The Latest: New scrutiny on journalists; WaPo layoffs; Protecting climate journalists

Sept. 23, 2024

Top stories

■ The reported RFK Jr.–Olivia Nuzzi ‘relationship’ casts new scrutiny on all journalists (Vanity Fair) / New York magazine says its star political reporter is on leave after a relationship was disclosed (Associated Press) / Who is Olivia Nuzzi ? All about the reporter who had an alleged 'personal relationship' with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (People)

■ ‘Kamala Harris is taping an interview today with Wisconsin Public Radio , I'm told. The interview is reflective of her media strategy going forward … ’ (Max Tani) / Yes, Kamala Harris is talking to the press more. Is it enough? (Columbia Journalism Review) / ‘It’s a Minefield’: Top political cartoonists on the challenges of caricaturing Kamala Harris (POLITICO)

■ The media can’t figure out how to cover Harris’ race, still struggles with Trump’s lies (Poynter) / Mehdi Hasan gets candid on Trump coverage , future of cable news, and more (Oliver Darcy) / Melania Trump to be interviewed by Fox And Friends Ainsley Earhardt (Deadline) / Media double standard ? Or a 2016 lesson learned? (Margaret Sullivan)

■ ‘ABC's The View just announced that President Biden will be visiting the show in person on Wednesday. It will be his first interview since the Democratic National Convention and ABC News presidential debate.’ (Brian Stelter)

■ ‘The Washington Post is laying off a quarter of its workforce from Arc XP , the publisher’s stand-alone software business.’ (Alexandra Bruell) / ‘Here’s Washington Post CEO Will Lewis’ note on today’s cuts at Arc XP.’ (Ben Mullin)

■ CPJ announces $1M initiative to protect climate journalists (Committee to Protect Journalists)

■ LMA succession plan announced for 2025-2026 (Local Media Association)

■ Amid flurry of newspaper closures on Colorado's Eastern Plains, Burlington sees a heroic revival (Colorado Sun) / Denver Voice, a homelessness-focused newspaper, is closing due to financial struggles (Denver Post)

■ Daily Beast hopes to revitalize site with new contributors like Samantha Bee, Kara Swisher, Dick Costolo (Variety) / Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee launch the Daily Beast Podcast (Daily Beast)

■ How Tim Miller and The Bulwark became 2024's unlikely YouTube stars (Semafor)

■ Caren Bohan tapped to lead USA TODAY newsroom as editor-in-chief (USA TODAY) / Devlin Barrett to join the New York Times Washington bureau to cover the Department of Justice and law enforcement (New York Times) / Sarah Ferris joins CNN as a reporter covering Capitol Hill (CNN) / Emily Rauhala named The Post’s Congress editor (Washington Post) / Alberto Romero joins Telemundo’s KBLR Las Vegas as multimedia journalist (TV News Check)

■ ‘In the first authorization for an open-ended strike ever taken by journalists at a newsroom owned by the secretive Alden Global Capital, the Southern California News Group union today announced its members have voted overwhelmingly in favor of striking.’ (SCNG Guild) / Law360 union ‘reaches transformative’ contract deal, ends strike (WNY Labor Today) / WLRN staffers announce intent to unionize (Current)

■ Why reporters are shut out of the big Murdoch family trust case (Washington Post)

■ Meet the editor who turned himself into an AI news anchor (The Wrap) / A courts reporter wrote about a few trials. Then an AI decided he was actually the culprit . (Nieman Journalism Lab) / A lawsuit has already been filed against California deepfake laws (PetaPixel)

■ Inside the Newsroom of the Springfield (OH) News-Sun: Battling misinformation on the frontlines of local journalism (Editor and Publisher)

■ The tumult that transformed Racquet , the tennis magazine (New York Times) / How ESPN's Scott Van Pelt and 'Bad Beats' keep 'SportsCenter' fresh in a YouTube world (Los Angeles Times)

Press freedom

■ The Haitian Times covered the false claims targeting Springfield. Now it’s also facing attacks (CNN) / How the Haitian Times is covering dangerous rumors in Ohio (Washington Post)

■ After Penn State removes — then returns — student newspaper racks, concerns of censorship loom (Centre Daily Times) / Firing of UT Dallas newspaper editor raises free speech questions (Inside Higher Ed)

■ ‘Israeli forces carrying guns have entered Al Jazeera’s offices in Ramallah , in the occupied West Bank, ordering staff to vacate and imposing a 45-day closure.’ (Al Jazeera) / Israel raids and shuts down Al Jazeera's bureau in Ramallah in the West Bank (Associated Press)

Building Bridges: Success stories in closing the gap in public health and care systems

Public health and health care delivery may seem to go hand in hand to the public they exist to serve. But partnerships for the public good often are complicated by a patchwork of elaborate administrative practices, ownership, funding models, and other systemic barriers resulting in less effective results despite a shared mission of serving healthy, thriving communities.

Knocking down the silos to collaborative health systems that drive improved outcomes is vital to addressing our most pressing public health issues. Join us over Zoom on Friday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m. ET to learn from experts whose solutions-oriented approaches on critical public health issues have shown how innovation and disruption, particularly in times of crisis, can radically shift how communities can access care.

Jointly produced by the Common Health Coalition and the National Press Club Journalism Institute, the 90-minute conversation will highlight research on high-impact public health and care delivery system partnerships while addressing the core components of their success. Expect a robust discussion on practical aspects of these important collaborations.

The featured initiatives were published in a special themed issue of NEJM Catalyst, guest edited by Dr. Nicholas Stine. The edition includes articles, case studies, and research reports on coordination across public health and care delivery, COVID 19 response, tuberculosis screening, the 2022 mpox outbreak, pediatric asthma intervention, abortion and reproductive health care, and public health data. Click here to see the list of confirmed speakers.

Program participants will gain:

Actionable steps for journalists to protect themselves online

“Ask your editor and, if possible, others in the outlet about the subject you are covering and whether it has resulted in online harassment. Bear in mind that journalists in the newsroom may not have raised the abuse with their editor. It is also important to research whether your story could result in online abuse. Knowing in advance whether a story results in online violence will allow you to take steps to prepare in advance of an attack. … Learn the basics of digital safety, including two-step verification, and build them into your daily online routine . This is something you can do gradually if you are not facing a high risk of attack. Taking steps to increase your digital security knowledge now will mean you are better protected against any possible future attack.”

-- Excerpt from the IWMF resource, “Better protection for freelancers facing online violence ”

Resources

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, 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.