19 Great Journalism and Media Newsletters to Start Reading

Newsletters can be one of the best ways to stay up to date on the latest media industry news, and there are a ton of great options to choose from.

These are a few standouts.

Whether you’re looking for the latest in journalism job openings, podcasting, digital media or tools for journalists, hopefully you can find at least one newsletter on this list that meets your needs.

Axios Media Trends

• Frequency: Weekly (Tuesdays)
• Axios media reporter Sara Fischer sends this weekly roundup of digital media news from the “Smart Brevity” publisher and it’s one of my personal favorites. A handy word count and estimated reading time are always included, so you can set aside time to read it in full, which I highly recommend doing. The newsletter has great visuals to complement the easy-to-read stories broken down into sections like “Why it matters,” “The big picture,” and “The bottom line.”

Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) – The Media Today

• Frequency: Daily (Monday-Frdiay)
• The daily newsletter contains one long-form analysis tied to a big news story (press freedom, AI, or industry layoffs, for example), in addition to links to several other major media industry headlines. Friday emails cover CJR’s Laurels and Darts column, which highlights creative and innovative storytelling.

Digiday

• Frequency: Daily and weekly options
• Digiday “takes a global view of the media and marketing industries and confronts the truths in technology’s disruption of these industries.” The daily newsletter includes Digiday’s top stories of the day, covering topics like subscription models, podcasts, digital video and more. The media-only newsletter is delivered on Mondays. Weekly, ad tech, media buying and other newsletter topics are also available.

Journalist’s Resource

• Frequency: Weekly
• Created by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, Journalist’s Resource works to help reporters effectively and accurately use research in their stories and “bridge the gap between academia and journalism.” This newsletter provides the latest research roundups, journalism tip sheets and other resources to help inform your news coverage.

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism | Solution Set

• Frequency: Biweekly
• This biweekly newsletter features free resources, events, tools and case studies for local news publishers. Case studies look at the featured projects in detail, including the initial challenge, strategy, lessons learned and what to expect in the future.

Mandy Hofmockel | Journalism Jobs and a Photo of My Dog

• Frequency: Weekly
• Hofmockel is currently the Managing Editor, Audience and Innovation, for Hearst Connecticut Media Group and has held previous positions with Newsday, MassLive and California Watch. If you’re looking for job openings in journalism, this the newsletter to sign up for. The email is organized by location (NYC, L.A., and D.C. jobs, for example) and includes interesting industry reads, remote job listings, internships and freelance opportunities. Plus, there are photos of Hofmockel’s adorable pup, Maggie.

Nieman Journalism Lab – The Daily Digest

• Frequency: Daily (Monday-Thursday)
• The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard is trying to “help figure out where the news is headed in the internet age.” The daily newsletter provides links to Nieman’s latest content, including media innovations, podcasts, apps, fact-checking and more. Plus, get a rundown of the day’s other industry stories that shouldn’t be missed. A weekly email is also available if you don’t want to commit to a daily newsletter.

Pew Research Center – The Weekly Roundup

• Frequency: Weekly
• If you’re interested in data, survey results, etc., I’d definitely recommend subscribing to this roundup newsletter. Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank, always has interesting data to report, including for journalism and the media industry. Other survey and data topics cover politics, social media, religion, health and much more, so you’re likely to find something that ties in to your next story.

Podnews

• Frequency: Daily
• This concise briefing covers all things podcasting and on-demand, including podcast events and job listings. You’ll get a look at the top-ranked podcasts, podcast recommendations and much more.

The Poynter Report

• Frequency: Daily (Monday-Friday)
• Senior media writer Tom Jones has 30+ years’ experience in the media industry, previously working for the Tampa Bay Times, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and other outlets. This newsletter has thoughtful analysis of the day’s biggest stories. I also love the “Hot Type” section, which highlights some extraordinary reporting from around the country from both local and national outlets. Jones is a veteran sports writer, so expect some great coverage of sports media.

Press Gazette

• Frequency: Daily or Weekly
• Press Gazette offers several newsletters on Substack for those wanting to follow the latest developments in the media industry, from AI to adtech, paywalls, newspapers, media law and more. The daily newsletter provides links to the latest coverage of the global news industry on Press Gazette and elsewhere. Weekly options offer exclusive insight for media leaders in the US and around the world.

The Publisher Newsletter

• Frequency: Weekly
• This newsletter from Media Voices focuses on “the people and products powering publishing’s future.” See the latest on topics like magazines, podcasts, AI, membership models, product development and more.

Reuters Institute

• Frequency: Biweekly (twice a week)
• The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is well known for its annual in-depth Digital News Project research. In this newsletter, get a look at the latest original reporting, insights, seminars and can’t-miss articles curated from hundreds of sources.

Status

• Frequency: Daily
• The newsletter created by media reporter Oliver Darcy has exploded in popularity since its launch. The hard-hitting briefing breaks down what’s happening in the world of media power. A handy breakdown at the top of each email gives you a preview of who is mentioned. Sunday editions typically feature a Q&A with media movers and a rundown of big media headlines you might have missed over the weekend.

Student Press Law Center

• Frequency: Weekly
• As student journalists find themselves on the front line of many recent breaking stories, this newsletter is an important one to check out. It features updates on student press freedom, helpful legal guides, examples of bold student journalism, tips for newsrooms and more.

Student Reporting Labs

• Frequency: Monthly
• This monthly newsletter won’t clutter your inbox. It provides “resources and information on programs, fellowships, opportunities, and technical tips for student journalists,” in addition to standout reporting produced by students across the country. Founded in 2009, PBS News Student Reporting Labs is a department within PBS News that offers a hands-on student journalism training program.

Tools for Reporters

• Frequency: Biweekly (every other week)
• Who wouldn’t like finding a new tool that makes their job easier? Samantha Sunne, a freelance reporter and instructor, publishes this newsletter. It’s a quick read, which I love. Each edition highlights one unique tool that can help improve a reporter’s workflow. Recent newsletters highlighted tools that help with public records research, web scraping, video editing and freelancing.

WTF is SEO?

• Frequency: Weekly
• This helpful newsletter guides publishers to “understand, prioritize and make actionable growth for your outlet.” Creators Jessie Willms and Shelby Blackley worked as a newsroom SEO specialist and audience editor, respectively, and decided to create an SEO resource for those in the news. What should you expect? “An in-depth look at what SEO is. Strategy and concept ideas. Actionable items. Vegan stuff. Pictures of trees.”

For Fun: Quartz | Weekly Obsession

• Frequency: Weekly
• Sometimes you just need a break from work, and the Obsession newsletter from Quartz is a great option. Each edition features an interactive deep dive into a different topic and showcases some great research by the reporter behind it. Recent topics include TV tourism, dating apps, Substack and spooky music.

Conclusion

Are you thinking about starting your own newsletter? Here are a few tips for boosting engagement and reader loyalty.

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