The Latest: Russia indicts Evan; Samuel Alito coverage; Potential CNN newsroom changes; The case for paying interns

June 13, 2024

Top stories

‘CNN boss Mark Thompson and lieutenant Alex MacCallum will soon unveil their much-anticipated digital plans to the newsroom , Dylan Byers reports. Byers added that he is ‘certain’ there will be ‘more cuts coming at CNN’ (Puck via CNN’s Reliable Sources)

Samuel Alito fumes at media coverage of Supreme Court (Newsweek) / ‘ProPublica exposes abuses of power no matter which party is in charge and our newsroom operates with fierce independence’ (ProPublica statement via CNN’s Reliable Sources) / More media questions from the Justice Samuel Alito recording (Poynter)

‘It’s the Wild West’: Why Silicon Valley’s AI race could leave the media in tatters (Vanity Fair) / 'Devastating' potential impact of Google AI Overviews on publisher visibility revealed (Press Gazette) / OpenAI and Microsoft move to dismiss newspaper publishers’ copyright lawsuit (Courthouse News Service) / After the Yahoo News app revamp, Yahoo preps AI summaries on homepage , too (TechCrunch)

Many people say they avoid the news. The news doesn’t avoid them (Columbia Journalism Review)

X has highest rate of misinformation as a news source, study finds (MediaPost) / Publishers around the world hit by Facebook labeling news as spam (Press Gazette)

New York Times union urges management reconsider cuts to art department (The Wrap)

Colorado local news is at a 'crossroads,' finds new report (Inside the News in Colorado)

POLITICO's Burgess Everett will be joining Semafor in September as congressional bureau chief (Semafor) / Miami Herald’s Sarah Blaskey joins The Washington Post’s rapid-response investigations team (Washington Post) / Naina Bajekal, executive editor and international editor of Time magazine, is departing publication (Talking Biz News)

Sara Sidner returns to CNN after taking leave for cancer diagnosis (CNN)

DC crime news trackers aim to inform – but are they being used for a rightwing agenda? (The Guardian)

‘We are keen to keep listening to people and let their voices be heard all over the world’: How the BBC Arabic’s Lifeline Service in Gaza is delivering vital information (Nieman Reports)

Press Freedom

WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, falsely accused of espionage, is indicted in Russia (Wall Street Journal) / ‘When such espionage cases go to trial in Russia , they usually take about four months but can take up to a year, and they are typically closed to the news media’ (Katie Robertson) / ‘We call on everyone, including U.S. allies to do what they can right now to resolve this situation with a prisoner exchange before this sham trial takes place’ (NPC)

Judge orders NYPD to start disclosing police misconduct records to nonprofit news outlet (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press)

‘I obtained the 266-page transcript of the interview Special Counsel Robert Hur's team conducted with Biden's ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer , during their probe into Biden's handling of classified records. A FOIA Files special edition’ (Jason Leopold)

Tips for dealing with uncooperative sources

“Let go of the fear that we don’t want to ‘become the story,’ and instead tell your audiences how you tried to obtain the information. Be willing to offer audiences more detail about when sources would not cooperate . Remember: the lack of cooperation is essentially with the public. Rather than focus on who’s not talking, find out where sources are talking and spend energy on time and relationships there. The hard part: an important recommitment to reporters getting out of the office.”

-- Fernanda Camarena and Mel Grau, excerpt from: Shut Out: What to do when sources won’t engage with journalists (Poynter)

Is your newsroom hosting interns this fall? Share the Lewis Scholarship with your applicants. Free housing + stipend. Deadline for summer interns is July 28, 2024.

The case for paying interns

“You do get to possibly have a lifelong influence on a young person, and you can’t put a dollar value on that impact. You’re building your pipeline for either that one person to come back and work for you when they finish school or to send other intern candidates your way . And you’re giving back to the industry by providing this training, which is so important. She said one important tip is to have an intern shadow a reporter to show them what good reporting looks like.”

-- Barbara Selvin, an associate professor emerita at the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University, excerpt from Handbook offers guidance on fairness and pay in small newsroom internships (Editor & Publisher)

📣 Call for Proposals: Mental Health in Journalism Summit 📣

The Institute is a proud partner of the Mental Health in Journalism Summit, Oct. 8-10, which will convene media, well-being, and mental health experts from around the world for a collaborative global movement that prioritizes a healthy work culture in the media sector. The Summit is interested in sessions that inspire change and share relevant learnings that promote collective thinking and action. Help shape this experience and send your session ideas by June 19.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL

National Press Club news

Resources

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Bara Vaida, and Holly Butcher Grant. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover.

Get this from a friend? Subscribe, and view the archives.

DONATE TO THE INSTITUTE

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. 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.