Medill is now accepting entries for the James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism

The James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism award is given to the individual or team of journalists, working for a U.S.-based media outlet, who best displayed moral, ethical or physical courage in the pursuit of a story or … Continue reading →

Deadly Debris: Medill Students Report on U.S. Landmine Legacy

Investigation sheds new light on $3.2 billion U.S. mine clearance and victim assistance effort Unexploded ordnance continues to kill and injure civilians around the world Students reported from Cambodia, Iraq, Jordan, Mozambique and Ukraine U.S. has spent $3.2 billion to … Continue reading →

How journalists can make it harder for hackers to steal their information

WASHINGTON – Journalists cannot ensure total security for their data online or on mobile, but there are ways to make it much harder for cyberhackers to steal their information or track their movements, a cybersecurity expert told reporters at a … Continue reading →

Reporters’ Online Security Workshop

National Press Club October 20, 2014 Noon – 4:30 pm (lunch provided) Sponsored by  The Medill National Security Journalism Initiative and Reporters Without Borders In order to preserve access to sensitive information and to protect their sources, reporters must be aware … Continue reading →

Medill/ABA book looks at balancing act between transparency, secrecy and the First Amendment

A discussion about the book will be held at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1. RSVP here. CHICAGO, Oct. 15, 2014 — A new book from the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law … Continue reading →

For national security reporters, no lack of stories to be found in Chicago and the Midwest

So here we sit, resolutely mid-continental, a thousand miles or so from any ocean, cocooned by neighboring nations that are friendly if not always obedient, well beyond the impact of North Korean missiles and California earthquakes, unscarred by 9/11, as safe as safe could be. For a reporter on the national security beat, Chicago and its hinterland would seem to be barren soil indeed.

But dig a little deeper and there are national security stories aplenty here, not just vague threats but on-going activity. Granted, some stories, such as non-proliferation theory or Pentagon management, have to be datelined Washington. But there are many other security stories that can be done without leaving town.

For instance:

Chicago is a major city because of its location, which makes it the premier transport hub of the nation. It started life as a trading post along the trails from the East. It is still the western terminus for shipping down the St. Lawrence Seaway and through the Great lakes. It became and remains the nation’s train depot. Most goods transiting the U.S. pass through Chicago. Because phone lines follow railway lines, Chicago is now the leading internet switching center in the Western Hemisphere.
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Medill students find significant vulnerabilities in U.S. energy security policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a three-month investigation, a team of graduate  student reporters from the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communication has found that the United States’ unquenchable thirst for oil has shaped nearly every aspect of the country’s domestic … Continue reading →

Medill launches specialization in national security journalism

The Medill National Security Journalism Initiative is offering a National Security Journalism Specialization in the school’s Graduate Journalism Program, a unique offering among journalism schools nationwide. The Specialization gives you the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and hands-on reporting … Continue reading →

NSJI’s Josh Meyer discusses Bin Laden book on CNN

Josh Meyer of the Medill National Security Journalism Initiative appears on CNN Sept. 4 to discuss what should happen to the SEAL Team 6 operator who wrote the book No Easy Day about killing Osama bin Laden.

NSJI awards 10 scholarships to students for energy security investigation

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism has selected 10 McCormick National Security Journalism Scholarship recipients for an innovative 11-week reporting program under way this Fall. Their work in Medill’s Washington bureau will culminate in an investigative multimedia project on national security … Continue reading →