The Latest: Understanding ‘less than lethal’ rounds; New WaPo letter to Bezos; Stars and Stripes update

Jan. 29, 2026

■ ‘WaPo exec editor Matt Murray announced Carla Broyles as deputy managing editor for print , replacing Brian Cleveland, who is stepping away from the paper for personal reasons, according to a memo sent to staffers’ (Natalie Korach) / Washington Post’s White House team tries to avert layoffs in letter to Bezos (Semafor) / ‘As Jeff Bezos continues to snub The Washington Post, the mood inside the newsroom has darkened — though staffers are pressing on with not only public, but behind-the-scenes appeals to the billionaire’ (Status) / Washington Post influence plummets in first year of Trump 2.0 as New York Times surges, new data shows (The Wrap)

■ ‘Update on Stars and Stripes: It has been two weeks since the Pentagon unveiled a plan to "refocus" the military publication. Yet Pentagon officials have yet to directly approach Stripes' management , according to informed sources.’ (Erik Wemple)

■ Brendan Carr responds to Kimmel over new FCC equal time rules (Hollywood Reporter)

■ ‘The CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Pat Harrison, just delivered her last words to the board .’ (Ben Mullin) / Public Media Bridge Fund announces new emergency and disaster programs (Current) / Alaska's KUAC restores programming through partnership with KTOO (Current)

■ Gavin Newsom cancels his own $250 million deal to save California newspapers (SFist)

■ Barry Diller told Warner Discovery he is interested in buying CNN (Wall Street Journal) / Paramount outlines plans for Warner Bros. cuts (Los Angeles Times) / Internal Paramount presentation reveals its streaming product priorities for the first quarter (Business Insider)

■ Norah O’Donnell to host CBS News town hall with Maryland Gov . Wes Moore (The Wrap)

■ David Brooks joins The Atlantic after 22 years at The New York Times (The Wrap) / Mike Truett upped to news director at WISC Madison (TV News Check) / PBS promotes Scott Nourse to serve as chief of technology (PBS) / Kansas City PBS announces retirement of longtime president & CEO Kliff Kuehl (Kansas City PBS) / New York Times hires editor for tech news show ‘Hard Fork’ (Talking Biz News) / MarketWatch hires Hannah Pedone as technology reporter (MarketWatch via Editor and Publisher)

■ A veteran of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — and its long strike — prepares for what’s next (Columbia Journalism Review)

■ Kara Swisher to explore longevity, anti-aging in new CNN documentary series (Variety)

Covering Immigration Safely and with Care Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute for a free webinar on February 10

Feb. 10: Covering immigration safely and with care

With immigration enforcement directives among the most politicized and contentious topics in the U.S., reporters on the beat face growing threats on the ground and online. Local and national journalists covering immigration have to navigate the need to protect themselves and their sources alongside increased pressure to get the story right.

With violent clashes between protestors and masked federal agents, local and federal officials sparring in the public square, and vulnerable communities facing uncertainty during intensifying ICE crackdowns, journalists must cover these sensitive stories while keeping their own safety top of mind.

Join the Institute at noon ET on Tuesday, Feb. 10, for a panel discussion with reporters and editors who will speak about their experiences in the field and newsroom.

They’ll share:

Guidance for maintaining digital safety while reporting on a sensitive and highly scrutinized topic
How to prepare for assignments, protect sources and yourself, and what to include in your field safety kit
An editor’s perspective on risk assessment and newsroom support
How to balance public interest reporting with real-world risks

Speakers include:

Adrian Carrasquillo, national immigration correspondent and “Huddled Masses” newsletter author, The Bulwark
Arelis Hernández, national reporter covering the U.S. Southern border, immigration, Texas and beyond, The Washington Post
Jon Collins, senior reporter on the MPR News race, class and communities team, Minnesota Public Radio
Michelle Zenarosa, editor-in-chief, LA Public Press
Moderator: Elliot C. Williams, training manager, NPCJI

News Startups: Develop a conflict resolution policy and disciplinary process early

“Setting out strategies and processes for editorial, audience engagement, and revenue are critical. But these aren’t the only standards newsrooms should set. Startup teams should define what is (and isn’t) reasonable to expect from one another in terms of communication, accountability, and conflict resolution. When The Appeal first launched we received advice to develop HR processes now, because by the time we would need them it would be too late — advice that ended up being correct. ... Try to develop a simple conflict resolution policy and disciplinary process by the end of your first year .”

-- Tara Francis Chan , director of operations at The Trace, excerpt from "Mistakes news startups make – and how to avoid them" (Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute)

Resources

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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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.