Poynter is reporting on several topics relevant to journalists, including covering immigration enforcement, securing funding, and a new fellowship opportunity. Jon Greenberg, a Poynter colleague, outlined best practices for journalists covering the effects of immigration enforcement on families as policies shift. He noted that a Trump administration policy change gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents more discretion around sensitive areas like schools, churches and healthcare centers, a departure from previous decades of restraint. A Homeland Security memo dated Jan. 20, 2025, further extended this leeway for agents. Greenberg advises journalists to build trust with sources at local schools and exercise care when reporting on children and families.
Megan Griffith-Greene of Poynter addressed why funders often decline proposals from news organizations. She said common reasons include limited capacity, concerns about an organization's reputation and sustainability, and a perceived lack of need for the project. Griffith-Greene emphasized that news organizations must anticipate and counteract internal doubts within funding organizations, particularly those not traditionally supporting news, and equip their contacts to secure board approval.
Poynter also announced the launch of its new, fully funded Brain Health Reporting Fellowship. This one-year program aims to equip journalists with the necessary tools, confidence and support to accurately and accessibly cover complex scientific research in neuroscience, psychiatry and brain health. The fellowship includes two in-person gatherings, monthly webinars, group coaching and mentors. Applications for the fellowship are due Sept. 22.