Offering deeper, more insightful, more valuable news coverage.

Making the news relevant requires a profound change. We live in an increasingly open source culture, where people expect to share their knowledge, opinions, photos and more in the same way they learn from what others share online. Journalists no longer have a privileged status when it comes to finding or speaking the truth. Yet most newsrooms still operate with a "we know best—and we'll tell you what you need to know" model. That world is vanishing and taking the audience with it.

Freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution because the founders of our nation believed that Americans could only govern themselves if we had free exchange of information and ideas. They believed problems would surface, truth would come out and the best solutions would emerge.

Current times offer huge opportunities and challenges to that ideal. Mainstream media has consolidated and profit-driven news organizations have cut resources. The pressure to be more productive has made newsrooms vulnerable both to staff reductions and to outside pressure for shortcuts, lighter subjects, and easy stories from those who would "spin" the news. More disturbingly, journalists have become disconnected from the communities they serve and a range of voices often goes unheard.

At the same time, technology is enabling a new culture where knowledge and insight flows from many voices and is easily shared and searched. New forms of journalism are emerging with the new culture. Yet the role of mainstream journalism—insightful, vetted and courageous—is still integral to a healthy democracy.

American Public Media has created a new model of journalism to meet the needs of today's open-source society. It is built on genuine partnership between news media and the public and it weds public insight with the best principles of journalism.

WHAT WE DO

Public Insight Network

Through technology, we quickly tap the knowledge of more than 50,000 citizen sources around the world to strengthen news coverage. Sign up now»

Smart games

By producing online games, simulations and collaborative tools, we partner with the public to help set our news coverage agenda. Try your hand at thinking through the complexities and challenges of the federal budget with the new game Budget Hero; find out how your values line up with presidential candidates with Select a Candidate; or weigh the impact of your lifestyle on the earth's resources with Consumer Consequences.

Public Insight sessions

Through face-to-face meetings and discussions, we create trust with people of all backgrounds and listen to their insights on issues.

Partners

We work with other news media, journalism schools, foundations and community groups to foster a new journalism of public partnership.

The Incubator

We invent and nurture new on-air, Web and live formats that showcase the power of audience-produced knowledge and content.