Poynter launches 2026 leadership training lineup for journalists and media professionals at every stage

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (Nov. 5, 2025)

The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism education, today announced the simultaneous launch of its 2026 leadership training programs. This joint rollout underscores Poynter’s belief that leadership is a fundamental skill for anyone working in journalism and media.

For the first time, Poynter is opening applications for all four of its flagship leadership programs at once, offering professionals a unified and flexible way to plan their development. This expanded approach makes it easier for newsroom leaders, new managers and communicators of all kinds to identify the program that fits their goals and apply through a single, rolling application.

“Leadership isn’t about job titles, it’s about people,” said Tony Elkins, the Poynter faculty member who oversees the suite of leadership programs. “Too often people are promoted without any leadership training. We assume that if you’re good at your job, you’ll naturally become a good manager. But leading people is an entirely different skill set, one centered on empathy, communication and self-awareness.”

A new approach to leadership training

Poynter’s Leadership Academies focus on the critical skills every leader in a media organization needs in 2026. Drawing on participant feedback and research, Poynter’s faculty emphasizes core competencies such as building a culture of ethics, giving effective feedback, navigating conflict and delegating to retain talent. The curriculum also strengthens performance management, strategy and communication skills, with new emphasis on business fundamentals, cross-generational communication and understanding the core issues of press freedom.

2026 Leadership Programs
Hosted in St. Petersburg, Florida

Leadership Academy for Women (March 23–27, 2026)

An immersive five-day program for women and nonbinary journalists with 3 to 7 years of leadership experience. Participants complete 360-degree feedback and CliftonStrengths assessments to refine their leadership impact. They strengthen communication, navigate ethical challenges, negotiate with confidence and join a network of more than 650 alumni leaders worldwide.

Application deadline: Dec. 15, 2025.

Poynter Leadership Academy (April 20–24, 2026)

Tailored for experienced newsroom managers, this in-person course helps leaders master team dynamics, feedback strategies and organizational vision. Participants complete 360-degree feedback and Gallup CliftonStrengths assessments to refine their leadership impact.

Application deadline: Jan. 23, 2026.

Essential Skills for New Managers (May 18–22, 2026)

This dynamic, five-day workshop focuses on the critical skills new managers need to forge successful paths to leadership. Participants establish their credibility, learn to manage former peers, and build strategies for giving effective feedback, delegation, and team retention. Includes a 360-degree assessment and CliftonStrengths report.

Application deadline: Jan. 30, 2026.

Essential Skills for New Managers (November 16-20, 2026)

A second session of this popular training offers flexibility in timing to suit your schedule.

Application deadline: October 1, 2026.

Human-Centered, Transformational Learning

At Poynter, leadership isn’t about titles or organizational charts. It’s about people. Our programs help participants become the kind of leaders who bring out the best in others. They learn to listen, build trust and lead with purpose. These are the skills that strengthen teams and make media organizations better.

Leadership at Poynter is for anyone who wants to grow, whether you’re on your first beat, running a small desk or leading a newsroom. Media is always changing, and great leaders help others navigate that change. The sooner we start developing those instincts, the stronger our craft and our industry will be.

About The Poynter Institute

The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.

The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization.

Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for healthy democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.

Media Contact:
Sarah Sweeny
Director of Marketing, Communications & Events
The Poynter Institute
[email protected] | (949) 648-6873