From 2013 to 2023, I was deputy curator at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard and editor of Nieman Reports, which covers thought leadership in journalism. During my tenure, Nieman Reports won, among other awards, five Mirror Awards recognizing excellence in media industry reporting and two Bart Richards Awards for Media Criticism.


Forced to Flee: How Exiled Journalists Hold the Powerful to Account

March 20, 2023

As press freedoms around the globe erode, journalists are building networks outside their home countries to continue reporting


Open-Source Journalism in a Wired World

December 7, 2022

Spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, open-source investigations are being integrated into standard newsroom practice


Political Coverage is Changing to Get Beyond ‘Us Versus Them’

September 14, 2022

A more nuanced depiction of voters and issues can help newsrooms better report on elections and political campaigns


 

Reporting at Risk

From Kashmir to Russia to Mexico and beyond, journalism is under threat. Essays by journalists who are managing to do vital independent reporting — often at great personal risk

 

A “Kiss of Freedom” for Turkey’s Press

August 15, 2022

Independent journalists are stubbornly persisting in digital formats from newsletters to videos to podcasts

 

How Latin American Journalists Are Using Collaborations To Get Around Censorship Laws

August 3, 2022

Silence is not an option

 

In Ghana, Only a Handful of Journalists Are Able To Do Critical Reporting

July 19, 2022

On paper, Ghana is a thriving democracy. On the ground, journalists do not have the freedom to do their work

 

The Myanmar Junta’s Wanton Violence Is Forcing Journalists to Flee

July 13, 2022

Exiled reporters are finding it difficult to reach sources back home, who are increasingly afraid to talk

 

What It’s Like Working in the Deadliest Country in the World for Journalists

July 12, 2022

In Mexico, journalists are trapped between physical threats and political disputes

 

With Dom, We All Died a Little Bit

July 6, 2022

The murder of a veteran journalist covering the vulnerable in the Amazon has reverberated among reporters in Brazil

 

“We Should Side with Democracy:” Why the War in Ukraine is Existential for Baltic Journalists

June 30, 2022

Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Baltic states’ independent media reckon with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

 

Tunisian Journalists Face Police Intimidation and Jail Time for Doing Our Jobs

June 29, 2022

As President Kais Saied consolidates his grip on power, Tunisia — and its media — are sliding backward from hard-won democratic gains

 

In the Philippines, Will Marcos Give the Media Hell Like Duterte Did?

June 23, 2022

The rise of hyper-partisan influencers has made it easier for those seeking power to control the flow of information

 

In Turkey, Erdoğan’s Crackdown on the Free Press Intensifies

June 22, 2022

As the country prepares for next year’s elections, the government is making it even harder for independent journalists

 

I witnessed Orbán crack down on Hungary’s free press. Here’s my advice to journalists facing similar threats

June 9, 2022

When you come under attack as a journalist, don’t make yourself the center of the story

 

Judges, Too, Can Be Enemies of the Press

June 1, 2022

In Malaysia, news organizations can find themselves on the losing end of expensive lawsuits

 

Piercing Putin’s Truth Blockade

May 27, 2022

A handful of courageous Russian journalists are fighting on the frontline of an information war. It is a battle that affects us all

 

In Mexico, A Mix of Violence and Economics Threatens Local News Organizations

April 26, 2022

Newspapers once had the financial strength to resist pressure from politicians looking for favorable coverage. That independence is in danger


Nieman Reports - Spring 2022 - cover
Nieman Reports - Spring 2022

 

Don’t Look Away: Photojournalists Are Documenting the Brutality of Russia’s War in Ukraine

April 15, 2022

There are layers to bearing witness, from the war's victims, to journalists in the field, to readers like you

 

Covering The War in Ukraine: “The Putin Regime Doesn’t Want Eye Witnesses”

March 28, 2022

Prior to the invasion, few Ukrainian journalists had experience working in conflict zones. Now the war has come to their homes

 

Reporting in Ukraine: “This War is Unpredictable and Deadly Like No Other”

March 21, 2022

Russia’s brutally simple Ukraine strategy poses new risks for journalists

 

Putin Shuts Down Russia’s Free Press for Reporting Accurately on Ukraine

March 9, 2022

The crackdown on independent news outlets takes Russia back to the Soviet era

 

Fighting for A Free Press in Ukraine — and Beyond

March 4, 2022

As Ukrainians defend their country against the Russian invasion, journalists there and in other post-Soviet states guard their fragile press freedoms

 

Ukrainian Journalists Risk Everything to Stand Up to Putin

March 2, 2022

Russia’s history of suppressing independent media at home offers clues about what might happen in Ukraine

 

Call Out Bigotry in Reporting on the Ukraine Invasion

February 28, 2002

How journalists cover armed conflict shouldn’t hinge on the color of people’s skin or the color of their hair


The Media and the Ballot Box: Confronting 21st Century Voter Suppression

December 15, 2021

As more states restrict ballot access, news outlets must invest in consistent voting rights reporting that cuts through lies, distortion, and disinformation


In Europe, Podcasters of Color Make Their Own Space for Conversations on Race

October 21, 2021

Podcasts are popping up across the continent to fill the coverage void of race and racism in mainstream media


Lessons from the Pandemic

Summer-Fall 2021

Can — or should — journalism return to a pre-pandemic “normal?”

 


In India, the Last Few Bastions Of The Free Press Stand Guard Against Rising Authoritarianism

September 20, 2021

How Indian newsrooms are holding the Modi government to account


The Real Meaning of “He’s No Angel” for Journalism

July 14, 2021

Why an artist’s angelic rendering of George Floyd could help change the way journalists describe victims of police violence


Journalism in Myanmar: “An Apocalypse for The Media”

June 18, 2021

Myanmar’s former ‘outlaw’ journalists lead the battle for a free press


Alexei Navalny, Social Media, and the State of the Free Press in Russia

June 10, 2021

The space for independent Russian journalism is shrinking, but a handful of small outlets still offer an alternative to state media


Serving the Audiences Mainstream Newsrooms Don’t

May 19,2021

How the pandemic, anti-police brutality protests, and Atlanta spa shootings starkly illustrate the need for community and immigrant-serving media outlets


Covering Extremism: “As Exhausting a Beat as It Is Important”

March 30, 2021

Reporters who have long covered the far right offer advice — and warnings — for where reporting on white nationalism and conspiracy theories should go from here


In India, Journalists “Are Fighting For Whether Truth is Meaningful or Not”

February 25, 2021

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is cracking down on the free press — and the free press is pushing back


Spanning Beats, Environmental Justice Reporting Influences Every Story

February 3, 2021

By connecting systemic inequities to environmental harms, environmental justice reporting covers everything from race and housing to healthcare and immigration


Spurred by Black Lives Matter, Coverage of Police Violence Is Changing

January 28, 2021

Newsrooms are moving away from privileging police accounts over those of police violence victims


What's Next...

Winter 2021

 

 

The Extremist Mob at the U.S. Capitol was America, Too

 

For Political Reporters, The Post-Trump Era Poses Practical—and Existential—Questions

 

Challenges and Possible Solutions to Winning Back Trust in Journalism Post-Trump

 

How Journalists Beyond the U.S. Fight Back Against Government Intimidation


The Newsrooms We Need Now

Fall 2020

 

Print design and video by Dan Zedek

 

5 Things I Learned as an AAPI Engagement Editor Covering Anti-Asian Hate

 

True Newsroom Diversity Must Account for Disability Status, Too

 

With Fresh Start, The Boston Globe Weighs News Value of Older Articles Versus Individual Harm

 

To Change Its Future, The Kansas City Star Examined Its Racist Past

 

How Can Journalists Better Serve Immigrant Communities?

 

Don’t Exoticize Latino Voters; Report on Them as Americans

 

It’s Time to Cover Black Women as the Norm and Not the “Other”

 

To Move Forward on Racial Equity, Newsrooms Need to Reckon with Their Pasts

 

Journalists Can Help People Tell Their Own Stories by Talking Less, Listening More

 

Newsrooms Should Make Space for Emotions

 

Before You Can Fix Your Newsroom, You Need to Fix Your Life

 

Journalists Need to Remember that Not All News Readers are White

 

Is Movement  Journalism What’s Needed During this Reckoning over Race and Inequality?

 

In Photographing Social Justice Protests, Respect Means ‘Looking Again’


Racial Reckoning

Summer 2020

 

George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and One Journalist’s Painfully Honest Self-Examination on Racism

 

How Nimble, Mission-driven Outlets Are Telling Stories about — and for — Black Communities

 

Learning from Little Rock: A Look at Black Lives Matter Protests and the Role of Local News

 

Protest Photography Can Be a Powerful Tool For and Against Black Lives Matter

 

Refugee Journalists Bring Access to Stories that Would Otherwise Be Missed

 

Reporting and Resilience: How Journalists Are Managing Their Mental Health

 


The Impact of the Coronavirus on Journalism

Spring 2020

 

Without a Campaign to Cover, Reporters Shift to Covering the Voting Process Itself

 

COVID-19 is threatening to extinguish local media — and fueling bold proposals to fund its long-term future

 

How coverage of the coronavirus in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany has impacted trust in news outlets

 

Three Ways To Counter Authoritarian Overreach During the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

Speculative Journalism can help audiences think about the future, but critics question if integrating science fiction into journalism is responsible

 

COVID-19, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and the Future of Local News

 

Lessons from coronavirus coverage for the next health crisis story—climate change

 

Journalism and Prediction during the Coronavirus Pandemic

 


The Hong Kong Protests are Also a Fight for a Free Press

October 10, 2019

Faced with new levels of political pressure and physical threat, Hong Kong’s independent news outlets respond with intrepid reporting and innovative fundraising

 


Amidst Crackdowns, Kashmiri Journalists Struggle to Report

August 30, 2019

With communication restrictions creating dueling narratives of what's happening, Kashmiri journalists are fighting to keep people informed


How Implicit Bias Works in Journalism

November 13, 2018

Avoiding the pitfalls of hidden biases can lead to better story selection and more inclusive reporting


The Nieman 80

October, 2018

On the 80th anniversary of the Nieman Foundation, Nieman Fellows reflect on the journalism that’s left an indelible mark on them and their careers

 


"What Ever Happened to the Free Press?”

August 16, 2018

The Nieman Foundation is joining more than 300 news outlets publishing editorials on Aug. 16 in support of freedom of the press, an effort initiated by The Boston Globe


Critics and Online Outlets Leading the Vanguard in Arts Writing

May 2018

From heady journals to Tumblr manifestos, innovation in art criticism is happening outside the mainstream


Reinventing Local TV News

April 2018

To attract young viewers, stations are going digital-first, crowdsourcing reporting, experimenting with augmented reality, and injecting more personality into the news

 


The Race Beat, Revisited

January 2018

At a time when political and social divisions over race are constantly in the headlines, news outlets are striving to cover the issue with accuracy and sensitivity


"Almost Everyone, On Every Beat, Becomes an Immigration Reporter at Some Point"

December 2017

Covering immigration requires a multidisciplinary approach to reporting, from economics to politics to education


#NowWhat

Fall 2017

How newsroom leaders can create workplaces that truly support women

 


Covering Climate Change, with Urgency and Creativity

August 2017

A look at news outlets bringing innovation, urgency and new audiences to stories on climate change


"A mass shooting, only in slow motion"

June 2017

Newsrooms are moving away from a focus on mass shootings to tell more nuanced stories about the people and communities marred by gun violence
For this piece, Glenn Jeffers won a SPJ Sigma Delta Chi Award for magazine writing.


Where Are the Mothers?

Summer 2017

If news organizations want to attract and retain millennial journalists, it's essential that they work to better meet the needs of parents and create better work-life balance for all employees


What Journalists Must Do Next:
Reporting in the Age of Trump

Fall 2016

 


Automation in the Newsroom

Summer 2015

How algorithms are helping reporters expand coverage, engage audiences, and respond to breaking news


Race and Reporting

Spring 2015

The case for more inclusive newsrooms

 


Where Are the Women?

Summer 2014

Why we need more female newsroom leaders


The State of Journalism in China

Winter 2014

 


Nieman's 75th Anniversary

Summer-Fall 2013


Organize the Noise: Tweeting Live from the Boston Manhunt

Spring 2013

A reporter and a programmer on what social media coverage of the Boston bombings means for journalism

 

Related Forum

The Nieman Foundation

May 1, 2013

Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings, the Nieman Foundation convened a round table conversation on the role of Twitter during coverage. Speakers included Boston Globe deputy managing editor for local news Jennifer Peter; Globe reporter and 2013 Nieman Fellow David Abel; Cheryl Fiandaca, chief of public information for the Boston Police Department; Seth Mnookin, co-director of MIT's Graduate Program in Science Writing; Callie Crossley, host of WGBH's "Under the Radar"; and The Washington Post's director of digital content David Beard. The event was introduced by Nieman Foundation curator Ann Marie Lipinski and moderated by James Geary, Nieman's deputy curator.

The World Weekly

From September through December of 2012, I was the founding editor-in-chief of The World Weekly, a freemium international news magazine combining original journalism with curated content from the best publications around the world. I co-developed the magazine's editorial formula and edited the first three issues. You can read my inaugural editor's letter.

Time Magazine

I worked for TIME from 1993-2006, first as a Netherlands-based stringer, then as a writer, senior editor, founding editor of timeeurope.com, deputy editor and ultimately as Europe Editor, responsible for the European edition of the magazine.


The Other Face of France

November 21, 2005

writer/editor
Can France bring order to the streets and hope to the restive minorities of the banlieues?


Streets of Fire

November 14, 2005

editor
Nights of mayhem scorch France's troubled banlieues and blacken the country's image of itself


The Lost Tribes of Europe

August 29, 2005

writer, cover story
As national borders blur, the Continent's original minorities are fighting to reclaim their ancient cultures and identities


No Way Out

August 8, 2005

editor
After a massive manhunt, Britain's suspected suicide bombers are nabbed. But that doesn't mean the threat of more attacks is over


Don't Mention the War

May 9, 2005

editor
Tony Blair looks set to win what he's said will be his last campaign. But for many, the Iraq war has tarnished his legacy


Slaughter of the Innocents

September 13, 2004

senior editor
Inside the Beslan Siege


Everyman's Odyssey

July 5, 2004

writer
James Geary joins a crowd of James Joyce devotees on a Bloomsday trek through Dublin in pursuit of the elusive, allusive soul of Ulysses


A Strike at Europe's Heart

March 22, 2004

senior editor
Inside the Madrid train bombings


Living with Risk

July 28, 2003

writer, cover story
Science can pinpoint potential dangers from GM foods, mobile phones and household chemicals but can't tell us if those risks are real. What's a consumer to do?

This article won the 2004 British Environment and Media Award.


Inside the Moscow Siege

November 4, 2002
senior editor

Interview

BBC World Service
May 17, 2002
News Hour
Patriotic pressure and journalistic self-censorship post-9/11


The Body Electric

March 11, 2002

writer
Scientists are melding computer chips with the human nervous system, allowing people to extend, enhance and repair their senses


Fast Forward Europe

Special Issue, Winter 2000–2001
editor

Editor's Letter


A Brief History of the Higgs Hunt

November 13, 2000

writer
Scientists in Switzerland may have solved one of the great mysteries of particle physics. Why should we care?


Visions of Europe

Special Issue, Winter 1998–1999
editor

 

Editor's Letter

 

In the Fast Lane
Seven years after regaining independence, Estonia is well on its way to joining the E.U.

 

A Delicate Balance

 

Related Interview

MDF1 Direkt
Magdeburg, Germany
May 1999

 

In the Visions of Europe special issue, Time included Magdeburg, Germany on a map of potential flashpoints for conflict, due to its record of far-right violence. This outraged the mayor, Wilhelm Polte, and many others in the city. Mayor Polte invited me to visit Magdeburg to see for myself. I accepted his invitation and wrote this piece as a result. Mayor Polte neglected to inform me that he had arranged for local news teams to be present at our meeting with residents and officials. So in this segment I am clarifying Time's coverage and explaining that the piece was based on reporting by Time staff and stringers in Germany, not by journalists in New York, which the mayor and others thought was the case. Unfortunately, the German translation of my remarks makes it sound like I was distancing Time from the reporting; I was not. In fact, I was defending the reporting because it was based on local experience and local knowledge from Time journalists in Germany.


The New Age of Discovery

Special Issue, Winter 1997–1998
editor

 

In the Realm of the Senses
Scientists are using advanced computer technologies to extend, enhance and repair the power of the senses. I later expanded on the research in this article for my first book, The Body Electric.

 

The Undiscovered Country
Death remains life’s ultimate riddle, but is it inevitable?

Related Interviews

 

BBC Wiltshire
February 11, 1998
The Afternoon Show

A Doctor Who-themed, time-traveling tour of some of the issues raised and people featured (including Sir John Maddox about 25 minutes in) in Time's The New Age of Discovery special issue

 

LBC Radio
December 9, 1997
Drivetime

A conversation about some of the articles from Time's The New Age of Discovery special issue​


Hot Air?

October 12, 1998

writer, cover story
Europe’s new left must bring its lofty rhetoric down to earth


Mad About the Noise

July 27, 1998

writer, cover story
Too much noise is driving people mad


Back to Babel

July 7, 1997

writer, cover story
Half the world’s languages are faced with extinction. Does it matter?


Total Recall

May 5, 1997

writer, cover story
Scientists are beginning to grasp how memories are made and stored in the brain. Can "memory drugs" be far behind?

This was my first cover story for Time, and to mark the occasion my son, Gilles, and I were the subject of this issue's editor's letter.


No Stone Unthrown

June 7, 1993

reporter

This is my first appearance in Time magazine. Having traveled to Albania on assignment for another title, I stumbled across the opening of the first privately-owned art gallery in the country since the fall of the Stalinist regime. This piece was based on my reporting of the event, and I received this fax of thanks from the gallery owner after I sent him a copy of the article.

Ode / The Intelligent Optimist

I was editor of Ode / The Intelligent Optimist, a magazine about positive change, from 2006 to 2012. During my tenure, Ode won three gold Eddies and a silver Eddie in the Folio awards and three Maggies in the Western Publishers Association awards.


The Unbearable Lightness of Boredom

July-Aug. 2013
The surprising benefits of being bored


Walking on Water

Jan.-Feb. 2013
One man's odyssey to retrace and reduce his water footprint


True Grit

Nov.-Dec. 2012
How persistence makes us who we are


Sure Enough

July-Aug. 2012
How doubt can lead to greater intimacy, enhanced self- confidence and a deeper sense of spirituality


Hidden Persuaders

May-June 2012
Exploring the promise and the perils of the new unconscious


Life Without Leaders

Jan.-Feb. 2012
It's followers who have solutions to our most challenging social and political problems


The Wisdom of One

July-Aug. 2010
How dissent spurs innovation, creativity, and social justice


The Joy of Dirt

March 2010
One man's odyssey to retrace and reduce his soil footprint


Why We Laugh

Aug. 2009
A special issue devoted to all things jesting and jocular

 

In the Beginning Was the Joke

 

Laughter and Learning

 

I Laugh, Therefore I am
Grins and giggles may hold the key to our social evolution


In Praise of Failure

Oct. 2008
Failing is among life's least pleasant experiences, but nothing else is as essential to success


The Silence Issue

July-Aug. 2008
Everything you always wanted to know about peace and quiet

 

Ode to the Ear

 

Quiet, Please!
Noise pollution can damage your health and shatter your piece of mind. here's how to turn it down