Blog Post

IJNet Journalist of the Month: Amr Eleraqi

Originally from Egypt, Amr Eleraqi is a journalist, author and instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. He is the founder of the award-winning data journalism website, InfoTimes, and a former ICFJ Knight Fellow. His latest book, on Python coding skills for journalists, was released at the start of this year. Eleraqi spoke with IJNet about his start in journalism, media in both the Middle East and Canada, his new book project and more.

How to Cover Global Trade Like a Pro: Tariffs Edition

Tariffs, essentially taxes on imported goods, have been at the core of cross-border trade since the days of ancient Athens and Mesopotamia. They can protect domestic industries, generate revenue, or act as political tools. For journalists, tariffs often provide a clear, tangible hook to explain the much broader and more complex web of international commerce or the realities of geopolitical machinations.

ICFJ Voices: Maran Perianen, Empowering Individuals Through Citizen Journalism

Maran Perianen is the founder and editor of Citizen’s Journal, a community news outlet focused on citizen journalism. He’s also co-founder of the Far East Documentary Centre. Perianen has extensive experience as a video journalism trainer and has worked throughout Southeast Asia. He says that his engagement with ICFJ has played a major role in his professional development. “It reinforced the idea that citizens, when equipped with the right knowledge and tools, can become powerful agents of change in their communities,” he said. Perianen is from Malaysia and is based in Kuala Lumpur.

Press Freedom: ICFJ-Backed Journalists ‘Refuse to Let the Truth Be Erased’ Amid Growing Challenges

Risks to journalists’ safety and their ability to operate are growing every day, from state-sponsored repression and legal attacks to armed conflicts and online violence. “Right now, it feels like a perfect storm has hit independent media,” said Anastasia Rudenko, founder and editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian outlet Rubryka.

How to Write an Easy-to-Understand Business or Economics Story

Despite a plunge in newspaper jobs of more than half since 2000, business news is a growth industry that has created new opportunities for journalists in print, digital and newsletter formats. Here are 11 tips to help you write easy-to-understand and impactful business reports.

Disarming Disinformation in the Amazon: High Risk, Deep Listening

New research from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) assesses the strategies that newsrooms have adopted in order to navigate the whirlwind of manipulation, misinformation and disinformation that has shaken the foundations of trust in Brazilian institutions since former President Jair Bolsonaro’s election in 2018.

ICFJ Voices: Stories From the Journalists in Our Network

A year has passed since we first asked our network to share their testimonies with us. We did it to mark our 40th anniversary, and were blown away by the responses. Hundreds of journalists across every region of the world wrote to tell us what being part of ICFJ’s network has meant to them.

The Year we Redefine our Relationship with Audiences and our Role in Society

If you work in journalism, you might recognize that 2024 was a year of reckoning for our industry. I certainly do. 

How to Deal with Mis- and Disinformation in Times of Uncertainty

There is evidence that disinformation is designed to take advantage of our emotions. It also tends to spread farther and more rapidly during times of change and uncertainty. When people have questions and there are gaps in information, the disinformers (those who profit from lies), take advantage, “magically” putting forth what appear often to be simple answers or solutions. Here are some tips to protect yourself from falling for or sharing false or alarmist content as the U.S. transitions into a second Donald Trump presidency.

Insights into Journalism and Advice for Student Reporters Heading into 2025, from ICFJ Knight Fellows

As we kickstart 2025, we asked our ICFJ Knight Fellows about their outlooks for the new year, and what challenges and/or opportunities they’re preparing to face head on. The Fellows also provided their topline advice for student and early-career journalists to succeed in today’s news industry.