06:50 AM

Celebrity and sports stories are three times more common in the mainstream media than environment stories, according to a new... More