Dec. 18, 2025

Editor’s note: Happy holidays! This is our last newsletter of 2025. We’ll return to your inboxes on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

■ CBS News says Bari Weiss’ town halls will continue, with sponsor, despite rough start (Variety) / ‘... Status has learned she’s delayed a planned address to staffers about the network's future.’ (Status) 

■ ‘A month ago, NYT columnist David Brooks wrote a column decrying the media and political fixation on the Epstein story. This afternoon, House Democrats released a new tranche of photos of an event that Brooks attended with Epstein.’ (Max Tani) / ‘New statement from New York Times: As a journalist, David Brooks regularly attends events to speak with noted and important business leaders to inform his columns, which is exactly what happened at this 2011 event. Mr. Brooks had no contact with him before or after this single attendance at a widely-attended dinner.’ (Jeremy Barr)

■ The Vanity Fair photographer who disrupted Trumpworld’s polished image (Washington Post)

■ Lone FCC Democrat warns of political pressure on media if agency loses independence (NPR) / Why a single word disappearing from the FCC’s website matters for press freedom (Poynter)

■ ‘Yes, today’s edition of Politico’s newspaper is the final issue. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity getting to be the person who guided the newspaper for the past decade. (I’m still at Politico!) Thanks to everyone who has wished it farewell today.’ (Bill Kuchman) / The end of an era (POLITICO) 

■ Keir Starmer’s Downing Street axes afternoon media briefings (POLITICO) 

■ Reps. Sewell, Figures urge University of Alabama to reinstate suspended student magazines (News from the States) / Iowa, West Virginia districts fall short on student press freedom laws (Student Press Law Center) 

■ How Spanish-language community stations are navigating immigration crackdowns (Current) 

■ Civic Media to buy Black-owned Wisconsin radio station and newspaper (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

■ American Journalism Project invests $1.5 million in Fort Worth Report to expand coverage across Tarrant County (American Journalism Project) / Roundhouse Foundation grants $1.5M to pubmedia organizations (Current) 

■ ‘The California Post poached sports writers Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez from the Los Angeles Times …’ (Natalie Korach) / Netflix hires ESPN’s Elle Duncan as its first sports anchor (Variety) / Tim Hinson named president and general manager of CBS Texas in Dallas (Paramount) / KSAT's Stephania Jimenez departs San Antonio for another Texas station (San Antonio Express-News) / Dinaw Mengestu will be new president of PEN America (New York Times) / Dow Jones hires M. Scott Havens as first chief growth officer (Adweek) 

■ ‘The New Yorker is launching its fully digitized archive, including every issue and article from the magazine’s 100-year history, online Thursday morning, with unlimited access available to all subscribers’ (Natalie Korach)

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3 tips to check your language

“Looking to be more mindful of the language you’re using? Start by asking yourself these three questions:

• Examine your adjectives. Specifically, look at how you describe groups, actions and points of view. Are they necessary? Also, check your adverbs and verbs. They can imply we know the actor’s intent and communicate what we think about their actions.
• Examine your perspective. Are there words used to describe the issues or positions that reflect the preferences or norms of one group? If so, is that intentional?
• Examine your tone. Is there playful or snarky language that makes light of an issue, or could potentially be perceived as biased?”

-- Mollie Muchna, project manager at Trusting News, excerpt from “Rethink some word choices to be more hearable” (Trusting News)

Navigating recovery during the holidays

Editor’s Note: The Institute is committed to providing journalists resources and connections that support their personal and professional lives. In 2025, we are collaborating with several groups to widen those networks of support. 

By Taylor Six, criminal justice reporter

The holiday season is a stressful time.

Then there is the holiday evergreen story quota, to which no one is immune! And any government officials answering questions the last two weeks before Christmas? Forget it.  

When you leave the newsroom, the holidays are just as hard on their own. There can be tricky family dynamics, financial stress, and overpacked social schedules (that often entail baking something). 

Coupled together, the holiday season was something that was hard to juggle, and I coped with drinking. It still is a challenge now that I don't drink to cope. 

While every person has their own challenges to navigate at any time of year, the Journalists Recovery Network is ready to support sober journalists inside and outside of the newsroom. If you want to reach out and speak to a journalist with lived experience, our communications are confidential. 

For anyone seeking support with substance abuse, please reach out to the Journalists Recovery Network anytime. Click here for additional resources.

Resources

• How to pitch high-profile, national media (Jan. 23, noon ET)
• National Press Club Scholarships: Application tips and tricks to stand out in the crowd (Jan. 28, 11 a.m. ET)
• 5 tools to detect, analyze, and counter disinformation (LatAm Journalism Review by the Knight Center)

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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