by Nelson Graves | 2 Jul 2025 | Decoder Replay, Education, History, Journalism
Every July 4 the United States celebrates its Declaration of Independence. But behind its “self-evident” truths was a load of hypocrisy. The U.S. Declaration of Independence. (Photo credit: jaflippo/Getty Images) Editor’s note: On 4 July, people in...
by Marcy Burstiner | 27 Jun 2025 | Journalism, Media Literacy, News Decoder Tips
We live in an age of disinformation. But most journalists try hard to report the truth without being sneaky or causing harm in the process. They follow a code. A reporter is handed a classified file in a parking garage. (Illustration by News Decoder) In News...
by Marcy Burstiner | 20 Jun 2025 | Journalism, Media Literacy, News Decoder Tips
Everyone makes mistakes. To be credible you have to fess up when you get things wrong. Doing so doesn’t make you look bad. It shows you care about the truth. Two photos of birds. The left one is a curlew sandpiper and is covered by a big red X. The other is a...
by Garry Lotulung | 17 Jun 2025 | Asia, Environment, Photojournalism
All parts of a shark can be eaten. Some parts are worth a whole lot of money and that makes them hunted and endangered. Can sharks and shark eaters coexist? A freshly-caught shark is displayed for sale a traditional market in Tanjung Luar, on the Indonesian island of...
by Marcy Burstiner | 13 Jun 2025 | History, Journalism, News Decoder Tips
Things don’t happen in a vacuum. If we understand how we got here, we might see ways out of the mess we’re in. A little history adds a whole lot of context. A historian examines old documents. (Illustration by News Decoder) In News Decoder’s Top...
by Marcy Burstiner | 3 Jun 2025 | Human Rights, Journalism, United States
In only a handful of countries are journalists supported, protected and generally trusted. We need to change that. A clickable map of press freedom. Courtesy of Reporters Without Borders. After a century of gradual expansion of press rights in the United States, the...
by Marcy Burstiner | 30 May 2025 | Education, Journalism, News Decoder Tips, Politics
When you ask questions about problems people have long accepted you come across as naive. Own that. Three teens wear badges that say “naive”. (Illustration by News Decoder) In News Decoder’s Top Tips, we share advice for young people from experts in...
by News Decoder | 23 May 2025 | Environment, EYES, News Decoder Tips, Podcasts
Good podcasters make podcasting seem easy. But creating one that sounds natural and makes people want to listen takes planning. Here’s a quick guide. Listen to the “Eyes on Climate” podcast. This article was adapted from the fifth episode of...
by Tauseef Ahmad and Sajid Raina | 1 May 2025 | India, Journalism, Politics
Reporters in South Asia have risked their lives to report stories for Voice of America. Now, these journalists are left exposed and their stories left untold. The sign on the Voice of America building in Washington, D.C., 15 June 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) This...
by Marcy Burstiner | 16 Apr 2025 | Education, Journalism, News Decoder Updates
With journalism organizations struggling, a competition seeks to find and honor young people supporting local newsrooms in their area. Student journalists collaborate in a newsroom. (Illustration by News Decoder) Can youth doing journalism help save local news media? ...