Nov. 12, 2025

Editor’s note: This newsletter will be taking a short break and will return to your inboxes on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

■ ‘Riots raging’: The misleading story Fox News told about Portland before Trump sent troops (ProPublica) / ‘Fox News on Sept. 4 used footage from the 2020 protests and said it was from 2025. And one broadcast implied that a protest from elsewhere was happening in Portland.’ (Jordan Uhl)

■ ‘ "Jeffrey Epstein mentioned Trump in private emails" is the lead story across most major news websites this morning. Nothing on the Fox News homepage yet, though. And no mention on Fox News TV yet…’ (Brian Stelter) / Democrats shift media focus back to Jeffrey Epstein with release of email claim Trump ‘knew about the girls’; White House calls it a ‘fake narrative’ (Deadline)

■ House Dems turn heat up on Paramount over Skydance merger (The Hill) / 'Letter from House Dems to David Ellison today accusing Paramount of "stonewalling congressional oversight" over Paramount's decision to settle Trump's lawsuit against the company, and the subsequent FCC approval of the Paramount/Skydance merger' (Max Tani)

■ BBC prepared to apologize to Trump to resolve billion-dollar legal threat (Guardian) / BBC holds surprise board meeting to weigh Trump’s legal threat (CNN) / In Trump-dominated media world, editing video takes on new significance — as BBC uproar shows (Associated Press) 

■ 'It's a victory': Owner of small town Kansas newspaper speaks out after receiving $3 million settlement (KSHB 41 News)

■ Judge rules Flock surveillance images are public records that can be requested by anyone (404 Media)  

■ Disney's fight with YouTube TV blunts ratings edge at ABC News (Variety) / YouTube TV, Disney find fresh momentum in talks to bring ESPN back (The Athletic) / Inside Disney's YouTube deadlock (Status) / Disney eyes ESPN expansion in Asia to boost streaming content (Bloomberg) 

■ OpenAI fights order to turn over millions of ChatGPT conversations (Reuters) / OpenAI is trying to woo the public in its fight against the New York Times after losing court battle (Business Insider) 

■ 'New York AG Tish James is expected to speak at union protest later today outside Conde Nast HQ. Union members are protesting the firing of four staffers last week.' (Max Tani) / The tragic loss of Teen Vogue (Columbia Journalism Review) 

■ Vanity Fair announces new hires (Vanity Fair) / LMA promotes Julia Campbell to co-CEO as next step in long-term succession plan (Local Media Association) / Peter Naylor joins Nielsen as chief client officer (Variety) / Rita McNeil Danish announces she will step down as Signal Ohio CEO in January (Signal Ohio) / Kristen Darden upped to KRIS-KAJA Corpus Christi GM (TV News Check) / Elena Kadvany promoted to deputy editor of Food & Wine (San Francisco Chronicle) / Tow-Knight Center relaunches as Center for Journalism Futures under new leadership (Newmark J-School) / Reorganization at Illinois Public Media removes Bresnahan as executive director (Current) 

■ Student journalist terminated following interview with UVA interim President Paul Mahoney (C-VILLE Weekly) 

■ Why the New York Times is sticking around the South (Poynter)

■ A Roadmap for Local News Sustainability: New report reveals key indicators to help newsrooms boost revenue, reach sustainability (LION Publishers)

How Civil Eats helps reporters and audiences understand federal food policy

“We try to put human stories front and center in order to illustrate the impacts and the importance of the policy facts and analysis. But it’s tricky when you’re also trying to explain wonky, complicated policy decisions. One thing that helps is publishing different kinds of stories to allow readers to engage with the reporting in different ways. For example, we’ll keep a Food Policy Tracker post that is just us letting the public know about something the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did the day before — short and laser-focused on the policy change, with just a little bit of context to help people understand the change. But if we then write a feature story on what that change means, it will lead with people and their experiences because that’s what really matters and what resonates.”

-- Lisa Held, senior staff reporter and contributing editor at Civil Eats. Read the full interview on contextualizing federal food policy for local audiences.

Getting started as a nonprofit news outlet

“When launching a nonprofit news organization, you don’t have to file for 501(c)(3) status immediately. Consider fiscal sponsorship. Look to local community foundations, nonprofits with similar missions, and the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) to sponsor you. Their 501(c)(3) status can act as your 501(c)(3) status. You can solicit grants, and your sponsor can process them for an administrative fee. This is a great way to test your nonprofit viability without having to expend vital early resources on attaining 501(c)(3) status.”

-- Excerpt from “Playbook for launching a local, nonprofit news outlet” (The Shorenstein Center)

Join the National Press Club in honoring Robert Costa of CBS News and "CBS Sunday Morning" at the 2025 Fourth Estate Award Gala on Dec. 9. This year’s event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. ET followed by dinner and the awards program starting at 7 p.m. at the National Press Club. The evening also will honor the recipients of the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Awards and the Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism.

Resources

• 404 Media’s FOIA Forum (Nov. 19, 1 p.m. ET)
• Intro to information security for journalists (Dec. 11, 9 a.m. ET)
• Revenue 201: From surviving to thriving as a creator-journalist (Journalism Courses by 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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