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THIS WEEK’S TL;DR:

Transform abstract policy into tangible effects ([link removed]) ; ⏱️ this afternoon — tune in for our LinkedIn live ([link removed]) ; get support to cover crime ([link removed]) with public service in mind; get actionable strategies to construct a powerful investigative story ([link removed]) ; time running out to connect with a cohort ([link removed]) of media leaders


** The GOP budget bill will touch people in your audience.
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** Get the right data to tell the story.
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Roughly 1 in 8 Americans receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the United States. This program, along with Medicaid, is at the cutting edge of the Republican safety net cuts.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, SNAP work requirements expanded to include older adults, veterans and unhoused populations. How much of your community has lost benefits?

Get the answer in Poynter’s free webinar — Beat Academy: The midterms, data and America’s safety net ([link removed]) — see which statistics matter most, where to find them, how to interpret them, and how to report real impacts on your coverage area with data instead of speculation.

Join faculty Jon Greenberg on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. Eastern ([link removed]) as he hosts former U.S. Chief Data Scientist Denice Ross and Syracuse University public administration professor Colleen Heflin. Leave with localized story ideas that explore where data makes a difference.


** TIP OF THE WEEK
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By Fernanda Camarena ([link removed]) , Faculty
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Speak less. Speak last. When I coach and teach about leadership, that’s one of my mantras to help managers recognize and exercise their power, and how they can impact a conversation. When I say speak last, it doesn’t mean “have the last word,” it means giving everyone the opportunity to be heard, seen and understood.

A practical tool I teach in our leadership programs is the “art of listening.” It sounds counterintuitive, but a key to being a good newsroom leader is to speak less and listen more. Being a good listener is a skill set and something we can all practice. I also teach this during my “Having Difficult Conversations'” session, because the key to having difficult conversations is being able to understand with empathy and intention. In that session I teach a method called “The loop,” a simple circle for a good listening conversation.

Here’s how it goes:
1. Listen for what seems most important to the other person.
2. Paraphrase what you heard.
3. Check-in. Ask with curiosity if you got it right. Sense hesitation from the other person? Go back to step 1 until you get it right.
4. Dig deeper: “Tell me more”. Invite the other person to investigate beyond their usual talking points.

Try practicing this! In your next meeting, resist the urge to jump right in. You’ll be surprised how much you learn about yourself and your team.

💡 Fernanda co-leads the week that transforms media managers. Experience Poynter's Leadership Academy ([link removed]) in St. Petersburg — apply before it's too late.


** JUST PUBLISHED
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Transforming Crime Coverage (2026) ([link removed])

Get the skills, policies, and editorial support to cover crime with depth, accuracy, and public service in mind — strengthening both democracy and community trust. Apply by March 18, 2026, to audit your coverage, implement a sustainable newsroom policy and learn to do more meaningful work with fewer resources.

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Will Work For Impact: Fundamentals of Investigative Journalism (April 2026) ([link removed])

ProPublica’s deputy managing editor Alexandra Zayas teaches this five-week, hands-on seminar for reporters and editors with ambition to do investigative journalism that functions as an important part of democracy.


** FROM OUR FEED
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Airing this afternoon: 🤩 Are differing communication styles getting in your way at work? Join us today, Jan. 27, at 12:30 Eastern for a breakdown on how to communicate like a boss ([link removed]) feat. Poynter faculty.


** WORTH YOUR WHILE
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🏆 Did you produce work you’re proud of in 2025? Entries are open for The 2026 Poynter Journalism Prizes ([link removed]) honoring the best in U.S. journalism from the last calendar year. See all the prize categories here ([link removed]) . The deadline for entries is 6 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 13. Enter between now and Jan. 31 for the early bird entry fee of $75.


** OPEN JOBS
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* AJI Reporting Fellowship ([link removed]) , Allbritton Journalism Institute, Arlington, VA

* Curator of the Neiman Foundation for Journalism ([link removed]) , Cambridge, MA

* Media Services Production Manager ([link removed]) , University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

BROWSE CAREERS ([link removed])


** FROM OUR NEWSROOM
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* Opinion | How bystander video and newsroom analysis undercut the White House narrative on Alex Pretti ([link removed]) , by Tom Jones
* Opinion | I built my career at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Now it’s ending. ([link removed]) , by Hanna Webster
* What’s happening in Minneapolis? Hear it from the journalists who live there. ([link removed]) , by Kristen Hare



** REP POYNTER
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Poynter receives minimal revenue from sales. To support Poynter’s mission financially, go to poynter.org/give.


** MEME OF THE WEEK
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