What do Inspectors General actually do, and why has their role become a battleground in recent years? On this episode of Unlocked, Michael Missal—former Inspector General of the US Department of Veterans Affairs—joins host Nancy Gibbs to break down the vital work of IGs in safeguarding federal agencies from waste, fraud, and abuse. Together, they […]
Unlocked: What is the role of US Inspectors General? Read More »
Ask someone how the United States Digital Service (USDS) began, and chances are you’ll hear about the healthcare.gov crisis of 2013. But the true story of this agency, which worked from the inside to make technology work better within and for government and the people it serves, is more nuanced and expansive. U.S. Digital Service
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University or the organizations and institutions with whom the authors are affiliated. Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback
The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or of Harvard University. Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback and to encourage debate on important issues and challenges
Can They Do Good and Still Do Well? Local TV Stations and Communities’ Information Needs Read More »
The Journalist’s Resource’s Clark Merrefield put together a new explainer for reporters covering the potential funding cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The explainer highlights important background information and research, and provides answers to the following questions: How much does the federal government spend on SNAP? How do states contribute funding to SNAP
What is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)? Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024–2025 David Nyhan Prizes for Public Policy Journalism. These awards celebrate journalists whose compelling reporting elevates public understanding of policy, politics, and the impact of government on people’s lives—especially those often left unheard by
Michael Harriot and Rose Conlon Named 2024–25 Nyhan Prize Honorees Read More »
Medicaid was signed into law in 1965 as a health insurance program for low-income people. As of November 2024, nearly 72 million people were enrolled in Medicaid in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to medicaid.gov. Medicaid is jointly funded by states and the federal government and provides health coverage to one in five
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School announces Mina Hsiang as its newest fellow. Hsiang, the most recent Administrator of the United States Digital Service (USDS), led the organization through unprecedented growth – improving critical services and technological advances across more than two dozen agencies. During her tenure, USDS
The Journalist’s Resource’s explainer on childhood vaccine safety includes a primer on how the government tracks vaccine safety data. As changes are proposed to federal vaccine policy, this guide can help understand the implications of these changes. How vaccine side effects are tracked in the U.S. Before vaccines arrive on the market, they go through
How does the government track vaccine safety? Read More »
The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is delighted to announce the Grand Prize Winner, Finalists, and Honorable Mentions for the inaugural Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary. Shorenstein Center Director Nancy Gibbs says, “The Henry Awards honor films that investigate,
Inaugural Winners of Henry Awards Shine Light on Importance of Freedom of Expression Read More »
“Unlocked,” a new explanatory content series designed to make the inner workings of government more accessible to journalists, content creators, and others who report on the news, launched today as a joint project of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy and The Journalist’s Resource, a project of the center focused on informing
“Unlocked: How Government Works” – new series to help news media demystify government Read More »
President Trump ran on the idea of imposing wide-ranging trade tariffs, and immediately upon taking office announced his first tariff plan. Covering tariffs is complicated – what tariffs have been enacted and for how long, which are being contested and how, what are the likely short and long term effects of the tariffs? Hear from
Unlocked: How do tariffs work and what are the impacts? Read More »
Political appointees. Career civil servants. Special Government Employees. Classifications and procedures around federal government employment have rarely been in the ether as much as they have been in the early months of President Trump’s second term. The Journalist’s Resource’s in-depth explainer about federal hiring and firing covers a lot of ground, including: What are
Unlocked: How does hiring and firing work in the federal government? Read More »
Nancy Gibbs talks with former Administrator of the U.S. Digital Service Mina Hsiang about what actually drives government inefficiency.
Q&A with Mina Hsiang Read More »
Government’s efficiency – or lack thereof – has been consistently in the news since the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created in the shell of what had been the U.S. Digital Service. But, what is at the core of longstanding understanding that many parts of the U.S. government are inefficient. Do they have to
Unlocked: What makes government inefficient? Read More »
President Trump signed an executive order on March 20, 2025 which, among other things, vowed to close the Department of Education. One of the newest and smallest cabinet-level agencies, the Department of Education’s mandate and funding priorities are vastly misunderstood. The Journalist’s Resource published 8 tips for better understanding and reporting on the Department of
Unlocked: What does the U.S. Department of Education Do? Read More »
The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is excited to announce a new award for documentary film—The Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary—and its first list of 15 semifinalists. The Henry Awards recognize nonfiction films that advance public understanding of the
Announcing the semifinalists for the Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary Read More »
The Shorenstein Center welcomes leading photo editor and creative director Kira Pollack as a 2025 Walter Shorenstein Media & Democracy Fellow. Pollack is known for pioneering innovative approaches to visual storytelling, harnessing emerging technologies, digital platforms, and multimedia to expand the possibilities of visual journalism in traditional media. During her fellowship at the Shorenstein Center,
Emmy award-winning visual storyteller Kira Pollack Joins Shorenstein Center as a fellow Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is pleased to announce that The Washington Post’s Opinions series “Who is Government?” is the winner of the inaugural Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting. The prize will be awarded at the 2025 Goldsmith Awards ceremony on April 3 at the JFK Jr. Forum at Harvard Kennedy
Announcing the winner of the inaugural Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School is proud to announce the six finalists for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The Goldsmith Prize, first awarded in 1993 and funded by a gift from the Greenfield Foundation, honors the best public service investigative journalism that has made an
Announcing the Finalists for the 2025 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting Read More »
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is a Harvard Kennedy School research center dedicated to exploring and illuminating the intersection of press, politics and public policy in theory and practice. The Center strives to bridge the gap between journalists and scholars, and between them and the public.
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