Feb. 17, 2026

■ Anderson Cooper leaving '60 Minutes' program in latest CBS News shake-up (Reuters) / ‘While Anderson Cooper cited the desire to spend more time with family as he announced his exit from “60 Minutes,” Status has learned that deeper issues at the Bari Weiss-led network played a role in his stunning departure.’ (Status) / What smart people are saying about Anderson Cooper's '60 Minutes' exit (Business Insider)

■ Washington Post layoffs disproportionately affected union members of color , preliminary Guild data shows (Nieman Journalism Lab)

■ Warner Bros. Discovery agrees to engage with Paramount in sales talks , but for now still backs Netflix deal as it sets March 20 shareholder vote (Variety) / Warner Bros. Discovery says it's worried employees will quit if it picks Paramount's offer (Business Insider) / Netflix blasts ‘ongoing distraction' from Paramount as Warner Bros. asks for David Ellison's 'best and final' offer (The Wrap)

■ NBCUniversal is suing Group Black , alleging breach of contract and seeking nearly $36 million (Business Insider)

■ Seven Michigan stations at risk as FCC orders owner to pay up (InsideRadio)

■ Volunteer journalists working to fill Twin Cities' local news desert (CBS Minnesota)

■ The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig on her ‘hypothetical,’ heavily reported measles essay (Nieman Journalism Lab)

■ GQ names Adam Baidawi as its top editor (New York Times) / Chrystia Freeland joins Bloomberg as contributor to TV, Weekend (Bloomberg Media) / Staff update from Newsletters (New York Times) / How YouTuber Johns Hopkins brings stories of Baltimore history to WYPR (Current) / Front Office Sports hires Axelrod as news editor (Talking Biz News) / Tara Duggan joins Chronicle Food & Wine team (San Francisco Chronicle)

■ Apple Podcasts is launching new video features , looking to keep pace with YouTube and Spotify (Variety) / MS NOW sets Crooked Media podcast compilation show (The Wrap) / The Guardian debuts new flagship video podcast (Semafor) / Fox News star Sean Hannity joins the podcast parade (Los Angeles Times) / Long before the podcast boom, Howard Stern built the template for intimate, wide-ranging interviews (Poynter)

■ Hearst posts record revenues and profits as B2B business grows (Axios)

Career Day at the National Press Club. 9 am to 4 pm ET on March 20, 2026. Join us for access to job recruiters; job-search workshops; professional headshots; on-site workspace.

Get Tickets: Career Day at the National Press Club

Career Day at the National Press Club returns on Friday, March 20, 2026! Join us from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET for a high-impact day designed for journalists and communicators navigating one of the most challenging job markets our industry has seen in years.

This year’s programming includes specialized training on staying strategic and motivated after job loss — plus practical, hands-on workshops to help you compete in today’s market. Along with visiting news recruiters who are hiring, you’ll refresh your résumé, design or elevate your portfolio website, sharpen your professional pitch, and connect directly with peers and mentors who can help you get to your next step. Schedule details will be posted here soon.

Whether you attend for the full program or drop in for a focused session, you’ll leave with tangible skills, actionable next steps, and something just as important: renewed momentum and community during a time of uncertainty.

GET TICKETS NOW

Who should attend:

Mid-career professionals looking to move up — or pivot into new roles or sectors
Journalists and media professionals recently laid off and ready to regroup and relaunch
Early-career professionals searching for their next newsroom or communications opportunity
Journalism and communications students preparing to enter a competitive field

Get your ticket early. Our popular pop-up headshot studio returns with a limited number of professional photography appointments. Reserve your headshot with the purchase of your ticket — first come, first served. (Once sold out, you’ll be added to the waitlist.)

Newsrooms: Hiring now, or building your pipeline? Click here to learn how to reserve a recruiter booth, or contact Institute Executive Director Beth Francesco at bfrancesco@press.org.

3 tips to protect your sources in 2026

“Keep sensitive documents, interview information, transcripts, and contact information offline. Consider using a thumb drive to store this info and then keep that out of your home and office — but have a quick way to get access when needed. Think hard about what you are saying on social media before posting. Draft a post and then wait for 30 minutes, if possible, so you have time to think through the risks. Also, remember to regularly delete your browsing history. For messaging, use Signal, whose metadata retention is relatively limited. And be sure that your sources understand you will do all you can to protect them, but that they still could be at risk . Ask them how they might handle a breach of confidentiality.”

-- Miranda Spivack , investigative journalist and author. Read our full guidance on protecting sources.

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.