From the editor
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Judith Davidoff
Isthmus is a nonprofit, pass it on!
Isthmus will celebrate five years as a nonprofit next year yet some people in the community are unaware of the transition and many changes at the paper.
Paige V Photography
Why the attacks on free speech are working
The title of this year’s annual conference hosted by UW-Madison’s Center for Journalism Ethics was ‘Journalism Ethics In A Fracturing World.’ Director Katy Culver said the subject matter has never been ‘more urgent.’
Oct 6, 2025
Arash Nikkhah
Journalism in the age of AI
A new journalism center at the UW-Madison’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications plans to help newsrooms develop AI policies and tools that fit with their organizational culture.
Sep 4, 2025
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Shrinking newsrooms are not a hallucination
The State Journal has so far declined to offer any more information about a story with made-up information that appeared on the front page of the Sunday paper.
Aug 7, 2025
Jim Gill / WPR
A time of upheaval for public media
Even before federal funding cuts seemed imminent, public media has been struggling.
Jul 7, 2025
Local government’s mixed record on meeting notices
Wisconsin’s open meeting law says agendas should be detailed and specific and reasonably inform the public of the specific items to be considered or placed before the public body. Some notices meet this bar and some don’t.
Jun 12, 2025
Freepik
Can we get some answers here?
It’s getting harder to land interviews and get information from elected officials.
May 5, 2025
Taylor Kilgore
In ‘media’ we don’t trust
When polls focus on local news rather than national media, people indicate greater trust and connection.
Apr 7, 2025
8:00 AM
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Testing norms, teaching civics
The president of the United States is aggressively testing the limits of his executive power and other political norms. How to teach civics in this moment?
Mar 10, 2025
8:00 AM
Tommy Washbush / Freepik
Local news in the time of Trump 2.0
How should local media manage coverage during a time of national turbulence and disruption?
Feb 10, 2025
10:00 AM
City of Madison via YouTube
Let’s all take a minute
At a Dec. 17 news conference following the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway chastised reporters for asking when the names of victims would be released.
Jan 6, 2025
10:00 AM
10 reasons to support Isthmus
Exclusive stories. Comprehensive calendar. Quality writing. These are just some of the reasons to support the work of Isthmus.
Dec 31, 2024
10:00 AM
Madison is rich in nonprofit media
Public radio and public television — here and across the country — have long operated as a nonprofit, but the model is relatively new for print publications like Isthmus.
Nov 8, 2024
10:30 AM
