Feb. 5, 2026

■ Inside one of the ‘darkest days in the history’ of The Washington Post (Poynter) / ‘My colleague Marty Weil is one of The Washington Post’s last living ties to Watergate. … After 60 years, he was laid off yesterday by email.’ (Marissa J. Lang) / Washington Post sports reporter shares emotions after mass layoffs at the paper (WTOP News) / ‘Last spring, the Washington Post’s video department had around 60 people. After last year’s buyouts, that dropped to about 20 people. And now, with yesterday’s layoffs, it stands at just 5 people, even as the Post talks about the importance of reaching people on new platforms.’ (Jeremy Barr) / ‘There's a second GoFundMe running for Washington Post's international workers who were laid off and don't have any union protections, with some facing logistical and security risks’ (Katie Robertson) / Washington Post readers rage on site after newsroom bloodbath (Daily Beast) 

■ ‘As The Washington Post cleaved off a third of its workforce, chief executive Will Lewis and owner Jeff Bezos were nowhere to be found’ (Status) / Jeff Bezos remains committed to Washington Post amid brutal layoffs, top editor says (CNN) / ‘Something I will be most proud of when I’m 90’: How Jeff Bezos used to talk about The Washington Post, and what’s changed (Nieman Journalism Lab)

■ In Minneapolis, all-encompassing immigration story tests a newsroom in midst of digital transition (Associated Press) / As the nation’s eyes turn to Minneapolis, they’re also turning to Minnesota Public Radio (Nieman Journalism Lab) / What we saw in Minneapolis (ProPublica)

■ Epstein files show a complicated relationship with science and journalism (Scientific American) / Longevity guru Peter Attia keeps CBS News role despite showing up in Epstein files (Los Angeles Times) / ‘MS NOW to air primetime special 'Revealed: Inside the Epstein Files,' hosted by Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle, Friday at 10pm’ (Brian Steinberg)

■ Defamation suit forces Alabama to define limits of reporter shield law (Courthouse News Service) 

■ Nonprofit commits $500K to Black media outlets after Black Journalists' arrests (The Root) 

■ Trailblazing Portland Black-owned newspaper The Skanner closes shop (The Oregonian/OregonLive)  

■ The Banner announces expansion to Prince George’s County (Baltimore Banner) 

■ New York Times stock drops despite strong fourth-quarter results (Wall Street Journal) / Thomson Reuters posts fourth-quarter revenue increase, shares rise (Reuters) / Outside Interactive posted its first profit — but it's no longer just a media company (Adweek) 

■ O’Rourke Media Group appoints JJ Tompkins publisher of Wisconsin Media Group (Sheboygan Sun) / Meet Ashley Garrett, WKMG’s newest community correspondent (WKMG) / ABC 13 shakes up Houston TV news with new reporter hire (Chron) / Reuters taps Rozen to cover tech policy (Talking Biz News) / Reporter Austin Fuller to leave Current (Current) / Lucas P. Aragón joins FOX Advertising as senior vice president, creative (Fox Corporation)  

■ Reporter describes details of the tip news station received for Guthrie’s ransom (CNN) / Savannah Guthrie addresses mother’s apparent abductor in video message (Washington Post) 

■ NBC Sports deploys 145 cameras, 22 mobile units for Super Bowl LX Coverage (TV Tech) / Rob Hyland’s Super Bowl: How NBC Sports football producer prepares for ‘Uncharted Waters’ with Mike Tirico (Variety)

Understanding your legal right to record immigration officials

“Even though it’s legal to record law enforcement officers in public, it is not legal to obstruct their activities. Obstructing law enforcement generally requires physical action under federal law, legal experts said, such as standing between an officer and the person they’re trying to arrest. An obstruction must impede officers from carrying out their duties, which is why filming or yelling doesn’t count. … The decision about whether someone is obstructing law enforcement can be subjective. First, a law enforcement officer must determine that there is probable cause — meaning, it’s more likely than not — that someone physically obstructed their actions.”

-- Maria Ramirez Uribe, immigration reporter at PolitiFact, excerpt from “Recording immigration agents in public is a constitutional right. Here’s what the law says.” (Poynter)

Go deeper: Join us for a free webinar at noon ET on Feb. 10 for more guidance on covering immigration safely and with care. You'll hear from a panel of seasoned immigration reporters and editors on covering sensitive stories while keeping safety top of mind.

National Press Club news

• Tomorrow: The inauguration of Mark Schoeff Jr., 119th president of the National Press Club (Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m. ET) 
• NPC Headliners: Admiral Pierre Vandier (Feb. 10, 11:30 a.m. ET)
• Former Sen. Joe Manchin to discuss new book, how country can move past polarization and political gridlock (Feb. 24, 6 p.m. ET)

Resources

• Mobile Reporting: Tools for making content on the go (Feb. 6, noon ET)
• Creative narrative for journalists (Feb. 9, 5 p.m. ET) 
• Webinar: Inclusive philanthropy (Feb. 18, 1 p.m. ET)

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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