Internet Archive Honored News Preservation Leaders
The Poynter Institute and Investigative Reporters and Editors received the 2026 Hero Award for digital archiving work.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Distance Learning
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The Internet Archive bestowed its 2026 Hero Award upon The Poynter Institute and Investigative Reporters and Editors. The honor recognizes the organizations for their leadership in making information accessible to digital learners.
Why it matters
The collaboration, known as Today's News for Tomorrow, addresses the widespread loss of digital archives caused by newsroom closures and technology failures. By providing preservation training, the initiative aims to safeguard vulnerable online content for future research.
The initiative aims to provide archive training to 300 news organizations nationwide. Funding for the project is provided by Press Forward.
The players
The Poynter Institute
Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, this global nonprofit organization serves as a leading training center for journalists and media professionals.
Investigative Reporters and Editors
This grassroots nonprofit organization provides training, resources, and networking opportunities for investigative journalists.
Internet Archive
This nonprofit digital library provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software, and media.
Press Forward
This organization functions as a national coalition and funding initiative dedicated to revitalizing local news across the United States.
The details
Through the Today's News for Tomorrow project, participating newsrooms receive free online and in-person instruction, specialized preservation tools, and technical support. The program facilitates coordination between news outlets and institutional partners like universities, libraries, and museums to build robust preservation plans.
Timeline
March 2026 marked the start of training instruction for the project.
October 5, 2026, was the official date the Internet Archive announced the award recipients.
The training program for newsrooms is scheduled to continue through 2027.
Culture Shift
This award highlights the ongoing efforts of the Today's News for Tomorrow project to standardize digital preservation protocols across the media industry. As traditional archives face increasing threats from digital obsolescence, this initiative signals a broader movement toward institutionalized data stewardship in journalism.
Readers can expect improved long-term access to local news reports as more regional outlets implement professional digital preservation plans. This initiative helps ensure that historical records remain available for public research and education.
The takeaway
Preserving digital journalism is essential to maintaining an accurate historical record in an increasingly fragile online environment. Newsrooms can strengthen their long-term viability by participating in collaborative training programs that bridge the gap between media and library science.
Further reading
For additional context on how educational resources are evolving for digital learners, see our coverage of Distance Learning.
More information
Learn more about the initiative by reviewing the Today's News for Tomorrow application.
Live Poll
Do you trust that your local news sources are effectively preserving their digital archives for future access?
