Matt Laslo

Journalist, Lecturer, Public Speaker, Media Consultant

Matt Laslo is a fearless Capitol Hill journalist, sharp media strategist, in-demand speaker and new media educator shaping the conversation at the crossroads of politics, technology and independent journalism. He has been featured in WIRED, VICE, Rolling Stone, Daily Beast, Playboy, Atlantic, Guardian, Reuters and more. He has also led Washington’s only regionally focused national wire service since 2006.

Laslo became a Substack bestseller after founding Ask a Pol — an interactive political journalism news outlet. He's using the endeavor to pull the veil back on Washington politics, while gaining the trust of millions of Americans who are hungry for an alternative source of reporting.

His stories reach millions and his reporting has been cited everywhere from law reviews and books to government reports and reference works. Laslo covers the stories mainstream outlets often miss — AI, digital privacy, cannabis, criminal justice, guns, mass shootings, the opioid crisis, crypto, and the raw mechanics of American power.

He’s a go-to speaker and teacher, with 60+ keynotes, lectures, and panels at Cornell, Georgetown, Northwestern, NYU, George Mason, NPR headquarters, and beyond. Since 2016, he has taught political communications at Johns Hopkins University (MA), George Washington University (MA) and Boston University (MA, BA). He has also become a leading voice on how journalists, creators, and newsrooms can adapt to AI, social media, and the collapse of traditional media barriers.

As a consultant, he helps independent journalists and newsrooms build smart, sustainable media brands on Substack, Patreon, and other platforms. In 2026, he launched AI Show ‘n Tell (AISNT), a Washington meetup for independent journalists exploring the tools and tactics reshaping the industry.

He has trained more than 50 interns and countless reporters, producers, and editors who’ve gone on to top outlets across the country like CNN, Washington Post, NPR, Meidas Touch and more. He remains a hands-on reporter, educator, and strategist with a deep instinct for where journalism is headed next.