The Latest: Florida election coverage collabs; AI op-ed fallout; Ethical reporting on suicide

Aug. 26, 2026

■ Florida newsrooms partner to cover every county school board race (Current) / UF Journalism students work to close Florida's local election information gap News (University of Florida)

■ Puck in advanced talks for investment by RedBird Capital Partners at $250 million valuation (Reuters)

■ Wall Street Journal: Billionaire did not violate policies by using AI for op-ed (The Hill) / WSJ union: Readers deserve better than AI content (Talking Biz News)

■ USA Today Co. is reformatting content to attract more AI licensing deals (Digiday) / Reuters is making its news content available on AI app (Talking Biz News)

■ Forbes and Shook Research suspend rankings amid investigation of $6 million payment (New York Times)

■ ‘News that The Athletic is in talks with Kalshi on a potential partnership has prompted unease inside the broader New York Times Co. over the reputational risks of getting into bed with the controversial company, staffers tell Status.’ (Status)

■ TCU rescinds Fort Worth Star-Telegram's credentials over reporting on a locker room altercation (Awful Announcing)

■ Mother Jones and Reveal announce newsroom hires (Mother Jones) / ProPublica hires Bernice Yeung to lead its California newsroom (ProPublica) / Minnesota Star Tribune announces four new advice columnists (America's Newspapers) / Magazine’s new senior creative producer for Video (New York Times) / Luca Evans joins Chronicle Sporting Green team as Warriors beat reporter (SF Chronicle)

■ Q&A with Karen Attiah about getting fired from WaPo over her social media posts after Charlie Kirk's killing, her willingness to go back to WaPo, and more (Columbia Journalism Review)

Ethical Reporting Saves Lives: In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month

Reporting responsibly on mental health issues and suicide is critical for journalists across all beats — and can make the difference between a tragedy and a call for help.

In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, the Institute has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to present “Ethical Reporting Saves Lives ,” a free webinar featuring guidance on responsible reporting on suicide and suicidal behavior.

🗓️ Tuesday, Sept. 8 | ⏱️ Noon ET | 📍Virtual via Zoom | 🎟️ Free

María de los Ángeles Corral, vice president of public relations for AFSP, and Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, chief medical officer for AFSP, will share information about the environmental factors that influence suicidal behavior and how journalists can report on suicide in a way that increases awareness without perpetuating harm.

Attendees will leave with:

A better understanding of suicide through a public health lens, including warning signs, contributors to suicidal behavior, and protective factors;
Research on ethical reporting on suicide and how the inclusion of resources can lead those at risk to seek help; and
Best practices for ethical reporting on suicide, including appropriate language, use of images, and advice on conducting interviews.

Resume tip for journalism job seekers

“Having a resume that reflects the qualifications outlined in the job posting is critical. When I edit resumes, I encourage journalists to be specific. Don’t just say you were a videographer assigned primarily to cover sports. Go deeper, outlining how you persuaded a player to participate in a popular social media video trend for the newsroom’s Instagram account. List awards you’ve won. If you are fluent in languages other than English, note that. Update your resume after you hit a major accomplishment. That helps ensure you accurately describe the achievement while the details are still fresh. This also means your resume is ready whenever an opportunity arises.”

-- Cristina Silva , managing editor for operations and standards at The Boston Globe, excerpt from "How much does a cover letter really matter?" (Poynter)

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The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes First Amendment values by equipping journalists in Washington, D.C., and nationwide with the skills, knowledge, standards, resources and networks to empower and inform the public. 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.