June 5, 2025

■ Partisan battle lines form over Trump's plan to defund NPR & PBS (NPR)

■ UnitedHealthcare lawsuit accuses Guardian of trying to ‘capitalize’ on CEO Brian Thompson’s killing (Semafor)

■ Warner Bros Discovery initiates more layoffs in cable TV divisions (Deadline) / Spotify lays off 5% of staff across The Ringer and podcast studios business (Variety) / ‘Nearly a week after mass layoffs, frustration inside Business Insider intensified following a tense all-hands—with an audio recording and Slack messages obtained by Status revealing the depth of staff anger .’ (Status)

■ The twilight of evening news: Anchor swaps, trust gaps, and a looming AI threat (Hollywood Reporter)

■ ESPN is ready to introduce fans to its ‘next era’ as streaming launch looms (Hollywood Reporter) / ESPN had the perfect NBA broadcast team . Then it blew it. (Poynter)

■ Newsweek acquires adtech firm Adprime (Adweek)

■ This Alabama newspaper has gone out of business after almost 120 years (AL.com )

■ Peter Finn named international editor (Washington Post) / Bloomberg hires WSJ’s Peterson to be big food reporter (Talking Biz News) / Politico taps Hapgood to cover financial services and small biz policy (Talking Biz News) / Fox taps Paramount marketing veteran Puja Vohra as CMO, ad sales (Variety)

■ Scarborough High revives student newspaper after 12 years of inactivity (Press Herald)

■ How George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, and Good Luck’ is preparing to go live on CNN (Hollywood Reporter)

Pride is Local: How to report on LGBTQ+ stories for home audiences

National headlines say it all: Canceled or paused federal funding. Vanishing research and data. Slowed support for vital services. The stripping of fundamental civil rights. The LGBTQ+ community is under attack in actions being taken by local governments, businesses, Congress, and the White House.

At stake are the daily lives of millions of individuals who live, work, and play in communities across the country, some with limited access to reliable local news media. So how can journalists bridge the gap between policy and local impact in meaningful ways for their audiences?

Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute at noon ET on June 17 for a timely panel discussion on localizing Pride for communities nationwide.

Experienced journalists will discuss the storytelling strategies needed to cultivate trusted community sources, navigate sensitive topics, and cover the experiences of LGBTQ+ Americans with depth and accuracy.

Speakers include:

Kathryn Varn , Tampa Bay reporter at Axios
Kevin Naff, co-owner and editor of the Washington Blade
Bill Canacci, regional features editor for Asbury Park Press/Gannett NJ
Jacob Reyes , GLAAD news coordinator and Texas Latino Pride vice president

How journalists can lean on peer support networks to mitigate online harassment

“Peer support — modeled on evidence-based approaches used in high-stress professions like emergency services and veteran’s groups — can mitigate the harms of online abuse and build journalists’ resilience in unique ways. Journalists need more support in navigating online abuse. While they value existing support networks, they are not necessarily turning to these networks when facing online hate and harassment. Peer support groups that operate independently of the newsroom have particular promise because they connect journalists across the industry who share backgrounds, experiences, and concern s.”

-- PEN America experts Viktorya Vilk and Jeje Mohamed , excerpt from “The Power of Peer Support: Helping journalists persevere in the face of online abuse ” (PEN America)

2025 Press & Politicians Spelling Bee is June 25

Relationships between politicians and the media who cover them have become increasingly intense, but on Wednesday, June 25 , in the National Press Club’s historic ballroom, fun and friendly competition will prevail as lawmakers and reporters compete in the uproariously entertaining Press & Politicians Spelling Bee .

Continuing with tradition, Scripps National Spelling Bee will provide the words, pronouncer, and judges. Click here to see the confirmed spellers.

Join us at 7 pm ET. Tickets on sale now.

GET TICKETS

Thank you to our Spelling Bee sponsors

Resources

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

Get this from a friend? Subscribe, and view the archives.

DONATE TO THE INSTITUTE

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.

2025 Press & Politicians Spelling Bee is June 25

Queen Bee Sponsors

Honeycomb Sponsor

Pollinator Sponsors