New England Newspaper & Press Association

News leaders: Join this “ask me anything” to explore how local media are integrating youth voices and needs into daily news and storytelling

The American Press Institute invites local news leaders to an interactive briefing on how dozens of their peers are recognizing young people’s agency, meeting their needs and building affinity to help youth problem-solve personally and engage civically as they grow.

Designed for news leaders, this interactive Zoom meeting will offer insight and space for reflection on how local news can build youth trust by equipping young residents for civic engagement and community leadership.

The American Press Institute regularly convenes leaders working on shared challenges across the local news landscape — issues that affect both their sustainability and their civic impact. In this interactive debrief from a recent summit, API’s summit co-facilitators Senior Vice President Samantha Ragland and Senior Director of Partnerships and Operations Kevin Loker will share what we’ve learned about how local news is building youth trust by redefining youth involvement in local news operations

We’ll share the opportunities for local news to be a force for local youth’s development and ability to thrive, as well as the lived challenges of news leaders passionate about this work.

We’ll pay specific attention to the challenge that local news leaders say they had in serving young people and sustaining youth-focused work. The takeaways, we hope, inspire action you could take in your newsroom to accelerate how local media serves and empowers young people across the country.

Even if you have incredible findings to report, that might not matter if the data is too complicated — or dull! — to explain. Many of the best ways to report data for audio will translate to print and other media. Learn how to convey complicated data while remaining accurate and holding your audience’s attention.

During this class, you’ll learn:

(1) The basics of data reporting.
(2) The basics of audio reporting.
(3) How to bring the two together — without losing your listeners!

This workshop offers a practical introduction to using AI for investigative journalism, focusing on real-world reporting applications. It covers workflows for extracting structure from text, cleaning data, identifying patterns, and checking findings with greater speed and depth, with demonstrations drawn from reporting on audit reports, public budgets, climate spending, and ad library data. It shows how investigative journalists can use AI tools to explore complex information and develop story ideas.

Housing intersects with nearly every major story journalists cover today—from elections and education to health, climate, business, and public safety. Yet many reporters believe housing is a specialized beat or feel unprepared to cover it responsibly.

This session, led by Princeton’s Eviction Lab, is designed for journalists of all beats and experience levels. Whether you’re a breaking news reporter, investigative journalist, data reporter, audience engagement journalist, or editor, we’ll show why housing deserves your attention—and how to cover it well without necessarily becoming a full-time housing reporter.

In this panel, attendees will learn:

• What’s happening nationally in housing and homelessness, including recent shifts in policy, affordability, and displacement—and how these trends connect to electoral politics and local governance.
• Four to five essential data tools every journalist should know to report on housing, eviction, rent, and homelessness, with a practical introduction to accessible resources and datasets.
• How to find housing stories in any community, including tips for identifying newsworthy angles beyond press releases and official statements.
• Ethical sourcing practices, with guidance on interviewing tenants and unhoused people in ways that minimize harm and avoid stigma.
• Examples of strong housing journalism, highlighting work that has driven accountability, influenced policy, or changed public understanding.
• Attendees will leave with concrete tools, story ideas, and a clearer sense of how housing reporting can strengthen their core beat—no matter what they usually cover.