Benjamin Toff
@benjamintoff.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota and Director of the Minnesota Journalism Center. I study trust in news, news avoidance, public opinion, and changing media.
Each involves a variety of important research questions; however, many of the most urgent questions facing the industry require a more systematic approach and more standardized measures. That’s why we created the LNIC and what we’re working to establish.
September 2, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Each involves a variety of important research questions; however, many of the most urgent questions facing the industry require a more systematic approach and more standardized measures. That’s why we created the LNIC and what we’re working to establish.
I argue that studies of how news and information flow through communities often focus on distinct factors:
— audiences
— journalists
— institutions
— content
— contexts
And different stakeholders have different reasons for conducting these studies.
— audiences
— journalists
— institutions
— content
— contexts
And different stakeholders have different reasons for conducting these studies.
September 2, 2025 at 1:38 PM
I argue that studies of how news and information flow through communities often focus on distinct factors:
— audiences
— journalists
— institutions
— content
— contexts
And different stakeholders have different reasons for conducting these studies.
— audiences
— journalists
— institutions
— content
— contexts
And different stakeholders have different reasons for conducting these studies.
Speaking of money, I’m not sure where they think they’re going to get the revenue to fund their newsroom without the enormous premium that print ads still command. These numbers in the story are very grim…
August 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Speaking of money, I’m not sure where they think they’re going to get the revenue to fund their newsroom without the enormous premium that print ads still command. These numbers in the story are very grim…
Being a faculty member at a university has never been a big part of how I define my identity and I mostly haven’t had much patience for battles over faculty governance. But THIS from the president and general counsel of Harvard’s AAUP chapter really resonates…
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/14/o...
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/14/o...
August 15, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Being a faculty member at a university has never been a big part of how I define my identity and I mostly haven’t had much patience for battles over faculty governance. But THIS from the president and general counsel of Harvard’s AAUP chapter really resonates…
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/14/o...
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/14/o...
Sure was terrifying enjoying the orchestra the other day in a Minneapolis park…
July 15, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Sure was terrifying enjoying the orchestra the other day in a Minneapolis park…
Next up is another @icajsd.bsky.social panel: @hubbardschoolumn.bsky.social postdoctoral fellow @meagandoll.bsky.social presenting new research we conducted with @cydneygrannan.bsky.social around audience perspectives on live journalism events (conducted w/ the @texastribune.org)
June 16, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Next up is another @icajsd.bsky.social panel: @hubbardschoolumn.bsky.social postdoctoral fellow @meagandoll.bsky.social presenting new research we conducted with @cydneygrannan.bsky.social around audience perspectives on live journalism events (conducted w/ the @texastribune.org)
Happening now: @hubbardschoolumn.bsky.social MA student extraordinaire @cydneygrannan.bsky.social doing a masterful job presenting work from their thesis on source tracking at @icajsd.bsky.social More info here: linktr.ee/cydneygrannan
June 16, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Happening now: @hubbardschoolumn.bsky.social MA student extraordinaire @cydneygrannan.bsky.social doing a masterful job presenting work from their thesis on source tracking at @icajsd.bsky.social More info here: linktr.ee/cydneygrannan
It’s such a pleasure having @aimeetwoee.bsky.social join us at the University of Minnesota for the AI Spring Summit!
dsai-hub.umn.edu/news/ai-spri...
dsai-hub.umn.edu/news/ai-spri...
June 11, 2025 at 8:03 PM
It’s such a pleasure having @aimeetwoee.bsky.social join us at the University of Minnesota for the AI Spring Summit!
dsai-hub.umn.edu/news/ai-spri...
dsai-hub.umn.edu/news/ai-spri...
Metaphor for the moment
June 5, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Metaphor for the moment
7️⃣ And/but only a fifth of Americans say they think news organizations should never use AI under any circumstances.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
7️⃣ And/but only a fifth of Americans say they think news organizations should never use AI under any circumstances.
6️⃣ Most say disclosure is 'very important' to them. About half of all respondents say labels around the use of AI are essential even where reporters and editors remain involved in confirming the underlying information in AI-generated content.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
6️⃣ Most say disclosure is 'very important' to them. About half of all respondents say labels around the use of AI are essential even where reporters and editors remain involved in confirming the underlying information in AI-generated content.
5️⃣ Higher levels of news literacy knowledge tends to be associated with higher levels of skepticism about AI (even though education tends to be correlated with both news literacy and AI use).
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
5️⃣ Higher levels of news literacy knowledge tends to be associated with higher levels of skepticism about AI (even though education tends to be correlated with both news literacy and AI use).
4️⃣ Audiences are particularly uninterested in using AI chatbots to get news. Nearly half say they have no interest in using such tools themselves.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
4️⃣ Audiences are particularly uninterested in using AI chatbots to get news. Nearly half say they have no interest in using such tools themselves.
3️⃣ Large segments of the public think news outlets are already frequently using AI but have low confidence in news media doing so.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
3️⃣ Large segments of the public think news outlets are already frequently using AI but have low confidence in news media doing so.
2️⃣ Those who are not using AI regularly say they have greater levels of anxiety and fear about these tools.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
2️⃣ Those who are not using AI regularly say they have greater levels of anxiety and fear about these tools.
The data was so new, we didn’t have a chance to formally write up all the results, but we’ve done so now. Key takeaways include:
1️⃣ Few Americans say they are regularly using AI themselves for any purpose. Just a fifth said they were doing so on a daily or weekly basis.
1️⃣ Few Americans say they are regularly using AI themselves for any purpose. Just a fifth said they were doing so on a daily or weekly basis.
April 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The data was so new, we didn’t have a chance to formally write up all the results, but we’ve done so now. Key takeaways include:
1️⃣ Few Americans say they are regularly using AI themselves for any purpose. Just a fifth said they were doing so on a daily or weekly basis.
1️⃣ Few Americans say they are regularly using AI themselves for any purpose. Just a fifth said they were doing so on a daily or weekly basis.
I appreciate @hanaatameez.bsky.social pushing Gannett to clarify what on earth being committed to an “ethical business model” is supposed to mean while the company quietly deletes its references to DEI initiatives.
April 11, 2025 at 4:16 AM
I appreciate @hanaatameez.bsky.social pushing Gannett to clarify what on earth being committed to an “ethical business model” is supposed to mean while the company quietly deletes its references to DEI initiatives.
Great to be in Ann Arbor today to deliver a talk on our book on news avoidance for this event! cup.columbia.edu/book/avoidin...
April 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Great to be in Ann Arbor today to deliver a talk on our book on news avoidance for this event! cup.columbia.edu/book/avoidin...
Minnesota’s local news ecosystem is better off compared to most, but these early career pipeline problems are huge. Can’t blame people for not wanting to take tough jobs far from their support networks with no job security and few prospects for advancement…
www.wsj.com/business/med...
www.wsj.com/business/med...
March 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Minnesota’s local news ecosystem is better off compared to most, but these early career pipeline problems are huge. Can’t blame people for not wanting to take tough jobs far from their support networks with no job security and few prospects for advancement…
www.wsj.com/business/med...
www.wsj.com/business/med...
Great to be in Austin for ISOJ! isoj.org/program-2025/
March 27, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Great to be in Austin for ISOJ! isoj.org/program-2025/
What is the future of AI in news? Looking forward to exploring that w/ @hackshackers.com at their AI x Journalism Summit in May. I'll be speaking about some of my research, but excited to learn from all these other smart people. Early bird tickets available: www.hackshackers.com/join-us-for-...
February 15, 2025 at 12:32 AM
What is the future of AI in news? Looking forward to exploring that w/ @hackshackers.com at their AI x Journalism Summit in May. I'll be speaking about some of my research, but excited to learn from all these other smart people. Early bird tickets available: www.hackshackers.com/join-us-for-...
Reading Barnhurst and Nerone’s “The Form of News: A History” and came across this throwback from the @startribune.com
February 14, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reading Barnhurst and Nerone’s “The Form of News: A History” and came across this throwback from the @startribune.com
It has been nearly a decade since Hillary Clinton's email server prompted approximately one billion news stories about the importance of cybersecurity practices involving sensitive government data.
February 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
It has been nearly a decade since Hillary Clinton's email server prompted approximately one billion news stories about the importance of cybersecurity practices involving sensitive government data.
We’re moving rapidly toward Trump and Musk just ignoring what the courts say and Congress letting them do it.
It’s journalism that will be the last bulwark...
It’s journalism that will be the last bulwark...
February 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
We’re moving rapidly toward Trump and Musk just ignoring what the courts say and Congress letting them do it.
It’s journalism that will be the last bulwark...
It’s journalism that will be the last bulwark...
By ”accelerated” they definitely mean “deteriorated.”
February 6, 2025 at 5:49 AM
By ”accelerated” they definitely mean “deteriorated.”