A tool to help local journalists with science reporting: www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/a-na... And here is our podcast with Matt DeRienzo, director of SciLine, which also provides resources for local journalists. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Human editors at @merriam-webster.com have chosen slop as the 2025 Word of the Year. Slop (noun): Digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.

Our inaugural edition of Help Desk Monthly sent earlier this week with an introduction from Help Desk Product Director @leahbecerra.com, links to all the articles from our launch and additional resources about AI for journalists.

Nota is a suite of AI-based tools built specifically for journalism workflows. For small newsrooms like The Current, using Nota means reporters and editors get to spend less time on production and more time reporting.

Meta is experimenting with limiting the number of links people using professional mode and Facebook Pages can post on Facebook, unless they have a paid Meta Verified subscription. Would you or your newsroom consider paying to post more links on the platform?

From @niemanlab.org: Journalists may see AI as a threat to the industry, but they’re using it anyway. The three most frequent ways journalists surveyed report using AI are all tied to language processing: transcription, translation and grammar checking.

New today: AI scrapers harvest millions of pages from Digital Trends every week while sending back only a few thousand human visitors. Now, @digital-trends.bsky.social is using Tollbit to help monitor the traffic. The tool may even help them monetize bot traffic later.

The inaugural edition of Help Desk Monthly, our monthly newsletter, sent this morning. Read the article version here. If you like what you read, a link to subscribe is at the top of the story.

The latest episode of the Small Press, Big Ideas podcast featured Help Desk Product Director @leahbecerra.com and RJI Executive Director @randypicht.bsky.social talking about our new project!

Photographer Ann Hermes has been documenting old newspaper newsrooms. Her images show what's left and what we stand to lose. Via @poynterinstitute.bsky.social

See how Pinpoint, Google’s free document analysis tool, became the backbone of Blue Ridge Public Radio’s workflow, turning a flood of emails, contracts and court filings into a searchable, shareable archive. #casestudy

The first edition of our monthly newsletter sends Tuesday, Dec. 16! Don't miss out, sign up for Help Desk Monthly today: https://mailchi.mp/newsmediahelpdesk.org/monthly-newsletter-sign-up 

ICYMI: Google has begun testing a new feature that merges its AI Overviews with AI Mode in Search. The company says users will be able to “seamlessly go deeper” in AI Mode directly from the Search results page.

Rather than guessing what resonates with readers, analytics tools like Chartbeat can help editors and reporters understand their audiences. Take a look at how The Salt Lake Tribune uses Chartbeat to turn hunches into actionable intelligence in this case study.

🗓️ Save the date: National News Literacy Week in partnership with @ewscrippsco.bsky.social & @usatoday.com is Feb. 2-6! ℹ️ This year’s focus is on helping young people stay grounded with facts & rebuilding trust in standards-based news — especially in the age of AI.  📌 newsliteracyweek.org

Last week Poynter, IRE & Internet Archive launched ‘Today’s News for Tomorrow.’ Participating organizations will receive training, including free access to tools, services and networking, to support the sustainability of digital news. The application is open until Jan. 9, 2026.

Here's a look at how Epicenter NYC, a news organization focused on connecting New Yorkers with information and each other, approached creating a practical guide to AI for their newsroom. Article originally published by @innovationrji.bsky.social's Innovation in Focus series.

Sometimes the best tool for journalists is one built by journalists. Originally created at the Danish outlet Zetland, Good Tape is a low-cost, AI-based transcription tool designed to solve the time intensive problem of manual transcription.

👋 Hi world, check it out! Read case studies of digital tools being used ✳️ right now ✳️ by newsrooms and how the tools are making a difference. So useful as we're navigating all the offerings out there. I'm learning a lot as a contract editor for the project. Let us know what you think! #journalism

So excited about News Media Help Desk! It will be an invaluable resource for news outlets as they navigate the ever-changing digital world. It's full of articles, best practices, and case studies, plus DODS fractional services to help newsrooms get things done. The LMC is thrilled to be part of it.

We are officially live! Check out the News Media Help Desk, a one-stop shop for local media organizations to get digital help, at newsmediahelpdesk.org

After more than a decade working in newsrooms, I've seen firsthand the passion and resilience of journalists. I've also seen the immense pressure they face, often with limited time and resources. That's why I've spent the last nine months building something I truly believe the news industry needs.

Exciting news! News Media Help Desk will officially be launching on December 10! https://newsmediahelpdesk.org/