Tom’s journalism spans four decades—from his work at the Los Angeles Times to recent commentary on the future of news, public trust, politics, and democracy. A selected archive appears below.
To survive, journalism must become indispensable
Why journalism must shift from an attention model to a value model by putting the public’s real information needs at the center of the work.
Don’t Call a Lie a Lie
What psychology can teach journalism about correcting falsehoods, with practical guidance for reporting on misinformation without reinforcing it.
What The Next Journalism Should Be
Richard J. Tofel talks with Tom about how journalism can move beyond the attention economy and create work valuable enough for audiences to support.
Bias is hindering journalism, but maybe not how the right and left assume
Why journalists’ professional values can read as political bias—and how considering audiences’ values can make reporting more credible.
How not to cover Donald Trump’s bizarre 2024 campaign for president
A practical agenda for covering campaigns in a polarized age: focus on the nation’s problems, rigorous fact-checking, the electorate, and governing capacity.
What can journalists do about the Unreality Crisis?
Why false equivalence is not the whole problem, and what newsrooms can do when audiences inhabit incompatible realities.
Let’s get the conversation around trust in media unstuck
How journalists can rebuild trust by recognizing that many people do not see their values reflected in the news.
Is local journalism dying? Look closer.
Four major challenges facing local news—and four promising responses worth watching.
A new chapter for the press: 5 ideas for moving forward after Trump
Five ideas for rethinking press coverage after the Trump presidency.
How to write political fiction when the daily news reads like dystopia
On writing political fiction when Washington’s reality keeps outrunning invention.
Earlier essays and articles
Solving Journalism’s Hidden Problems: Bad Analytics
How the wrong digital metrics reward attention instead of journalism’s real value.
The crisis in news is local, not technological
Why local news’ deepest crisis is civic and economic—not simply technological.
Andrew Kohut: An appreciation
A remembrance of the distinguished pollster, mentor, and lifelong seeker of truth.