Writing Tools

1. The New York Times -- Easy to pick on, impossible to match. The standard bearer over time for excellence in the reporting and editing of news.
2. CBS News (the early years) -- Think Murrow, Cronkite, Fred Friendly. Think of the birth of serious television documentaries. Now a shadow of greatness.
3. Pulitzer Prizes -- At their best, the prizes underscore why journalism matters.
4. Northwestern University's "Innocence Project" -- Few academic programs can rival this one that sorts out the truth and saves peoples lives.
5. The Associated Press -- Its stylebook notwithstanding, the AP brought news organizations together in the public interest and allowed the smallest news organizations to expand their coverage.
6. BBC -- Arguably the worlds' most important news organization, given the breadth and quality of its coverage over time.
7. The New Yorker -- Makes this list by virtue of the writers it has cultivated and showcased, from E.B. White to Lillian Ross, to John Hersey to Meyer "Mike" Berger, to Joseph Mitchell to Janet Flanner to John McPhee.
8. University of Missouri's School of Journalism -- One of the most important and productive undergraduate journalism programs in the history of the world. (Loses a couple of points for its inclusion of advertising and public relations.)
9. Washington Post -- Keeps the Times honest. Would make the list for Watergate alone, but the Walter Reed expose was dazzling. (Its news writing could be a lot better.)
10. UNITY -- A new kid on the block, but a huge and influential association of minority journalists and others who value diversity in news.
11. Investigative Reporters and Editors -- Keeps reminding us about that real journalism means digging stuff up and checking it out.
12. Johnson Publications -- During the era of American apartheid, publications like Ebony and Jet told the untold stories.
13. CNN -- For better or worse, changed the idea of a news cycle to 24/7.
14. The National Review -- The brainiest, wittiest political journal in America, created Ronald Reagan conservatism.
15. Knight Foundation -- A great charitable institution that gives money to Poynter and to other worthy projects that build journalism and democracy.
16. Newhouse Newspapers -- As the publicly traded news organizations began to shrink into insignificance, Newhouse papers in New Orleans, Cleveland, Newark, N.J., and Portland, Ore., set new standards of excellence.