Better Journalism This story is about the new news ecosystem

Read now: open.substack.com/pub/mollysta...

Newsrooms are too busy chasing quick wins to notice audiences are starving for the truth.

AI slop looks like data from afar. It isn't.

New Stark Report on the fragmented news ecosystem 👇

Wikipedia Day 2026 This story is about history’s second draft

Read this story about the second draft of history. mollystarkdean.substack.com/p/wikipedia-...

I write stories from the front and back lines of the newsroom. This story is about history's second draft.

The Drive In Will Never Die #MutantFam #LastDriveIn @KINKY_HORROR @SHUDDER @therealjoebob

The Future of Horror Movies Is on YouTube Many of the strangest, most striking horror films, from “The Night of the Living Dead” to “The Blair Witch Project,” come from first-timers working on shoestring budgets—but these days Hollywood is looking to YouTube for the next generation of horror auteurs.

With releases like “Iron Lung” and “Backrooms,” Hollywood is looking to YouTube for the next generation of horror auteurs. What does that mean for the future of the genre? www.newyorker.com/culture/infi...

The Baltimore Beat experiments with pay-what-you-can ads The newspaper and nonprofit news site Baltimore Beat is rolling out pay-what-you-can ads. "We hope this is a way that small businesses can feature themselves in the paper, keeping their services at…

The Baltimore Beat experiments with pay-what-you-can ads www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/the-...

Many of Trump’s own voters didn’t want to attack Iran. Now he has to win them over. President Trump is navigating an evolving issue where support within his coalition — at least before the strikes — was real but not overwhelming.

Many of Trump’s own voters didn’t want to attack Iran. Now he has to win them over.

Just half of 2024 Trump voters supported military action in a POLITICO poll last month — but 30% opposed it.

Lego’s Smart Brick is here, and it transforms these new Star Wars sets Five of the eight sets are BYOB (bring your own brick).

Lego’s Smart Brick is here, and it transforms these new Star Wars sets

Trump orders US agencies to stop use of Anthropic technology amid dispute over ethics of AI Hours after exclusion of Anthropic, OpenAI announces fresh Pentagon deal, but says it will maintain same safety guardrails at the heart of the dispute * Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Donald Trump said Friday he will direct all federal agencies to “IMMEDIATELY CEASE” all use of Anthropic technology in the latest instalment of a very public clash over AI safety. The Department of Defense and Anthropic hit an impasse with neither side backing down as a deadline for an agreement lapsed on Friday afternoon. The Pentagon had demanded the artificial intelligence company loosen ethical guidelines on its AI systems or face severe consequences. Continue reading...

Trump orders US agencies to stop use of Anthropic technology amid dispute over ethics of AI

Will Scott hire me to lead the R&U movement?
🥾 Wears Birkenstocks: Molly wears Doc Martens, but she's from Vermont, so...
🌐 Non-profit experience: Molly currently serves on the Wikipedia board and organized journalism conferences
🗽 Lives in Brooklyn: Molly lives in Flatbush (podcast Brooklyn)

Journalism Lawsuits This story is about lawsuits

This is a story about journalism lawsuits. open.substack.com/pub/mollysta...

I tell stories from the front and back lines of the newsroom. This is a story about suing newsrooms.

Team USA athletes are celebrating on the ice. A headline reads: "U.S. Wins Women’s Hockey Gold Over Canada in Overtime."

Breaking News from @theathletic.com: The U.S. beat Canada in overtime, 2-1, in the women’s hockey tournament to win the gold medal and complete a dramatic comeback. www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Why Everyone's Talking About Stephen Colbert, CBS, The FCC And James Talarico YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

If you have been following the clumsy — no, pathetic — attempt by CBS lawyers to collaborate with the FCC in reviving the pointless "equal time" rule, using Stephen Colbert and his show as their playground... then watch him explain it from his POV.

Fascinating. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQIl...

🔔 Filing FOIA requests is a murky process. Join our webinar with public records experts @laurenleharper.bsky.social, @mattacpc.bsky.social, and Mukta Joshi to learn about prying loose documents the government doesn't want seen.

🗓️ Feb. 24, 1 p.m. ET/noon CT

RSVP: freedom.press/workin-FOIA

This is crazy. The government — or fear of the government — is editing a CBS comedy show. Via @brianstelter.bsky.social

"Yesterday, Stephen Colbert taped a 'Late Show' interview with James Talarico, a candidate in the Democratic Senate primary in Texas, but then CBS lawyers intervened."

CBS spokesperson Phil Gonzales provided The Verge with the same statement claiming Colbert was not blocked from broadcasting the interview that was given to Variety and other outlets, but refused to attribute it by name per The Verge's background policy. Asked for a name, Gonzales wrote, "Respectfully, you don't need to use the statement. We will keep that in mind next time verge as us to reply [sic]."

Phil Gonzalez from CBS, welcome to the Verge’s background policy www.theverge.com/policy/88000...

now you have to see this, too

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...

Wikipedia Signpost published my poem,
"Incoming Incurables."

Lost My Writing This story is about losing your writing

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I tell stories from the front and back lines of the newsroom. This story is about losing my handwriting.

Canadians are the Happy Gilmore of curling. 🥌

Newsroom Human Resources This story is about newsroom human resources

Subscribe to my Substack for more stories: open.substack.com/pub/mollysta...

I tell stories from the front and back lines of the newsroom. This story is about newsroom HR.

U.S. Judge Says Trump Cannot Halt Funding for Tunnel Project

bruh this guy wants to have a TRAIN STATION named after him. a TRAIN STATION.

Internet Jail This is a story about the first time I went to social media jail

This story is about Internet Jail. mollystarkdean.substack.com/p/social-med...

I tell stories from the front and back lines of the newsroom. This story is about Internet Jail.