Journalism

Tracking the events in state legislatures and city councils requires skilled beat reporters. They're becoming an increasingly rare breed.

• By Seth Masket

Ken Layne's quarterly magazine, Desert Oracle, tries to give readers a sense of the profound solitude—and weirdness—of the Mojave Desert.

• By Max Genecov

Report for America offers young journalists valuable job training experience—by placing them in talent-starved newsrooms.

• By Gwendolyn Wu

On the myth of meritocracy.

• By Noah Berlatsky

Our favorite stories from 2017 that were published elsewhere, chosen by the Pacific Standard staff.

• By Varun Nayar

As curated by our editors.

• By Max Ufberg

Semanal Media bought the beloved paper and gutted it from the inside. For what?

• By Jack Denton

If you're thorough about it, yes.

• By Francie Diep

A look at past surveys of scientists and journalists shows relations have been deteriorating for some time, and have hit a new low under the Trump administration.

• By Francie Diep

Periodicals that have shaped—and, in a few rare cases, continue to shape—politics and culture.

• By Abe Peck & Nicholas Jackson

MSNBC is discontinuing its annual tradition of replaying the network's breaking 9/11 coverage. Is that the best decision?

• By Jared Keller

Indian activists take part in a protest rally against the killing of Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh at the India Gate memorial in New Delhi on September 6th, 2017.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

Palin filed the suit in June, in response to an editorial the newspaper published following the shooting of a congressman.

• By Jack Denton

A new study finds that gender bias in book reviewing doesn't merely show up in which authors get reviewed more often—it affects authors who veer from common gendered stereotypes as well.

• By Jane C. Hu

New research finds women sports stars show more skin, and smile more frequently.

• By Tom Jacobs

News of a vaccine against the Zika virus boosted Americans' confidence in science—for a short time. How to make it last?

• By Tom Jacobs

Getting to know a Pentecostal snake handler might provide an answer.

• By James McWilliams

One of her reporters disappeared, a machete was lodged in her office door. Then came the death threats. As the top editor at the Maldives Independent, Zaheena Rasheed fought for the truth even as those in power worked against it.

• By Lois Parshley

One female reporter was prevented from entering the Speaker's Lobby because her shoulders weren't covered.

• By Katie Kilkenny

Journalists demonstrate in demand for justice for slain Mexican journalist Salvador Adame Pardo in Morelia, Mexico, on June 28th, 2017.

• By Pacific Standard Staff

Public opinion of the media is at an all-time low. How do outlets regain Americans' trust?

• By Rick Paulas

Has fact-checking been rendered obsolete by the post-fact carnival of American electoral politics? Bill Adair says: not yet.

• By Michael Schulson

Our top stories for the week of March 20 to March 26, as curated by our editors.

• By Katie Kilkenny

More journalists were threatened, abused, and murdered than any other year in Mexico's history.

• By Julie Morse