The Latest: ABC’s settlement; CNN’s Syria dilemma; Legacy media + TikTok

Dec. 16, 2024

Top stories

■ ABC will give $15 million to Trump's presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit (Associated Press) / ‘ABC's settlement to Donald Trump is more like $16 million, since they're paying $1 million in attorney fees in addition to the $15 million contribution.’ (Jacob Shamsian) / Why did ABC News settle a lawsuit with Donald Trump? (Poynter) / George Stephanopoulos deletes X account after ABC News, Trump lawsuit settlement (Variety)

■ Trump and his picks threaten more lawsuits over critical coverage (New York Times) / Journalists anticipate a renewed hostility toward their work under the incoming Trump administration (Associated Press) / Axios braces for future Trump legal action (Semafor) / ‘Gannett responds to Trump saying he plans to sue Des Moines Register over that pre-election poll. Selzer separately says she won't comment till she sees a legal document.’ (Hadas Gold)

■ Brendan Carr wants to test the limits of the FCC’s authority (Columbia Journalism Review) / Kari Lake, Donald Trump's pick for Voice Of America, has vowed to be reporters' ‘worst frickin' nightmare’ (Vanity Fair)

■ MSNBC and CNN fight to dig out of a postelection ratings hole (Wall Street Journal) / Is 'Morning Joe' laying low ? Joe & Mika's faces, video clips MIA from MSNBC social media (The Wrap)

■ Will TikTok be banned? Here are the latest details on the app's legal fight to stay in the U.S. and Trump's options (Business Insider) / ‘Trump is meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mar-a-Lago Club today, I'm told. That comes hours after the president-elect suggested he might reverse course on the impending ban on the app in the US, as TikTok is now asking the Supreme Court to step in.’ (Kaitlan Collins) / From Fox News to NBC, legacy media wants in on TikTok (Wall Street Journal)

■ CNN investigating identity of prisoner freed in Clarissa Ward video: He ‘may have given a false identity’ (The Wrap) / Calls rise for accountability in Assad's crimes against journalists in Syria (Voice of America) / Austin Tice’s mother appeals to Netanyahu to pause strikes to search for son in Syrian area (New York Times)

■ Carlos Watson, Ozy Media co-founder, is sentenced to almost 10 years in prison (New York Times)

■ Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria settles defamation suit against newspaper for $1.1 million (The Boston Globe)

■ Chris Cuomo inks new deal with NewsNation (The Hill) / Bloomberg Industry hires Alexia Fernandez Campbell for investigations team (Talking Biz News) / Andre Riley joins Lotus Seattle as general manager (RadioInsight) / Renowned investigative reporter Chris Nakamoto to join WAFB (WAFB) / FT names Joe Miller its Washington correspondent (Talking Biz News) / Scripps hires former A+E exec to steer programming strategy (TV News Check) / Meta restructures biz leadership , names new CRO (Axios)

■ Patrick Soon-Shiong's controversial shakeup at the L.A. Times : 'Bias meter,' opinion upheaval and a call for growth (Los Angeles Times)

Covering the presidential transition process

"When you think about how the new administration is actually going to govern, the earliest indications you have of that is, how do they prepare to govern? How are they actually working on the transition? ... At the end of the day, it's an election not to win, but actually to govern . And so, understanding how a team is going to come in and govern matters, and the management issues really matter."

-- Max Stier , founding president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, said during a recent Institute webinar on what journalists need to know about the transfer of power before Inauguration Day. Watch the full briefing:

Funding available for public health journalism projects

Newsroom and independent journalists are encouraged to apply now for the Public Health Reporting Fellowship . This opportunity from the Common Health Coalition and the National Press Club Journalism Institute will support journalistic work covering a critical community, regional, state, or national public health issue.

The six-month fellowship program will award up to $7,500 each to five mid-career journalists to fund significant reporting projects in any format, including print, digital, audio, visual, or broadcast formats. The deadline to apply is January 6, 2025, with projects to be completed by July 2025.

During the fully remote program, the fellows will also receive monthly training, access to subject-matter experts, and mentorship customized to their specific project. Those interested in the Public Health Reporting Fellowship can learn more and apply here .

Resources

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

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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.