Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University

05/19/2026

We’re proud to share that two stories published through the Pittsburgh Media Partnership Newsroom took home wins at last night’s Golden Quills Awards! 🏆✨⬇️

🏅 Excellence in Written Journalism, Science/Environment — Division 3
Winner: “Swaths of Allegheny National Forest might be on the chopping block — here’s what it means”
🖊️ Abigail Hakas, Pittsburgh Media Partnership Newsroom

🏅 Excellence in Written Journalism, Public Affairs/Politics/Government — Division 3
Winner: “Early learning centers feel impact of state budget impasse”
🖊️ Erin Yudt, Pittsburgh Media Partnership Newsroom

And congratulations as well to Michelangelo Pellis, a finalist and former PMP Newsroom intern! 👏🎉

Point Park University Press Club of Western Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Media Partnership Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University

04/30/2026

CMI Managing Director Andrew Conte, Ph.D., joined The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on MS NOW to discuss the future of local journalism in , highlighting how the region’s news landscape is evolving into an ecosystem of more than 40 outlets.

Conte was interviewed by MS NOW anchor Ali Velshi and joined by Neil Brown of the Poynter Institute.

Watch the full segment here: https://archive.tveyes.com/18120/529973-150011/7a38a19f-1bac-4a14-8899-2bc7180754be/MSNBC_04-25-2026_01.50.02.mp4

Point Park University

04/22/2026

Happy Draft Week! 🏈 As we gear up for the in , discover the untold story behind the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty in their latest documentary, “A Steelers Story: Super Scout Bill Nunn.”

🎞️ The film highlights the groundbreaking legacy of Bill Nunn Jr. — the Hall of Fame scout who helped open the NFL’s doors to HBCU talent and helped shape one of the greatest eras in Steelers history. 🌟

📚 It also features CMI Director Andrew Conte and his book, “The Color of Sundays,” which explores Nunn’s lasting impact on the — with portions of the doc filmed in our CMI studios! 👏🤩 Point Park University

📺 Out now on all Steelers digital platforms!

🔗 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxsgq1XSZVM

04/21/2026

📰 The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was on the verge of collapse. Now, it’s at the center of a national conversation about the future of .

In Episode 330 of Editor & Publisher Magazine's "E&P Reports", CMI Managing Director Andrew Conte, Ph.D. shares why this moment matters — not just for one newsroom, but for the entire Pittsburgh community.

The episode also includes Bob Cohn, CEO of The Baltimore Banner and the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, the organization now stepping in to lead the Post-Gazette’s future.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/inside-the-pittsburgh-post-gazette-turnaround-what-its-new-owners-plan-next,261214

Point Park University

In this episode of E&P Reports, we examine one of the most consequential local news stories in the country — the near-collapse and sudden reinvention of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — through separate interviews with two key voices: Andrew Conte, a leading local news advocate and managing directo...

04/09/2026

Happy Local News Day! 📰✨Local journalism is essential to strong communities—it keeps us informed, holds power accountable, and tells the stories that shape where we live. 💪

Today is the perfect day to take a few minutes to read this OpEd by Jim Friedlich (Executive Director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism), which explores what is facing as local news declines—and what it will take to rebuild it. 🤝

🔗 Read the article (The Philadelphia Inquirer) :

Our state has seen deep cuts in its local news and some of the nation’s most promising innovations. It’s time for lawmakers to build on this momentum by enacting First Amendment-friendly legislation.

04/07/2026

🏈 📸 Join us on Wednesday, April 22 from 4–7 PM (the night before the main draft events) at our Center for a casual networking reception welcoming visiting reporters and local media! 🤝

The evening will include light food, a full bar, and great conversation with Pittsburgh’s media community. ✨

The event is free for journalists and their guests.
🔗 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/4e3at7t2

Pittsburgh Black Media Federation - PBMF Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh Press Club of Western Pennsylvania Point Park University

03/26/2026

Are we too late to the trend? 😅

03/16/2026

🎞️ We’re proud to host a screening of “Not a Compliment: Envisioning a World Without Street Harassment”, presented by End Street Harassment PGH 👏

📅 Join us on April 9, 2026, from 6–8 PM at our Center, and be part of the conversation about building safer, more welcoming streets for all 💪

🎥 Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCahoSW1-Ic

Point Park University

03/11/2026

Local journalism is stronger when we work together 💪

PMP Assistant Director, Jeanna Sybert, recently joined Talk Pittsburgh on -TV | CBS Pittsburgh to discuss how the Pittsburgh Media Partnership is bringing together 40+ newsrooms across southwestern Pennsylvania to strengthen the region’s local news ecosystem. Joining her was Tracy Leturgey, Interim Managing Editor at the Butler Eagle and The Cranberry Eagle, who shared how collaboration among newsrooms can help expand reporting and better serve communities.

📣 The conversation highlights our new 90-day awareness campaign, supported by Press Forward, which aims to connect communities with the many local news outlets already serving them every day.

👏 Thank you to the team at KDKA-TV for highlighting the importance of local journalism and the work being done across our region!

🎥 Watch the segment here: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/video/how-partnerships-are-strengthening-local-news/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQdm5RleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF4RVYxb1JRczVkekZqaTVpc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkQHQEqKaGIj8eNgCFPMkjGx-FlLrBaLBMzR8V-Dl4j58fVahElwcW0Jsl3B_aem_naIwb8qsK8J2_etqJQMMWg

Point Park University

Local Pittsburgh news organizations are teaming up to support and strengthen local news.

03/03/2026

You may have heard that Pittsburgh is becoming a “news desert.” That story is incomplete.
Across Southwestern Pennsylvania, more than 40 independent newsrooms are at work every day.
‍
Covering school board meetings and borough councils. Investigating policy and power. Reporting on business, sports, culture, and communities across our region.

Local journalism is not disappearing. It is at work. Every day. For you.

Learn more: https://www.pghmediapartnership.org/40-newsrooms-at-work-every-day-in-pittsburgh-for-you