The Latest: A hostile bid for WBD; NPR vs. Trump; Peer support for journalists; Photography tip

Dec. 8, 2025

Top stories

■ Paramount Skydance launches hostile bid for WBD 'to finish what we started,' CEO Ellison tells CNBC (CNBC) / Paramount's Warners bid includes $24 billion from Middle Eastern funds , backing from Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners (The Wrap) / Trump says he will be ‘involved’ in vetting Netflix-Warner deal (Washington Post) / Netflix’s Sarandos wooed Trump in person ahead of Warner bid (Bloomberg) / Netflix CEOs: ‘We’re super-confident’ of closing Warner Bros. Discovery deal , say merger will ‘protect jobs in entertainment industry’ (Variety) / ‘Netflix’s $83 billion deal for Warner Bros. spares CNN from a future under Paramount and Bari Weiss , but leaves plenty of new threats on the horizon’ (Status) / WGA forcefully opposes Netflix-Warner Bros. deal: ‘This merger must be blocked’ (Variety)

■ Trump attacks ‘60 Minutes’ and Paramount over Marjorie Taylor Greene interview minutes after hostile takeover announced (The Wrap) / Greene, ’60 Minutes’ correspondent spar in tense interview (The Hill)

■ NPR battles Trump executive order in court (NPR) / NPR, Colorado stations present case for blocking Trump’s executive order (Current)

■ CPB awards $4 million to expand rural reporting (Current)

■ Colorado TV news in the crosshairs of conservative Sinclair broadcast giant (Corey Hutchins)

■ As local news disappears, new networks are stepping in to fill the void (Poynter)

■ AI critics funded AI coverage at top newsrooms (Semafor) / Meta enters AI licensing fray, striking deals with People Inc., USA Today Co., and more (Digiday)

■ ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman heads to CBS (Los Angeles Times) / Jimmy Kimmel extends deal with Disney’s ABC for at least a year (Bloomberg) / Anderson Cooper will stay at CNN after striking new deal (Variety) / Andrea Linares to anchor Fox News' Spanish-language program Fox Noticias (The Wrap) / Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway shakes up its leadership (Axios) / Bloomberg Law's Lopez moves to state health policy beat (Talking Biz News) / AFP hires Andrea as editor on Asia Pacific Desk (Talking Biz News) / Olivia Nuzzi will leave Vanity Fair amid new allegations about RFK Jr. affair (Washington Post)

■ Global Platform launches to combat authoritarian censorship and preserve independent journalism (PEN America)

Quick tip for better photography

“The first step in becoming a good photographer is to not be afraid of getting close . A photograph is rarely too close, but is often too distant. … After you get a close photo, go very wide. Photograph a variety of distances; close, medium, and wide.”

-- Andrea Bruce , photographer and educator, excerpt from “15 photojournalism tips for reporters, from the founder of Down in the County ” (Better News)

How peer support can help journalists mitigate stress

“Peer supporters are not therapists or case workers, but they learn when to share resources with a journalist who might need professional help . They also learn how to set boundaries to avoid getting too deep in areas that peer supporters may not be able to address. The peer support sessions are set to a maximum of three sessions, each lasting 40 minutes to an hour. Peer supporters also learn to say when they can’t help the other person and instead offer someone else or an expert who may be able to help.”

-- Naseem Miller , senior editor for health at The Journalist’s Resource, excerpt from “What peer support in journalism looks like ” (The Journalist’s Resource)

Resources

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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The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest. The Institute's tax ID number is 52-1750908.