How are news organizations using AI to support business development? The Center for Innovation & Sustainability in Local Media at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media is conducting a national survey to better understand how AI tools are being used across the industry.

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, and participation is voluntary. Responses will remain confidential and will only be reported in aggregate, with no individuals or organizations identified.

Participants can choose to receive AI best-practice resources from The Center and may also enter a drawing for a $25 gift card by providing an email address at the end of the survey.

Questions about the research can be directed to cislm@unc.edu. We encourage NENPA members to participate and help inform future AI resources and best practices for local news organizations.

The Massachusetts Senate has unanimously approved journalist shield protections for the first time, marking a historic milestone in the effort to strengthen press freedom in the Commonwealth. The measure, adopted as part of the Senate’s public records legislation, would protect journalists from being compelled to reveal confidential sources except under narrowly defined circumstances established by the courts.

While the legislation must still be reconciled with the House version in conference committee before heading to the governor’s desk, the vote represents the strongest progress the proposal has made after years of advocacy.

NENPA is proud to be part of the coalition supporting this effort, alongside the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, ACLU of Massachusetts, Common Cause Massachusetts, the New England First Amendment Coalition, Boston Globe Media, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association, and other organizations committed to protecting the public’s right to know.

Read the full coalition press release here: https://www.nenpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Press-Release_-Senate-Approves-Shield-Bill.pdf

NENPA members now have access to another valuable member benefit—a complimentary subscription to E&P Magazine, the news media industry’s leading publication covering the business, innovation, and future of journalism.

As part of NENPA’s ongoing commitment to supporting publishers, editors, journalists, and media professionals across New England, members can receive the award-winning print edition of E&P delivered directly to their mailbox each month at no cost.

Each issue features exclusive interviews with industry leaders, original reporting on the challenges and opportunities facing local news, practical strategies for growing revenue and audiences, technology trends, leadership insights, and in-depth analysis designed specifically for news media professionals.

Whether you’re looking for new ideas to strengthen your newsroom, stay informed on emerging trends, or learn from innovative publishers across the country, E&P provides timely, relevant coverage to help you navigate today’s rapidly evolving media landscape.

Activate your complimentary subscription today at https://eandp.press/NENPA.

The New England Newspaper & Press Association has selected Nolan Page as the recipient of a 2026 Bob Wallack Summer Internship Stipend.

Page, of Tiverton, Rhode Island, recently completed his freshman year at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, where he is double-majoring in journalism and environmental studies and policy.

This summer, Page will join the newsroom at Rhode Island Current for a six-week internship. Before being selected for the position, he spent time shadowing the newsroom during spring break, where he reported on assignments, produced video content, and collaborated with staff reporters on coverage that was later highlighted in States Newsroom’s national Evening Wrap newsletter.

“Nolan impressed our team with the quality of his reporting, professionalism, curiosity, and willingness to take on new challenges,” wrote Rhode Island Current Editor-in-Chief Janine Weisman in her nomination. “We are excited to welcome him for a six-week internship.”

The $500 Bob Wallack Summer Internship Stipend will help support Page’s internship, allowing him to gain valuable newsroom experience while continuing to build the reporting and multimedia skills he has already demonstrated during his first year of college.

The Bob Wallack Summer Internship Stipend honors the late Bob Wallack, a respected New England newspaper executive and longtime advocate for journalism. The stipend helps support aspiring journalists as they gain hands-on newsroom experience, continuing Wallack’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of newspaper professionals.

The Journalism Education Foundation of New England (JEFNE), the nonprofit foundation of the New England Newspaper & Press Association, has awarded four $2,500 scholarships to aspiring journalists pursuing careers in the profession. The scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated a commitment to journalism and will help support their college education as they prepare for careers in the field.

Each year, the Foundation awards scholarships to high school seniors and college students from across New England who are studying and gaining work experience to prepare for careers in journalism. Through these scholarships, JEFNE strives to support and encourage the next generation of journalists.

The recipients of the 2026 Journalism Education Foundation of New England Scholarships are:

• Melvin Sanchez – University of Hartford
• Mikayla Bunnell – University of Connecticut
• Harshitha Kothapalli – New York University
• Sanya Nadeem – Brown University (MacGregor Fiske Scholarship recipient)

Each scholarship recipient shared what the award means to them and how it will help them pursue their journalism education:

Melvin Sanchez, attending the University of Hartford

“Receiving this scholarship brings me one step closer to earning my degree in Digital Media and Journalism at the University of Hartford. It will help ease the financial burden of college, allowing me to focus more on developing my skills, gaining hands-on experience, and creating meaningful stories that positively impact my community. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and the investment in my future.”

Mikayla Bunnell, attending the University of Connecticut

“This scholarship will allow me to focus less on working and worrying about how to pay for my senior year of college, and more on producing quality journalism for my school newspaper and yearbook. I’ll be able to spend more time searching for and writing good stories to build my portfolio, and I’ll have more time to get even more involved in the UConn journalism community during my final year. I’m so grateful for this award!”

Harshitha Kothapalli, attending New York University

“Next year I will be attending New York University studying Journalism and this scholarship will help allow me to continue my academic career, grow my skills, and broaden my opportunities. I am beyond grateful for JEFNE and the work that they do!”

Sanya Nadeem, attending Brown University (MacGregor Fiske Scholarship recipient)

“Receiving the MacGregor Fiske Scholarship is an incredible honor and encouragement as I prepare to study at Brown University. Throughout high school, I have learned firsthand how thoughtful reporting can uncover overlooked stories, elevate underrepresented perspectives, and strengthen civic engagement. This scholarship will allow me to continue developing my journalism skills in college and deepen my commitment to using storytelling to draw attention to issues that matter and serve the common good. I am so grateful to JEFNE and NENPA for their investment in student journalists and aspiring storytellers!”

The MacGregor Fiske Scholarship honors the late Mac Fiske, a fourth-generation newspaperman who died in 2009 at the age of 75.

About the Journalism Education Foundation of New England

The Journalism Education Foundation of New England encourages and supports high school seniors and college students throughout the six-state region who aspire to pursue careers in journalism.

The JEFNE scholarship is available to New England residents who are high school seniors planning to attend college or current college students studying journalism or a related field.

Member newspapers of the New England Newspaper & Press Association help support the scholarship program by promoting it to readers in their communities.

For more information about the Journalism Education Foundation of New England scholarship program, please contact Linda Conway at l.conway@nenpa.com

As we begin a new NENPA membership year, we thought it was the perfect time to introduce a new way for members to showcase their connection to the New England journalism community.

We’ve created two official NENPA Proud Member badges—a rectangular version and a round version—that members are welcome to use on their websites, email signatures, social media profiles, newsletters, marketing materials, and other communications.

Displaying your NENPA membership is an easy way to demonstrate your commitment to professional journalism and let readers, advertisers, community partners, and prospective employees know that your organization is part of a trusted regional association supporting local news across New England. It also helps raise awareness of NENPA and may encourage other news organizations to learn more about the benefits of membership.

In addition to the ready-to-use badges, we’ve also included standalone NENPA logo files for members who would like to create their own custom membership graphic or incorporate the logo into an existing design.

All of the badge and logo files are available for download on the Member Benefits page of the NENPA website, making it easy to add them to your organization’s materials.

If you’d like to take your NENPA pride a step further, be sure to visit the NENPA Merch Shop, where you’ll find apparel, mugs, tote bags, and other merchandise featuring the official Proud Member designs, along with other NENPA and local journalism-themed collections. These designs can be customized to include your own logo.

To celebrate the launch of the Proud Member badges, everything in the shop will be 20% off from July 21–24, making it the perfect time to pick up your favorite NENPA gear while supporting the association’s programs and initiatives.

If your organization isn’t yet a member—or if you know a newsroom that would benefit from joining—there’s still time to become part of NENPA for the new membership year. We invite you to join our growing network, download your new member badges, and proudly display your NENPA membership throughout the year.

For many local news organizations, the challenge isn’t identifying the stories that need to be told—it’s having enough reporters to tell them. As newsrooms continue to navigate staffing shortages, tight budgets, retirements, and growing community needs, finding and developing new journalism talent has become more important than ever.

Journalism New England’s Career Lab offers one way to help address that challenge.

The organization is now recruiting news organizations interested in participating in its next Career Lab cohort, scheduled to begin in September 2026. The 12-week training program helps local newsrooms develop new community reporters by providing hands-on training, editing, and mentorship at no cost to participating newsrooms.

Rather than asking publishers to find experienced journalists, Career Lab encourages newsrooms to identify someone already connected to their community who has the interest and potential to become a local reporter. It could be a recent graduate, an engaged community member, a freelancer looking to expand their skills, or someone with strong local knowledge and a passion for storytelling. Newsrooms nominate their candidate, and Journalism New England provides the training while tailoring assignments to the newsroom’s coverage priorities.

During the fellowship, Career Lab fellows receive a $300 monthly learning stipend, paid directly by Journalism New England. Journalism New England works closely with participants throughout the program, editing stories to AP style and delivering polished articles ready for publication. Participating news organizations are under no obligation to hire participants after the program concludes, although the program is designed to help build newsroom capacity and create long-term freelance and employment opportunities.

Each participating newsroom designates a liaison who works with Career Lab staff to share story ideas, local events, and reporting priorities. Journalism New England provides ongoing editorial guidance throughout the fellowship, helping participants produce accurate, community-focused reporting while reducing the burden on already stretched newsroom staff.

Career Lab is built around a simple idea: the next great reporter for your newsroom may already be living in your community. By helping local news organizations identify and develop promising new talent, the program expands reporting capacity, strengthens community connections, and helps build the next generation of local journalists.

The next Career Lab cohort is expected to begin in early September 2026, and Journalism New England is currently seeking participating newsrooms from across the region.

Publishers interested in participating can express their interest by completing the online form: https://www.journalismnewengland.org/careerlab#careerlabcontact

For additional information, contact Erin O’Mara at erin@journalismnewengland.org.