The Latest: WSJ + Trump-Epstein birthday note; New CBS News ombudsman; NYT family subscriptions

Sept. 8, 2025

■ Paramount taps Kenneth Weinstein, former Trump adviser, as CBS News ombudsman (Variety) / Can Bari Weiss remake one of the oldest US news channels ? (Semafor) / Paramount Skydance plots cable revival (Wall Street Journal) / CBS landed a rare Supreme Court interview . Here’s what Amy Coney Barrett did (and didn’t) say. (Poynter) / ICYMI: CBS changes ‘Face the Nation’ interview policy after Noem backlash (The Hill)

■ US Open asks broadcasters to avoid crowd reactions to Trump during men’s finals match (CNN)

■ PBS cuts 15% of jobs in wake of federal funding cut (NPR) / Houston Public Media cuts nine jobs (Current) / KET announces staff reductions in response to federal funding elimination (Kentucky Educational Television) / Alabama Public Television cuts 15% of employees after $2.8 million in federal funding cuts (AL.com) / How classical stations are pushing boundaries to deepen community connections (Current)

■ US ends international push to combat fake news from hostile states (Financial Times)

■ The New York Times launches a family subscription (with separate Wordles for everyone) (Nieman Journalism Lab) / The Times enters its post-text era (Puck)

■ ‘Axios Show,’ featuring one-on-one newsmaker interviews , set to debut (Variety)

■ Mehdi Hasan’s Zeteo wants to take on Politico Playbook from the left (Semafor)

■ Civil Beat builds on steady momentum with strategic new plans (Civil Beat)

■ Variety and the Associated Press fall for Howard Stern prank (Daily Beast) / Howard Stern is NOT leaving SiriusXM , at least for now, after elaborate prank (CNN)

■ Knight Foundation appoints Amalie Nash as vice president of journalism (Knight Foundation) / Connoisseur Media names Keith Dakin as SVP of programming (Barrett Media) / International’s new continental Europe editor (New York Times) / Times reporter launches longform journalism project (Semafor) / Condé Nast's Them taps Ludwig Hurtado as executive editor (The Wrap) / CNBC hires Napolitano as markets reporter (Talking Biz News) / WSJ director of strategic initiatives departs for OpenAI (Talking Biz News)

■ ‘As the NFL season kicks off, we sat down with The Athletic’s Steven Ginsberg to discuss the league’s cultural power and the challenges of covering it critically .’ (Status) / NBC taps NFL kickoff to spotlight new NBA rights (Variety)

The importance of a weather beat in local news

“As extreme weather grows more common and more costly, local residents are likely to have more questions about safety, infrastructure, and accountability. A dedicated weather beat could help ensure those stories are covered consistently, not just after disaster strikes . … Whether writing stories that help someone decide what kind of roofing materials to use in their home or grilling the local stormwater director, a weather beat reporter would learn the risks and weaknesses of their community before the next disaster strikes.”

-- Jan Wesner Childs , veteran journalist, excerpt from “Local news needs a weather beat before the next disaster hits ” (Poynter)

Finding the Money Tips for strengthening proposals for journalism grants and fellowships September 9 at noon ET

Tomorrow: Learn tips to strengthen proposals for journalism grants and fellowships

Join the Institute , the Pulitzer Center , and the National Press Foundation — three organizations that provide grant funding for reporting projects — as we pull back the curtain on how to find and position yourself to win grants and fellowships designed for journalists. We’ll also learn about an emerging platform being developed by a Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow that will aggregate funding opportunities for staff and freelance journalists.

From funding that backs bold reporting projects to fellowships that provide time and resources for growth, you’ll walk away knowing what’s possible for your work and how to go after it.

This free webinar will take place from noon to 1 p.m. ET tomorrow, Sept. 9, via Zoom.

You'll learn:

Advice on how to stand out in a crowded field of applicants
Strategies for identifying the right opportunities
Guidance on tailoring your proposal and project budget
A look at common mistakes that trip up even experienced journalists
Access to resources, including a list of fellowship and grant opportunities

Program panelists:

Anne Godlasky, National Press Foundation president
Marina Walker Guevara, The Pulitzer Center executive editor
Monica Williams, independent journalist and Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow
Moderator: Elliot C. Williams, National Press Club Journalism Institute training manager

Resources

This newsletter is written and edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, Elliot C. Williams, Allison Prang, 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.