From a blog reader: "Great stuff by Tom on AI’s growing role in sports writing."

From a blog reader: "Good read on an important topic."

The best sports stories are in essence human interest stories. Automated writing has its lane, but those stories aren’t in it. My latest (and always free) blog post (2.5 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/5/29/lets-hope-ai-stays-a-facilitator-not-an-annihilator-of-sports-journalism #Journalism

From a blog reader: "AI isn't being brought into the newsroom to improve the quality/efficiency of reporting. This is about saving money on salaries."

From another journalism instructor: 'We have to know how to do something before we get AI to do it or we don't know if AI is doing it right or not. I think our job as instructors is primarily to teach journalism skills. Technology changes. Journalism skills are the bedrock.'

For college journalism grads stepping into the real world right now, not knowing how to use AI is unfortunate. But it won't kill their job chances. Latest blog post (3 min and free): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/5/12/journalism-education-must-teach-more-than-shiny-new-things #Journalism

From a blog reader: "Good insight as always."

From a blog reader: "The troubling part to me is that Swalwell’s behavior was a 'years-long open secret' and traditional journalists apparently failed to thoroughly investigate and report that information for far too long."

Information sources can be anyone these days. But for the heavy lifting, professional journalists are still the best bet. A new Arenblog post (3 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/4/27/swalwell-case-reminds-us-that-traditional-media-still-matter #Journalism #Media

A blog reader pointed out that 66 years ago today (1960), The New York Times published its front-page “Fear and Hatred Grip Birmingham” story. The Birmingham News responded: "N.Y. Times Slanders Our City -- Can This Be Birmingham?" Re-sharing a related blog post from Wednesday:

Media deserve the criticism sometimes but the longtime right-wing portrayal of it as a villain has had big political consequences. New blog post, with some embarrassing history of Birmingham newspapers (3 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/4/6/one-thing-conservatives-agree-on-the-liberal-bias-media

From a blog reader: "When I wrote about food, my goal was to keep it as anonymous as possible when I was going out to do a review. I feel like publications are leaning into influencer content more than caring about the journalism."

From a blog reader: "A friend wrote restaurant reviews and food stories for our publication and everyone in the hospitality industry knew him. I don’t think I ever paid for a meal when I was invited to join him."

Wigging out: A trend in food journalism is a bad one. My latest blog post (2 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/3/1/some-restaurant-critics-ditch-their-disguises-smile-for-the-camera-1

An endorsement by the Secretary of Defense is probably the last thing David Ellison's PR flack, and CNN's journalists, wanted this morning. Blog post from last week:

Good story on censorship of campus news outlets, by the new Student Press Report devoted to college journalism. Story includes the University of Alabama plus smart comments by @grammarpurist.bsky.social. www.collegejournalism.org/student-pres...

From a blog reader: "Scary."

CNN built its reputation on war coverage. But it’s fair to wonder about its journalistic future. The latest blog post (1.5 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/3/3/cnns-demise-is-already-under-way #Journalism #NewsMedia

DOJ’s case against Don Lemon is so bad that the former No. 2 lawyer at the US Attorney’s Office in Minnesota is now representing him against the lawyer’s former office.

UPDATE: The Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild now estimates that The Washington Post laid off almost HALF of its journalists, not one-third.

From a blog reader: "You mention that 2 things have changed & you're correct. But I think there's a third thing worth noting. The (Washington Post) editorial staff was overcome with Trump Derangement Syndrome."

There's no easy way for journalists to defend against a destructive owner, like The Washington Post's. But a better ownership option exists. The latest blog post (2.5 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/2/7/an-alternative-to-media-owners-like-jeff-bezos #Journalism #Bezos

From a blog reader: “Thanks Tom! Always appreciate your perspective on issues that matter to journalism."

After sticking with The Washington Post through multiple bad decisions by ownership/leadership, I’m done. If you can’t find a way to monetize sports and local news, you’re not really trying.

From a blog reader: "Excellent. I'll come into your place of worship and/or classroom and do the same (as Don Lemon did) now that you think it perfectly legal."

Trump sees no red lines as he tries to subdue the news media. Don Lemon's arrest shows that. But even that may not be his most ominous move of the past three weeks. Latest blog post (1.5 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/2/1/trumps-newest-anti-press-tactic-make-journalism-a-crime #Journalism

From blog readers: "Great analysis." "Excellent." "Great read, Tom."

From blog readers: "My husband and I frequently shout questions at the TV that are more hard-hitting & contain more followup than what the 'news' reporters are pitching." "CBS News has lost this household after decades of viewing."

Bad decision after bad decision. Air time Sunday for the tattoo photo from Homeland Security was my breaking point. It's time for everyone to give up on CBS News. Latest blog post (3 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/1/19/10-moments-that-tell-the-demise-of-cbs-news

Thank you, Indiana football, for giving us a moment of light in a world currently filled with darkness.

Tim Walz urges Minnesota residents to carry smartphones and record ICE agents whenever they see them. Good advice.

From a blog reader: "(I) disagree with your premise that what (Nick) Shirley did was bad. He brought light to a problem that had not been addressed, which is a core tenet of investigative journalism."

Non-traditional reporting can happen anywhere any time, for better or for worse, as current events in Minneapolis demonstrate. The latest blog post (2 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2026/1/11/the-wonderful-and-awful-consequences-of-do-it-yourself-journalism #Journalism

From some Arenblog readers: "That was fun!" "Great puzzle!" "That was fun. Nice job."

Game time! Test your journalism knowledge and puzzle solving ability with an original, interactive, journalism-themed crossword on my blog. It’s a fun time filler but not a brain killer. www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/7/3/try-this-journalism-crossword-puzzle

Editing 101: If an investigative story must surpass a rival’s reporting, an editor says that to the staff on Day 1. Why didn’t Bari Weiss? Because it's an excuse she made up on the spot. #Journalism #60Minutes #CBS

From a blog reader: "What a great idea."

Journalists write about the worst mistakes of people’s lives. But sometimes they’ll erase them. With a radical idea of mine. A 2.5-minute blog post: www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/12/16/newsrooms-decide-some-personal-shames-shouldnt-last-forever #Journalism #NewsMedia #RightToBeForgotten

Trump (again) called a reporter 'obnoxious' and 'terrible' after a fair question yesterday. No surprise, the reporter is Black and female. Also no surprise: No pushback. A 12/2 blog post on press conference bullies: www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/12/1/how-to-handle-the-jerks-or-worse-at-the-lectern

From a blog reader: "Well said, professor. I spoke to a recent graduate today who was 'heartbroken' at the loss of the experimental learning opportunities these two publications offered. Shameful."

A lot of bad thinking and politics came together this week to mistreat some student journalists at the University of Alabama. The school deserves the hostile aftermath. My latest blog post (4 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/12/4/u-of-alabamas-termination-of-student-magazines-stirs-alumni-anger

From a blog reader: "Tom Arenberg is rightly critical of White House journalists who've done nothing while Trump hurls personal insults at their members (usually women)."

What would you do if a fellow reporter just got personally and publicly insulted by a powerful figure? Two ways journalists should stick up for each other (2 min): www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/12/1/how-to-handle-the-jerks-or-worse-at-the-lectern

From a blog reader: 'It's gross. I can’t stand all the betting ads, how it’s causing more addiction and resulting in more threats against players. Some of these gamblers literally think the teams or players owe them money because they lost a bet. At the very least, do away with prop bets.'

Tons of salient points here. Missing: the life of being a Missourian right now with betting becoming legal Dec. 1. I now hate Kevin Hart, DraftKings and Fan Duel with every fiber of my being.

Are you tired of all the gambling promos when you watch sports? I am. But they're everywhere. I offer three reasons the media should stop enabling the bad consequences of sports betting. (3 min) www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/11/12/sports-medias-embrace-of-gambling-seems-like-a-loser

I hope a brain study is done to see if this young man had CTE. What a tragedy. Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland dies in apparent suicide at 24 www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/...

NEWS UPDATE: Indiana University has reversed itself under pressure, and the fired media adviser has sued. Last week's blog post (w/update) ICYMI:

From blog reader and journalism educator Steven Chappell: "A stellar summary. I’m glad you mentioned the New Voices movement, which now seems stalled." Yes, according to the Student Press Law Center, the most recent state to adopt such a law was Minnesota in May 2024.

Some universities don't learn the lesson. A 2.5-minute blog post: www.tomarenberg.net/blog/2025/10/25/dont-mess-with-student-journalism #Journalism #StudentJournalism