Compton Commentary: Do we really need to see mugshots in television newscasts?
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor October 21, 2026 In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, some local newsrooms across the country started to make changes in how they cover people of color. Many promised to use fewer mugshots in their reporting. Journalists ack “...”
Compton Commentary: Newsroom profile of Black Indy LIVE
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor October 14, 2026 Love it or hate it, digital news outlet Black Indy LIVE has more social media followers than the city’s 131-year-old Black press. The outlet, which focuses on Indianapolis’ Black community, is hard to ignore gi “...”
Compton Commentary: You’re not crazy. Voting in Indiana is intimidating.
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor October 7, 2026 Voting in Indiana is not an easy process. Doing your civic duty requires optimism and nimbleness. There’s very little state voter education, and registration deadlines fall almost a month before the November 3rd elect “...”
Compton Commentary: What do braids, cornrows, and Bantu knots have to do with the news?
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor September 30, 2026 Black journalists on TV have had to think about their appearance on air in ways that other journalists do not. In August 2020, broadcast journalist Jalea Brooks knew she needed to have an uncomfortable conversation w “...”
Compton Commentary: So, you want to be a journalist in Indy? Here’s what you need to know
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor September 16,2026 WFYI newscaster and reporter Samantha Horton remembers how hard it was to establish her journalism career in Indiana. A former college athlete, she wasn’t daunted by the long hours, but says the low pay and sudden s “...”
Compton Commentary: Is Indy news biased? Here’s my advice for finding reliable sources
By Tracey Compton Indianapolis Public Editor September 2, 2026 What’s the No. 1 complaint I hear from Indy residents about our local news? It’s biased. At every single public event I host, at least one participant tells me they can detect bias in our news, and, as a result, t “...”