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Wikinews is a free-content news wiki and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation that gathers and reports news collaboratively through user-created content. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has distinguished Wikinews from Wikipedia by saying, "On Wikinews, each story is to be written as a news story as opposed to an encyclopedia article."[2] According to a Wikinews contributor cited by The New York Times, Wikinews's neutral point of view policy aims to distinguish it from other citizen journalism efforts such as Indymedia and OhmyNews.[3] In contrast to most Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wikinews allows original work in the form of original reporting and interviews. In contrast to newspapers, the English edition of Wikinews does not permit op-eds.[4][failed verification]

Key Information

As of October 2025, Wikinews sites are active in 31 languages,[5] with a total of 1,767,086 articles and 698 recently active editors (editors that contributed to the site in the last 30 days).[6]

On June 28, 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation's Sister Projects Task Force has submitted a proposal for closing Wikinews.[7]

Early years

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The beta version logo, used until February 13, 2005

The first recorded proposal of a Wikimedia news site was a two-line anonymous post on January 5, 2003, on the Wikimedia community's Meta-Wiki.[8][9] Daniel Alston, who edited Wikipedia as Fonzy,[10] claimed to have been the one who posted it.[8][11] The proposal was then further developed by German freelance journalist, software developer, and author Erik Möller.[8] Early opposition from long-time Wikipedia contributors, many of them pointing out the existence of Wikipedia's own news summaries, gave way to detailed discussions and proposals about how it could be implemented as a new project of the Wikimedia Foundation.[12]

The domain name wikinews.org was registered on April 2, 2004.[13] In November 2004, a demonstration wiki was established to show how such a collaborative news site might work.[12] A month later, in December 2004, the site was moved out of the "demo" stage and into the beta stage under public domain copyleft.[5][14] A German language edition was launched at the same time. Soon, editions in Italian, Dutch, French, Spanish, Swedish, Bulgarian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Norwegian, Chinese, Turkish, Korean, Hungarian, Greek, Esperanto, Czech, Albanian, and Tamil (in that chronological order) were set up.[5]

In September 2005, the project moved to the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license.[14] On September 7, 2007, the English Wikinews published its 10,000th article.[15]

Interviews

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Wikinews reporter David Shankbone with Israeli president Shimon Peres in 2007

Wikinews reporters have conducted interviews with several notable people, including an interview in December 2007 with Israeli President Shimon Peres by Wikinews reporter David Shankbone. Shankbone had been invited to conduct the interview by the America-Israel Friendship League and the Israeli foreign ministry.[16][17]

Other notable interviews have included writers, actors, and politicians, such as Augusten Burroughs,[18] several 2008 U.S. Republican Party presidential primaries candidates like Sam Brownback and Duncan Hunter,[16] and others like British politician Tony Benn,[19] writer Eric Bogosian,[20] New Zealand politician Nick Smith,[21] former New Zealand prime minister John Key,[22] World Wide Web co-inventor Robert Cailliau,[23] drag queen RuPaul,[24] and former Wikimedia Foundation executive Sue Gardner.[25]

Criticism

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Wikinews has been criticized for its alleged inability to remain neutral in perspective and provide verifiable, reliable sources. In 2005, Robert McHenry, former editor-in-chief of the Encyclopædia Britannica, criticized the credibility of the project:

Above all, the central question about the Wikinews effort is its credibility. Making a newspaper is hard...Someone who wants to do it but doesn't really know how hasn't solved the problem by gathering a lot of other people who don't know, either.[3]

McHenry was skeptical about Wikinews' ability to provide a neutral point of view and its claim to be evenhanded, saying that "[t]he naïveté is stunning."[3]

In a 2007 interview given to Wikinews, Sue Gardner, at that time a special adviser to the board of the Wikimedia Foundation and former head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Internet division, CBC.ca, dismissed McHenry's comment, stating:

Journalism is not a profession ... at its heart, it's just a craft. And that means that it can be practiced by anyone who is sensible and intelligent and thoughtful and curious ... I go back to the morning of Virginia Tech – the morning I decided I wanted to work [at the Wikimedia Foundation]. The conversation on the talk page that day was extremely thoughtful. I remember thinking to myself that if my own newsroom had been having a conversation that intelligent (I was offsite that day) I would have been delighted. So yes, [in my opinion] you absolutely have proved Robert McHenry wrong. And you will continue to.[26]

Wikinews has also had issues with maintaining a separate identity from Wikipedia, which also covers major news events in real-time. Columnist Jonathan Dee of The New York Times said in 2007 that "So indistinct has the line between past and present become that Wikipedia has inadvertently all but strangled one of its sister projects, the three-year-old Wikinews... [Wikinews] has sunk into a kind of torpor; lately it generates just 8 to 10 articles a day... On bigger stories there's just no point in competing with the ruthless purview of the encyclopedia."[27] Andrew Lih and Zachary M. Seward commented on the continuing issue in a 2010 piece in the Nieman Journalism Lab called "Why Wikipedia beats Wikinews as a collaborative journalism project." Lih wrote "it's not clear that the wiki process really gears itself towards deadlines and group narrative writing" and that "if you're trying to write something approaching a feature piece, it's much harder to get more than two or three people to stay consistent with the style."[28] Lih considers Wikipedia's stricter "formula" for article composition an advantage in a large wiki with many editors.[28] Brian Keegan wrote in 2019 that the Wikinews model of requiring approval before publication ultimately limited its ability to grow, especially compared to the more open nature of Wikipedia.[29]

Thomas Roessing wrote in The International Encyclopedia of Journalism Studies in 2019 about journalism on Wikipedia and Wikinews: "Many people turn to Wikipedia for more information after they received news from the mass media ... There is a substantial danger of havoc resulting from hasty handling of information about an unfolding situation."[30] Roessing presents the issue of a "citation cycle", where professional journalists turn to Wikipedia for research, but the Wikipedia community goes to mass media sources for breaking news articles. Roessing writes about the problem of differentiating Wikipedia and Wikinews: "The quality and the speed in which Wikipedia responds to news is one of the challenges to Wikinews."[30] Additionally, Roessing refers to an analogy made by author Matthew Yeomans: "Usually, Wikinews retells stories that were first published by Internet outlets of the traditional mass media (which also serve as sources for Wikinews' articles). This tends to result in "dull regurgitation of facts" as Yeomans (2005) put it."[30][31]

Language editions

[edit]

As of October 2025, there are Wikinews sites for 36 languages of which 31 are active and 5 are closed.[5] The active sites have 1,767,086 articles and the closed sites have 2,151 articles.[6] There are 3,387,626 registered users of which 698 are recently active.[6]

The top ten Wikinews language projects by mainspace article count:[32]

No. Language Wiki Articles Total pages Edits Admins Users Active users Files
1 Russian ru 1,496,938 10,578,035 16,860,406 10 61,759 104 17
2 Serbian sr 53,121 81,145 3,166,165 7 6,947 13 0
3 Portuguese pt 35,547 77,594 585,247 6 30,273 31 62
4 French fr 24,181 81,622 891,536 7 56,096 35 1
5 Polish pl 22,945 67,756 387,209 6 21,664 37 1,368
6 English en 22,204 2,926,474 4,886,895 19 2,902,018 153 3,540
7 Chinese zh 18,463 47,000 270,761 8 38,000 34 1
8 German de 14,230 62,441 853,752 6 35,568 21 64
9 Italian it 12,526 44,763 995,050 4 29,353 30 114
10 Spanish es 12,298 50,538 719,731 9 47,720 30 0

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Wikinews

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the , operated as a where volunteers collaboratively report, summarize, and edit news articles on all subjects from a neutral point of view. It emphasizes by enabling global contributors to provide original reporting and aggregated summaries, serving as an open alternative to proprietary news agencies like the or . Launched on December 2, 2004, with the English edition at en.wikinews.org, Wikinews originated from an idea proposed in 2004 by a volunteer community seeking to extend the collaborative model of to news production. The project rapidly expanded to multiple languages shortly after, including German on December 3, 2004, and French, Dutch, Swedish, and Spanish in January 2005, and now operates in 31 active languages as of November 2025. Core principles guiding Wikinews include strict neutrality in reporting, free content licensed under copyleft terms for permanent accessibility without registration, and an open decision-making process that invites public participation to fill informational gaps through daily improvements. As a volunteer-driven initiative, it aims to build a global digital commons of reliable, unbiased news, with ongoing activity evidenced by recent articles on events such as the Turkish military transport plane crash near the Georgia border and the 2025 Queens World Film Festival.

Overview and Principles

Founding and Launch

The idea for Wikinews originated from a proposal by Wikimedia user "SimonP" to establish a wiki dedicated to news coverage, aiming to extend the collaborative model of to time-sensitive reporting. This concept gained traction within the Wikimedia community as a way to address the limitations of encyclopedic wikis in handling breaking news events. The Wikimedia Foundation board officially approved Wikinews as a sister project in 2004, marking it as the foundation's tenth project and enabling its development alongside other initiatives like and . The English edition of Wikinews launched in beta on December 2, 2004, with its inaugural article covering the devastating earthquake and that struck on December 26, 2004, killing over 230,000 people across multiple countries. This debut highlighted the project's potential for rapid, collaborative news dissemination. Technically, Wikinews was built on the software, the same open-source platform powering , but with adaptations to support time-sensitive updates, such as streamlined editing for current events and features for sourcing and verification. From its inception, Wikinews adopted 's neutral point of view () policy, requiring all content to present facts without bias, alongside strict verifiable sourcing guidelines tailored to , such as citing primary news wires and official statements to ensure reliability in fast-paced reporting.

Mission and Core Guidelines

Wikinews aims to deliver impartial and timely news coverage through a collaborative model where volunteers from around the world contribute original reporting on current events, distinguishing itself as a free content platform licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) as of 2025 to promote and reuse. This mission emphasizes user-generated news articles that anyone can write, edit, and improve, fostering a global community effort to report on diverse subjects without the constraints of traditional media gatekeeping. Unlike encyclopedic projects, Wikinews prioritizes breaking stories and evolving developments, often producing multiple articles on the same topic as events unfold. A key aspect of Wikinews' approach is its commitment to original research, including interviews, on-the-ground reporting, and firsthand accounts, which sets it apart from Wikipedia's policy prohibiting original research in favor of secondary sourcing. Contributors are encouraged to conduct their own investigations and attribute information directly to primary sources, enabling fresh perspectives on news while maintaining transparency about methodologies. This wiki-based model relies on collective editing to refine articles, ensuring they evolve with new information and community input. Core guidelines underpin Wikinews' operations, with verifiability requiring all claims to be supported by reliable, cited sources—ideally multiple independent ones—to prevent and establish credibility. Neutrality is enforced through a neutral point of view (NPOV) , mandating fair representation of all significant perspectives, attribution of opinions to qualified sources, and avoidance of personal bias or speculation. Timeliness is central, focusing coverage on recent, impactful events that affect audiences locally or globally, while community consensus guides article publication via a review process where editors collaborate on talk pages to resolve disputes and achieve agreement. To uphold journalistic integrity, Wikinews has strict policies against hoaxes, vandalism, and unverified content, with mechanisms like speedy deletion for obvious fabrications and requirements for cross-verification across sources before publishing. Disputes are handled through discussion on article talk pages, promoting and iterative improvements rather than adversarial edits. Additionally, Wikinews integrates with other Wikimedia projects by linking to for contextual background on topics, enhancing reader understanding without duplicating encyclopedic content. This interconnected approach supports the broader Wikimedia ecosystem's goal of freely available knowledge.

Historical Development

Early Years and Initial Growth

Following its official launch in December 2004, the English edition of Wikinews transitioned to producing full-length articles in early 2005, marking the onset of substantive content creation. Initial efforts focused on covering significant global events, with extensive reporting on in August 2005, including articles on the storm's death toll, flooding in New Orleans, and economic impacts such as surging oil prices. This coverage exemplified the project's emphasis on timely, collaborative news reporting, drawing from volunteer contributions to compile verified facts from multiple sources. The platform experienced rapid expansion in , reaching over 1,000 articles by of that year, a milestone that highlighted the influx of volunteer editors. This growth was bolstered by recruitment drives within the broader Wikimedia community, including announcements on mailing lists like wikinews-l, which encouraged participation from individuals with interests or access to local events. By the end of , the total article count had surpassed initial projections, reflecting successful mobilization of contributors through online forums and project announcements. The period also saw the introduction of the first major non-English editions, broadening Wikinews's international scope. The French edition launched on January 29, 2005, enabling localized reporting in French-speaking regions, while the German edition, established concurrently with the English version in , continued to develop with steady contributions. Additional editions, such as Polish, Romanian, and , debuted on February 19, 2005, fostering multilingual content production and attracting diverse volunteers. Early operations encountered challenges related to the article persistence policy, which mandated retaining news items as permanent historical records rather than archiving or deleting them like traditional journalistic content or encyclopedic entries. This approach, intended to create a comprehensive archive, sparked debates among editors in 2005–2006 about the balance between timeliness and long-term verifiability, as news articles differed from Wikipedia's static, knowledge-oriented model. Community formation solidified during 2006–2007 through dedicated IRC channels like #wikinews on and the wikinews-l , where editors coordinated reporting, resolved disputes, and organized collaborative efforts such as original interviews. These tools facilitated real-time discussions and volunteer onboarding, laying the groundwork for sustained engagement.

Expansion and Key Milestones

In 2008, Wikinews saw significant expansion through the launch of new language editions and improvements in article organization. The Czech and Hungarian editions were established on May 26, providing localized news reporting in those languages. Concurrently, the introduction of structured article templates enhanced content organization, enabling more consistent formatting for news stories across editions, such as infoboxes for events and sources. This built upon early growth patterns from 2005–2007, where initial editions focused on foundational setup, by scaling collaborative editing capabilities. Editor activity peaked around 2010, coinciding with extensive coverage of major global events like the Arab Spring uprisings that began in late 2010. Volunteers contributed to dozens of articles documenting protests across the , reflecting heightened community engagement during this period of political upheaval. The Wikimedia Foundation's 2010–2011 annual report highlighted hundreds of volunteer contributions to related news content across projects, underscoring Wikinews's role in real-time reporting. In 2011, Wikinews launched Audio Wikinews, an initiative to produce podcast-style audio summaries of news articles, expanding beyond text-based formats. The first releases appeared in December 2011, featuring spoken versions of stories like international court rulings, available under free licenses for redistribution. By 2013, Wikinews integrated mobile-friendly features and feeds to improve user access on portable devices and through syndication. These enhancements aligned with broader Wikimedia mobile optimizations, including responsive design for news reading, and allowed subscribers to receive updates via Atom or formats directly from edition homepages. Discussions around a dedicated mobile Wikinews application further supported on-the-go consumption of original reporting. A key milestone came in 2015, when Wikinews reached approximately 208,000 articles across all active editions in 33 languages, demonstrating sustained growth in multilingual content. This included special projects such as comprehensive election coverage, exemplified by real-time reporting on the United Kingdom general election, where articles detailed results, party performances, and regional shifts.

Recent Challenges and Status

Since 2016, Wikinews has experienced a significant drop in active editors, attributed primarily to competition from platforms and established professional news outlets that have dominated the online news landscape. This decline has led to a very small core of dedicated volunteers struggling to attract and retain new contributors, exacerbating editor burnout across language editions. In the 2020s, publishing on Wikinews became increasingly sporadic, with content production shifting toward niche topics such as Wikimedia Foundation events and internal community updates rather than broad current affairs coverage. This limited output has resulted in outdated articles and inconsistent updates, further diminishing the project's visibility and engagement. On June 28, 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation's Sister Projects Task Force proposed closing Wikinews, citing persistently low readership—under 100,000 monthly views across editions—and widespread editor burnout as key factors rendering the project unsustainable. Public consultations held in July 2025, following the proposal's release on , highlighted community concerns over Wikinews's long-term sustainability and its overlap with 's current events portal, which already handles timely news summaries. Participants discussed options like merging content into or archiving the site, but no consensus emerged on alternatives to closure; the consultation closed on November 6, 2025, without a resolution. As of November 2025, Wikinews remains operational in 31 languages, though with minimal new content production and only around 661 recently active editors project-wide, as the Board awaits a final decision on the proposal.

Content Creation and Features

Article Formats and Standards

Wikinews articles follow a structured format designed to promote clarity, neutrality, and verifiability, often incorporating an (optional) to summarize key facts such as dates, locations, and involved parties, a lead section that concisely addresses the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the event, and a Sources section listing references, including primary sources (e.g., direct documents or statements) or secondary (e.g., news reports). These elements ensure that readers quickly grasp the core story while providing transparent sourcing to support claims. Timeliness is a core standard, mandating that articles focus on current events; articles are archived at least 7 days after publication to the "Completed" or historical sections to keep the mainspace dedicated to ongoing news. This guideline reinforces Wikinews's emphasis on fresh reporting, aligning briefly with its mission principles of providing reliable, up-to-date information. Before publication in the mainspace, all articles undergo a rigorous review process involving peer validation by experienced editors, who check for factual accuracy, neutral tone, complete sourcing, and adherence to style guidelines; only articles passing this collaborative scrutiny are approved for public view. This multi-stage validation helps maintain high quality and prevents unsubstantiated content from appearing. Headlines must be factual, concise, and free of to accurately reflect the article's content without , while bylines prominently credit the authoring volunteer(s) to foster and recognition. Articles are also assigned relevant categories—such as by topic, location, or event type—to enhance discoverability and navigational accessibility for users. Over time, Wikinews formats have evolved to incorporate elements, notably the of visual timelines in 2012 using templates like EasyTimeline to illustrate event sequences in complex stories, improving reader comprehension of chronological developments. This update built on earlier structural standards to better support dynamic news coverage.

Original Reporting and Interviews

Wikinews distinguishes itself among projects by permitting volunteers to engage in original reporting, including conducting interviews with sources to gather primary information. These interviews can be carried out through various methods such as , phone calls, or in-person meetings, enabling contributors to directly access firsthand accounts while adhering to the project's emphasis on verifiable, attributed content. To ensure ethical standards and neutrality, Wikinews guidelines require explicit consent from interviewees, accurate transcription of responses for non-written formats, and presentation in a question-and-answer (Q&A) structure that avoids or summarization that could alter the source's intent. Interviewees must be identifiable, and all content is expected to align with the neutral point of view , reporting facts without endorsement or opinion. Early notable examples of such reporting include the December 2005 interview with Wikipedia co-founder , conducted collaboratively by contributors from multiple language editions, which explored topics related to open-source collaboration and online encyclopedias. In the 2010s, Wikinews extended this approach to tech-focused events, such as the August 2010 interview with William Pomerantz, Senior Director of Space Prizes at the X PRIZE Foundation, discussing advancements in private during coverage of innovation conferences. Volunteers face challenges in sourcing experts, particularly for timely or specialized topics, as securing access requires building trust and navigating the project's volunteer-driven nature, which can limit resources compared to traditional media outlets. Despite these hurdles, original interviews form a core of Wikinews' primary , with archives reflecting sustained but modest volunteer efforts in this area. Complementing textual interviews, original reporting frequently incorporates user-generated and videos, which must be released under free licenses compatible with Wikimedia projects, such as Attribution, and often uploaded to for broader reuse. This integration enhances the multimedia aspect of reports while ensuring all elements remain openly accessible and attributable.

Multimedia and Collaborative Projects

Wikinews introduced Audio Wikinews in 2005 as an initiative to produce audio versions of its articles through scripted readings by volunteers. These recordings, often lasting one to two minutes, cover key news stories and are hosted on the platform for free distribution and reuse. The project aimed to enhance accessibility for listeners, drawing from original reporting to create engaging spoken summaries that align with Wikinews's neutral point of view. In 2012, Wikinews piloted video reporting efforts, producing special video segments on major events such as the in ..ogv) These pilots incorporated citizen-uploaded footage to document real-time developments, particularly for dynamic events like protests, allowing contributors to submit videos via tools designed for on-the-ground reporting. This approach emphasized collaborative input from global users, integrating user-generated visuals with verified narratives to broaden coverage beyond text. Wikinews has engaged in collaborative projects with Wikipedia's current events portal since around 2010, sharing primary source material and summaries to support mutual coverage of breaking news. This inter-project synergy enables Wikinews to supply timely event details for Wikipedia's in-depth articles, while benefiting from Wikipedia's historical context, fostering a coordinated ecosystem across Wikimedia projects. A notable multimedia series, "Wikinews Briefs," launched to deliver daily audio summaries of top stories, with production peaking in 2014 through regular weekly compilations. These concise podcasts, typically five to ten minutes long, highlight global headlines and encourage expansion into full articles, serving as an entry point for volunteer involvement. As of 2025, Wikinews continues to support through , with recent audio reports on current events like protests and sports victories. All multimedia content on Wikinews, including audio and video, must adhere to licensing requirements to ensure reusability and compatibility with the project's open model. Specifically, contributions are released under the Attribution 4.0 International , requiring attribution to creators while permitting works with attribution. This policy supports seamless integration with other Wikimedia resources and promotes widespread dissemination.

Operations and Community

Editorial Processes

Wikinews employs a structured that emphasizes , verification, and oversight to produce reliable content. Articles begin as drafts created in users' personal subpages, enabling writers to develop stories iteratively without cluttering the primary article namespace until they are sufficiently polished. This approach allows for initial research, sourcing, and writing in a low-pressure environment, often incorporating original reporting or synthesis from credible external sources. Following drafting, articles undergo community review, primarily through discussions on dedicated talk pages where fellow editors offer feedback, suggest revisions, and verify factual accuracy and neutrality. Reviewers evaluate the draft against Wikinews guidelines, such as proper sourcing, newsworthiness, and adherence to the neutral point of view, using tools like the flagged revisions system to mark changes as pending approval. If issues are identified, the article returns to the drafter for refinement, fostering a cycle of revision until it meets standards. Publication requires consensus-based approval from the , typically achieved when multiple independent reviewers confirm the article's readiness, ensuring broad agreement on its quality and compliance. Administrators intervene in disputes during this phase, facilitating resolutions through formal processes and, if necessary, handling deletions for articles that violate policies like those on verifiability or original research. To support ongoing maintenance, Wikinews utilizes a system where designated editors monitor recent changes, swiftly addressing , errors, or incomplete edits to uphold content integrity. Bots further automate routine tasks, such as applying categories to newly published articles, streamlining organization and discoverability without manual intervention for every item. In cases of breaking news, the process accelerates to enable rapid publication: articles can be moved to the main with a provisional "developing story" status, marked by banners or templates that signal ongoing updates and invite contributions for real-time verification. This flexibility balances timeliness with accountability, allowing provisional releases while full follows shortly after. These mechanisms ultimately yield the original reporting, interviews, and features that define Wikinews articles.

Volunteer Engagement

Wikinews relies on a global community of volunteers to produce its content, with a core group of active editors during its peak years in the mid-2000s, consisting mainly of hobbyists, amateur journalists, and occasional contributors who dedicate time to reporting and . This volunteer base forms the backbone of the project's model, where participants collaborate to gather, verify, and publish news articles under a neutral point of view policy. These initiatives aimed to build a diverse pool of contributors by promoting Wikinews at broader Wikimedia gatherings and through targeted outreach on platforms like IRC channels and project discussion pages. Within the , distinct roles support the workflow: reporters conduct original research and drafting, reviewers provide rigorous and feedback to ensure adherence to standards, and administrators handle technical moderation and , with the latter elected through community consensus processes. These positions are filled voluntarily, emphasizing peer accountability over hierarchical authority. To onboard and develop contributors, Wikinews provides training resources, including the comprehensive Wikinews manual outlining style guidelines, sourcing requirements, and ethical practices, alongside informal mentorship programs where experienced editors guide newcomers through article development and review. These efforts foster skill-building and encourage sustained involvement by pairing novices with veterans for hands-on support. Volunteer engagement has experienced a decline since the mid-2000s, attributed to broader challenges in sustaining interest amid competing online news sources and internal operational hurdles, leading to reduced article output and editor retention across editions, with 696 recently active editors as of November 2025. In July 2025, the considered closing Wikinews due to low engagement. This daily involvement aligns with the project's editorial processes, where volunteers collectively ensure content quality through ongoing collaboration.

Technical and Administrative Support

Wikinews operates on servers maintained by the , leveraging the open-source software as its core platform. This hosting infrastructure ensures reliable access and scalability for the project's collaborative news production. To support news-specific needs, is augmented with extensions like FlaggedRevs, which allows designated reviewers to evaluate and approve article revisions for public display, enhancing content stability and quality control in a dynamic news environment. Administrative support for Wikinews is handled by a team of local administrators, who manage user permissions, resolve technical issues, and enforce policies on the English edition and other language versions. These administrators operate under the broader governance of the , which provides legal and strategic oversight, while local Wikimedia chapters offer supplementary regional support, such as training and event coordination. Wikinews later integrated the , a visual editing tool developed by the , to streamline article creation and reduce the learning curve for contributors unfamiliar with wiki markup syntax. This update improved accessibility for writing and formatting news content directly in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get interface. Since 2014, Wikinews contributors have utilized , a public SQL querying service for Wikimedia's database replicas, to analyze article statistics, track publication trends, and monitor project growth metrics like total articles and edit volumes. This tool enables data-driven insights without requiring direct database access, supporting informed decisions on . Funding for Wikinews's technical and administrative needs has been provided through grants from the to sustain server operations, software updates, and community support initiatives. Volunteers interact with these systems daily, relying on the stable to publish timely .

Multilingual Presence

English Edition Overview

The English edition of Wikinews, launched on December 2, 2004, represents the flagship version of the collaborative project and remains its most established language iteration. It emphasizes international coverage from a neutral point of view, encompassing global events, politics, , , , and across all regions. Since its inception, the edition has produced over 22,000 articles, providing original reporting and summaries on timely topics without commercial influence or editorial bias. A key aspect of the English edition's role within the Wikimedia ecosystem is its integration with Wikipedia's through the daily "In the news" portal. This feature highlights current events by linking to selected Wikinews articles, enabling seamless access to and fostering cross-project collaboration for users seeking verified, up-to-date information. The arrangement underscores Wikinews's contribution to real-time knowledge dissemination, with often selected for their timeliness and reliability. The edition has featured specialized topic areas, including dedicated coverage of U.S. politics during major election cycles from 2008 to 2020, reflecting its capacity for in-depth regional reporting. Traffic metrics illustrate its evolution: the site peaked at around 200,000 monthly page views in 2012 amid growing interest in , but views have since declined amid broader challenges in sustaining volunteer-driven news platforms. Complementing this, Wikinews maintains a strict archival policy, retaining all published articles indefinitely as historical records to preserve the context and perspective of events at the time of reporting, without retroactive updates or deletions.

Non-English Editions and Localization

Wikinews maintains 30 active non-English editions (31 total active) as of November 2025, reflecting efforts to provide multilingual access to collaborative news reporting. The French edition stands as one of the largest among these, with over 24,000 articles as of July 2025 covering a wide range of global and local topics. Other prominent examples include the edition, which focuses on Middle Eastern and international affairs, the Russian edition with over 1.4 million articles, and the Simple English edition, designed for accessibility with simplified language to reach non-native speakers. The expansion of non-English editions began with key launches such as the Spanish version in 2005, aimed at serving Spanish-speaking audiences in and , and the Chinese edition in March 2006, targeting users in and the global Chinese diaspora. However, not all initiatives have sustained momentum; for instance, the Italian edition has remained dormant since 2018 due to declining volunteer contributions. Localization presents unique challenges, including the translation of core editorial guidelines into local languages to ensure adherence to neutrality and verifiability standards. Editions must also adapt to region-specific news priorities, such as cultural sensitivities in reporting or legal requirements for sourcing in jurisdictions like the or Arab countries, which can complicate collaborative workflows. Collaborations across editions enhance coverage of global events, with editors sharing verified sources and for stories like international conflicts or climate summits, allowing for efficient translation and republication. Non-English editions account for approximately 99% of Wikinews's total content volume (over 1.7 million articles across all editions) but a smaller share of overall activity compared to the English edition, which often serves as a foundational model with higher volunteer engagement.

Criticisms and Debates

Reliability and Sourcing Concerns

One early incident highlighting sourcing challenges occurred in August 2005, when Wikinews published an article claiming former U.S. President would attend the Global CEO Conference in , , based on a fabricated from the protest group :30A. The story was later retracted after confirmed it as a intended to critique media coverage of the event, prompting internal discussions within the Wikimedia community on the need for rigorous verification of press releases and primary sources. This event contributed to the evolution of Wikinews' guidelines, emphasizing multiple independent confirmations for original reporting to prevent similar errors. Media watchdogs have critiqued the wiki-journalism model underlying Wikinews for inherent risks in collaborative editing, such as potential delays in and vulnerability to unverified contributions during . For instance, a analysis by the Nieman Journalism Lab noted that while Wikinews aims for collaborative depth, it often lags in timeliness compared to traditional outlets, with coverage gaps on major events due to the decentralized verification , raising concerns about reliability in fast-paced reporting environments. Allegations of have surfaced particularly in Wikinews' political coverage, where editors' diverse perspectives sometimes lead to disputes over framing, despite the project's commitment to neutrality. To address these, Wikinews enforces a Neutral Point of View (NPOV) , requiring articles to present multiple viewpoints proportionally and attribute opinions to sources, with community review processes to mediate conflicts and ensure balanced representation in sensitive topics like elections or debates. A 2008 study examined collaborative processes in Wikinews, highlighting how consensus-building and shape news production under the NPOV policy, though it noted ongoing debates that can influence content organization.

Sustainability and Closure Discussions

Discussions on the sustainability of Wikinews have intensified in recent years, focusing on its long-term viability amid declining participation and resource demands within the Wikimedia ecosystem. Proponents of closure argue that Wikinews overlaps significantly with Wikipedia's news portals and current events sections, which provide similar functionality without the need for a separate project. Additionally, low editor retention rates, with approximately 550 active editors globally as of mid-2025, have strained operations, while high maintenance costs for servers and software updates burden the Wikimedia Foundation's budget. Counterarguments emphasize the unique value of Wikinews as an of original, collaboratively produced reporting that captures niche and historical events not easily replicated elsewhere. Supporters highlight the project's role in fostering a dedicated of volunteer journalists, preserving a body of work that includes more than 1.7 million articles across languages, which serves educational and research purposes. These advocates contend that shutting down Wikinews would erase a distinct contribution to , potentially discouraging innovative sister projects. In June 2025, the Wikimedia Foundation's Sister Projects Task Force issued recommendations following an evaluation, proposing either migration of content to or a full shutdown by the end of 2026 to reallocate resources. The task force cited persistent inactivity and failure to meet viability thresholds, such as sustained content production and community growth, as key factors. This proposal triggered a launched on June 27, 2025, seeking broad input on Wikinews' future. The consultation, running until July 27, 2025, received community feedback favoring structural reforms—such as enhanced , drives, and integration with other projects—over outright closure, though exact response numbers are not publicly detailed. As of November 2025, the continues to review inputs, with a final decision expected in early 2026; no interim outcomes have been announced following the consultation's close. Historical precedents illustrate recurring challenges for Wikinews, including a failed proposal to close the English edition due to inactivity, which was averted through and subsequent grants for content development. Similarly, in 2018, the Finnish Wikinews faced a soft closure recommendation but was sustained via targeted and revitalization efforts, demonstrating that financial and organizational interventions can extend the project's lifespan.

References

  1. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews
  2. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews_manifesto
  3. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Main_Page
  4. https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Memory:Timeline
  5. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Strongest_earthquake_in_40_years_hits_Southeast_Asia
  6. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Mission_statement
  7. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Requests_for_comment/Update_standard_license_for_Wikinews
  8. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:What_Wikinews_is
  9. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Water_cooler/policy/Archive/8
  10. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Neutral_point_of_view
  11. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Publish_checklist
  12. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Criteria_for_speedy_deletion
  13. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Water_cooler/policy/Archive/3
  14. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Etiquette
  15. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Inter-wiki_relations
  16. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikinews/en/f/fc/30August2005.pdf
  17. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Policies_and_guidelines
  18. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Internet_Relay_Chat
  19. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Article_templates
  20. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Arab_Spring
  21. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Annual_Report/2010-2011/Single
  22. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Audio_Wikinews/Releases/Spoken_Wikinews/Archive
  23. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews/RSS
  24. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Mattho69
  25. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_News/2015
  26. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Conservatives_win_majority_in_2015_UK_general_election
  27. https://thedesk.net/2025/07/wikimedia-foundation-closing-wikinews/
  28. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposal_for_Closing_Wikinews
  29. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Public_consultation_about_Wikinews
  30. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Community_Affairs_Committee/Sister_Projects_Task_Force
  31. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Writing_an_article
  32. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Content_guide
  33. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Introduction
  34. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Reviewing_articles
  35. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Style_guide
  36. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Pages_using_Timeline
  37. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Original_reporting
  38. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Water_cooler/proposals/Archive/18
  39. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Neutrality
  40. https://www.dhi.ac.uk/san/waysofbeing/data/data-crone-thorsen-2008.pdf
  41. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Interview_with_Jimbo_Wales
  42. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews_interviews_William_Pomerantz%2C_Senior_Director_of_Space_Prizes_at_the_X_PRIZE_Foundation
  43. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17512780801999360
  44. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Interviews
  45. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Copyright
  46. https://ftpmirror.your.org/pub/wikimedia/images/wikinews/en/5/59/Wikinews_Guide.pdf
  47. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Audio_Wikinews
  48. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:WikiReporter
  49. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Briefs
  50. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Category:Audio_reports
  51. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/User:Gryllida/Tasks
  52. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Pillars_of_writing
  53. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Dispute_resolution
  54. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Criteria_for_deletion
  55. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Water_cooler/technical/Archive
  56. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Bots
  57. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Newsworthiness
  58. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/File:Wikinews_Developing.png
  59. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Administrators
  60. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Flagged_Revisions
  61. https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:FlaggedRevs
  62. https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/VisualEditor/Rollouts
  63. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Research:Quarry
  64. https://www.wikinews.org/
  65. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Archive_conventions
  66. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews/Table
  67. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews/Start_a_new_edition
  68. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Special:Statistics
  69. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Bush_attendance_at_Australia_CEO_conference_a_hoax
  70. https://www.niemanlab.org/2010/02/why-wikipedia-beats-wikinews-as-a-collaborative-journalism-project/
  71. https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Response_to_Proposal_for_Closing_Wikinews
  72. https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/06/27/community-consultation-about-the-wikispore-and-wikinews/
  73. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposals_for_closing_projects/Closure_of_Finnish_Wikinews
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