What does it mean to be a war correspondent?
Why are local newspapers around the world shutting down?
How does misinformation impact our response to the climate crisis?
We spend hours every day consuming the news – but rarely peer behind the curtain at how the news is made. The media is constantly transforming, adapting to a world where information moves ever faster. New ways of reporting emerge while others disappear. The line between journalism, social media, and citizen activism blurs. In all of this, it’s easy to feel disoriented about where the news industry is going.
Enter The Leading Question.
The Leading Question is a new project by Internews, a nonprofit that supports independent media in 100+ countries. Each month, we will take a big question about the state of today’s media and connect you to the people who are shaping the answer. From the work of local journalists in Ukraine to how online rumors determine the outcomes of elections, we will provide expert insight on the most pressing issues affecting the media today.
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Check Out Previous Editions of The Leading Question
September 2024
How can we make independent media more financially sustainable?
For September’s issue of The Leading Question, we covered the launch of the Media Viability Accelerator (MVA), a pioneering digital platform that helps independent news outlets achieve financial sustainability.
July 2024
What did Internews get up to this summer?
For July’s issue of The Leading Question, we recapped the latest research from Internews – from studying the state of environmental journalism to supporting media in exile.
April 2024
Does healthy information = healthy democracy?
For April’s issue of The Leading Question, we cover the fight against disinformation and the opportunity to build healthy information ecosystems that benefit us all
February 2024
What does it take to build gender-equitable leadership?
For February’s issue of The Leading Question, we reaffirm our commitment to achieving fair gender representation internally and in our gender projects.
January 2024
In a year with 64+ elections globally, how will AI impact information voters see?
For January’s issue of The Leading Question, we explore AI’s impact on upcoming elections around the globe.
November 2023
Artificial Intelligence in Newsrooms — Friend or Foe?
For November’s issue of The Leading Question, we explore AI’s impact on newsrooms around the globe.
October 2023
What are the creepiest threats that journalism is facing – and how can we drive a stake through their heart?
For October’s spooky issue of The Leading Question, we cover how we’re countering independent journalism’s greatest threats.
September 2023
What’d I miss? Internews’ Top Stories from Summer
For September’s issue of The Leading Question, we recap Internews’ top stories from spring and summer 2023.
August 2023
Wait, how do we actually help protect independent journalism?
For August’s issue of The Leading Question, we cover Internews’ work across sectors and continents to safeguard fact-based, independent, and local media
June 2023
How can we turn “news deserts” into “news gardens”?
For June’s issue of The Leading Question, we cover the how we can help shape the future of local media in the U.S.
May 2023
World Press Freedom Day Issue
For May’s issue of The Leading Question, we cover the biggest challenges and opportunities for independent journalism.
April 2023
How can we respond to the urgent threats faced by independent media?
For April’s issue of The Leading Question, we cover our groundbreaking URGENT report.
April 2023 (Special Issue)
How did last week’s Summit for Democracy push the issue of press freedom?
For April 2023’s special issue of The Leading Question, we recap the 2023 Summit for Democracy.
March 2023
How can we combat online violence against women?
For March 2023’s issue of The Leading Question, we ask what can be done about online gender-based violence against women.
February 2023
How is disinformation affecting the elections in Nigeria?
For February 2023’s issue of The Leading Question, we ask what role disinformation played in Nigeria’s pivotal elections.
January 2023
What did COVID misinformation teach us about the next pandemic?
For January 2023’s issue of The Leading Question, we explore lessons we can draw from the pandemic to inform the media response to the next one.
November 2022
Women are underrepresented in the news. How much does that cost?
For November 2022’s issue of The Leading Question, we examine the harsh realities facing women of all colors in news leadership & coverage.
October 2022
What’s it like to be a journalist in Ukraine?
For October 2022’s issue of The Leading Question, we sat down with Ukrainian journalists to talk about the war’s impact on local journalists’ lives.