Photography:Francois Mori/Associated Press

In the new issue of Nieman Reports, Jonathan Guyer, a Cairo-based writer and student of Egyptian satire, examines the threats, challenges, and opportunities facing political cartoonists in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Around the world, cartoonists often pay a price for their work. Yet the Internet has expanded the potential for cartoonists to reach readers and elude censors.

In an increasingly visual world, cartoons have the power to provoke, to start discussions, and to move people to change their views. U.S. cartoonist Signe Wilkinson sees her role in promoting dialogue between opposing sides as central to her work. "The cartoon isn't the end," she says. "The cartoon is almost the beginning."

Cover Illustration:Christopher Weyant

Other stories in this issue:

-In "A Blueprint for How To Make J-School Matter (Again)," digital strategist Amy Webb offers a blueprint for changing journalism education to better prepare students to thrive in the present and future media landscape.

-"Local Weeklies Are Covering the Communities Big Dailies Ignore" by Barbara Selvin examines the successes of three community publications, including The St. Louis American, the local paper that's been covering the black community in greater St. Louis since 1928.

-Technology and innovation writer Michael Fitzgerald, in "What Reporters Need to Know About Covering Net Neutrality," highlights some of the best coverage in the often arcane debate over net neutrality.

-"In the Balkans, Whistle-Blowing News Outlets Struggle to Survive" by Vladimir Radomirovic, founder of Pistaljka, an investigative reporting start-up in Serbia, looks at the challenges facing independent media outlets.

-Olivia Koski describes new immersive storytelling techniques and  technologies in "Virtual Reality Lets the Audience Step into the Story."

> via niemanreports.org