Dec. 9, 2025

Editor's note: This newsletter will return to your inboxes on Thursday, Dec. 11.

■ 2025, a deadly year for journalists: ‘This is where hate and impunity lead’ (Reporters Without Borders) / UN agency reports rise in violence against women journalists and activists linked to online abuse (Associated Press) / We spoke about safety at a dozen journalism conferences in 2025. Here’s what we learned. (PEN America) 

■ Trump calls ABC's Rachel Scott 'the most obnoxious reporter' in the White House for asking about Pentagon scandal (People) / Here are all the times Trump attacked female reporters in the last 30 days (The Wrap)

■ Behind Paramount’s relentless campaign to woo Warner Discovery and president Trump (Wall Street Journal) / Paramount’s Mideast financing doomed Warner Bros. Discovery auction bid (Semafor) / David Ellison promised White House sweeping changes at CNN: Report (The Wrap) / MAGA influencers urge Trump to kill Netflix deal over streamer’s Obama ties (Washington Post) / What to know about hostile takeovers, as Paramount challenges Netflix bid (Axios) 

■ Public Media Bridge Fund announces initial round of grants (Current) / Corporation for Public Broadcasting announces $3 million in grants to expand Native public media programming (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) 

■ Forbes cuts dozens of contributing writers (Press Gazette) 

■ ‘The Washington Post launches Ripple. Ripple is editorially independent from Post journalism, leveraging the convening power of The Post to curate and elevate opinion writing from a range of local and national partners who will continue to be added on a rolling basis.’ (Washington Post Communications)

■ 'USA Today Editor in Chief Caren Bohan is exiting the company, per sources familiar. She will be replaced in the interim by Michael McCarter.' (Ben Mullin) / NAB announces leadership changes to accelerate innovation and bolster work on broadcast positioning system (TV News Check) / 'The New Yorker adds Jason Zengerle and Ruby Cramer as staff writers for politics and Jon Allsop as a contributing writer; Emily Nussbaum will be theater critic' (Michael Luo) / Staff news from Video (New York Times) / 3 new people join WRAL, including an anchor/reporter… (The News & Observer) / NBC taps Sheinelle Jones to co-host ‘Today’ show’s fourth hour alongside Jenna Bush Hager (Hollywood Reporter) / CBS News' Adriana Diaz and Kelly O'Grady poised to become next hosts of 'CBS Saturday Morning': Sources (New York Post) / WBBM adds Glenn Marshall as evening anchor and reporter (RadioInsight) 

■ How Capital B works to be a window and a mirror for Black audiences (Poynter)

■ How The New Yorker’s intricate illustrated covers survived the decline of print journalism (People)

Podcast inspiration from the true crime genre

“For newsrooms looking to make their podcasts more addictive, the advice is clear:

• Think hard about host selection. Choose hosts with a genuine connection to the story and the ability to bring their personality to the fore.
• Take your time. Don’t be afraid to slow down, build suspense, and let the story unfold over time.
• Think beyond audio. Use video, social clips, and cross-promotion to reach new audiences and keep existing ones engaged.
• Don't over-commit. Be realistic about resources and publishing schedules – consistency builds loyal, ‘sticky’ audiences.
• Futureproof. Consider how your format can adapt if a key host moves on.”

-- Jacob Granger, community editor of JournalismUK, excerpt from "The secret ingredient that makes true crime podcasts addictive — and why news podcasts need it" (JournalismUK)

Resources

• Webinar On-Demand: How journalists can use scraping tools for environmental stories (Pulitzer Center) 
• Take Care of Yourself, Too: A mental health reporting project webinar (Poynter) 
• Five tools to detect, analyze, and counter disinformation (LatAm Journalism Review by the Knight Center)

Livestream the NPC Fourth Estate Award Gala starting at 7 p.m. ET

Tonight we’re celebrating excellence in journalism at the 2025 Fourth Estate Award Gala. Robert Costa, a national correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning” and chief Washington analyst for CBS News, will accept the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award, which recognizes journalists who have made significant contributions to the field and is the Club’s most esteemed prize.

We'll also honor Ed Mahon, an investigative reporter at Spotlight PA, with the 2025 Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism.

And we'll recognize multiple courageous journalists with the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Awards: The Associated Press for its leadership in defending press freedom and standing for the right of all Americans to speak freely without government retaliation or control, and a group of nine journalists affiliated with the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) who remain in prison across several authoritarian countries.

To learn more about the program, download this visual guide, which includes information about the evening, honorees, and sponsors. 

The gala is a fundraiser supporting the Institute, which powers journalism in the public interest; donate now to support our work.

While tonight's event is sold out, join us on our livestream at 7 p.m. ET to help us celebrate:

This newsletter is written and edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, and Elliot C. Williams. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover.

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