June 23, 2026

Top stories

■ DOJ issued, then withdrew, subpoenas to force Post, WSJ reporters to testify (Washington Post) / ‘The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal waged a secret legal fight to stop the US government from subpoenaing several reporters in connection with national security leak probes…’ (Brian Stelter) / Statement on Justice Department decision to subpoena journalists (National Press Club)


■ Trump threatens to sue ABC News over coverage of Reflecting Pool vandalism: ‘I like their money’ (TheWrap) / ‘Since running spots Monday on its local stations urging viewers to support ABC's renewal of its broadcast licenses, the number of comments in FCC docket went from 30 to 20,000.’ (Joe Flint)


■ CBS News’s independent watchdog stays quiet amid ‘60 Minutes’ turmoil (New York Times) / Tony Dokoupil says he hasn’t felt bias pressure at CBS after ‘60 Minutes’ firings: ‘Not the experience that I’ve had’ (TheWrap) / ‘New Nielsen ratings data obtained by Status shows “CBS Mornings” is on pace for its worst June ever as the Bari Weiss-led network’s troubles deepen.’ (Status)


■ The Washington Post loves data centers a lot more than disclosing Jeff Bezos’ financial interest in promoting them (Washingtonian) 


■ TMZ DC knows it’s not above what it covers (The Bulwark) 


■ Daily Wire, under pressure, seeks strategic investors, targets IPO (Semafor) 


■ Nancy Guthrie case: Kidnapper's second alleged note to media claimed she's dead (TheWrap) / Savannah Guthrie fights back tears while responding to note claiming her mom Nancy is dead (Variety) 


■ Journalist loses World Cup credentials after on-air outburst over Almiron red card (Reuters) 


■ After farewell goes viral, KWQC's Dustin Nolan says he didn't quit on-air (The Desk) 


■ Beth Reinhard joins Politics desk at The New York Times (New York Times) / Kim Fararo joins The New York Times News desk (New York Times) / FOX News Channel signs Natalie Chuck as Los Angeles-based correspondent (FOX News Channel) / Bloomberg hires Sackel as senior producer (Talking Biz News) / Bloomberg Law hires Tarinelli as a reporter (Talking Biz News) / Sarah Gordon joins CT Mirror as photojournalist (CT Mirror)


■ This NewsGuard chatbot wants to solve AI’s news problem (CNN) / The use of AI chatbots for news is on the rise — but not everywhere (Nieman Journalism Lab) 


■ Forbes tests a creator-led audience play to grow off-platform reach (Digiday) 


■ It’s not TV. It’s Instagram: App is testing longform, episodic storytelling on TV (Hollywood Reporter)

CRAFT

Telling multimedia stories across platforms


“Each platform pulls newsrooms toward different storytelling instincts, and the differences are not just technical:


Instagram works well for structured, visual storytelling. Carousel posts and reels let journalists break a complex investigation into smaller pieces, each one building on the last. It rewards clarity over atmosphere. For reporting that involves financial networks, timelines, or layered data, this format can actually make the story easier to follow.


TikTok is less forgiving. You need to hook people in the first few seconds, and the rhythm of the platform does not leave much room for context or nuance. Adapting to TikTok means changing not just the length but the tone and pace of how you tell a story. Some newsrooms have decided that the trade-off isn’t worth it. That reticence is not just a technical limitation; it reflects a real tension between platform culture and editorial identity.


YouTube is still the platform best suited to in-depth, long-form interviews, documentaries, and explainer videos, giving reporters space to build context properly. For many independent outlets, it has become their main editorial environment, not just a place to post extra content.”


-- Merve Arisoy, digital and social media strategist, excerpt from “Translating investigative journalism into platform-native storytelling” (Global Investigative Journalism Network)

Applications are open for the 2026 Pamela Tobey Award for Excellence in Visual Storytelling, a $1,000 prize and national recognition from the National Press Club Journalism Institute. This annual design award recognizes visual journalism that pushes the boundaries of storytelling beyond text and rewards creative uses of data visualization, interactivity, photography, videography, audio, illustration, and emerging tools. 

CAREER
 
 

Tip for diversifying your newsroom staff (and coverage)


“Too often, newsrooms fail to assess and account for the gaps in their staff’s values and views. That leads to a lack of awareness of what’s missing in their coverage. … When we last hired at Trusting News, our application included an optional question outlining why ‘diversity in lived experiences, perspectives, knowledge, and ideas’ is important to our team. We invited applicants to include anything they chose to share about their background and identity. Then in the interview process, we built off of that with other questions from our Hiring Guide that are designed to invite people to share how they see the world, and how they engage with people or ideas they’re not very familiar with.”


-- Joy Mayer, executive director at Trusting News, excerpt from “Diversify your staff by adding these Q’s to job applications and interviews” (Trusting News)

 
 
COMMUNITY

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This newsletter is written and edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover.


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