The Latest: Gannett walkout; Disney layoffs; CNN’s new COO; Covering Pride

June 1, 2023

■ Disney layoffs end , 7,000 jobs cut (Variety)

■ CNN gets new chief operating officer amid ratings decline (Los Angeles Times)

■ News/Media Alliance announces new president & CEO , Danielle Coffey (News/Media Alliance)

■ Elon Musk’s Twitter poses a threat to Fox News (Vanity Fair)

■ Sinclair Broadcast Group officially becomes holding company Sinclair (Broadcasting & Cable)

■ How should journalists cover Pride in states that have passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws? (Poynter)

■ How do you say DeSantis? Axios, CNN investigate the Florida governor’s shifting pronunciation (The Wrap) / Ron DeSantis lashes out after campaign event at reporter asking about voter questions: ‘Are you blind?’ (The Wrap)

■ The New York Times launches a free, geo-targeted extreme weather newsletter (Nieman Journalism Lab) / WordPress.com challenges Substack with launch of paid newsletters (Tech Crunch) / CNN launches brand new network look and feel with updated graphics package (Mediaite)

■ Cameron Barr to leave Washington Post after long tenure as managing editor (Washington Post)

■ Quartz co-founder Zach Seward, who has served at the publication as CEO, reporter, editor, and editor-in-chief, says he is leaving the company on June 9 (Zach Seward)

■ CEO of nonprofit that founded The Baltimore Banner steps down for job at Gannett (Baltimore Sun)

■ Good Tape wants to be the print magazine for the podcast world (The Verge)

Press freedom

■ Rise in wrongful detentions abroad sparks effort to bolster U.S. hostage policy (Wall Street Journal)

■ Undercover, persecuted or in exile: How journalists are resisting in Central America (EL PAÍS English)

■ Sudanese paramilitary soldiers detain journalist Nader Shulkawi (Committee to Protect Journalists)

"One of the reasons that the intersection of homelessness and mental illness is so interesting and vexing to write about is that the solutions to it are never easy or simple . ... What you find when you’re reporting on this stuff is that there are so many barriers to the system working correctly, even before you get into the whole ethical question of whether it’s okay to lock someone away for a long time. There’s a tendency in the coverage for it to villainize someone, or to present them as a victim, depending on which boxes they check. And it’s never that simple. You can only figure out at least some of the reasons that something terrible has happened once you actually dig into the details and the history, and that can be hard to do."

-- Andy Newman, metro reporter at The New York Times, “Q&A: Andy Newman on the death of Jordan Neely and covering homelessness in New York City”

"Freelancing has its perks – including freedom. One of the downsides is the missed opportunity to participate in a company retirement plan that matches your contributions. ... There are many vehicles that allow freelancers and other self-employed people to contribute to their accounts online . The best part is that these accounts are easy to open through many major brokerage firms and banks, and there are many investment funds you can choose to invest your contributions into. Here are three retirement options for freelancers:

-- Tracy Abiaka, Reynolds Center, “Retirement options for freelancers”

Editor’s Note: The National Press Club Journalism Institute is hiring two positions based in Washington, D.C. If you are interested in using your talents to support journalists and press freedom, check out the job descriptions for:

A Director of Training to help create an engaging, meaningful slate of programs and published resources that supports journalists around the world. Learn more.

A Development Manager to execute strategies that will enhance the Institute’s fundraising efforts to include institutional, individual, and sponsor support. Learn more.

"Ethnic media outlets can be a lifeline for new immigrants who lack a firm grasp of English. They introduce their readers to civic life in America and to each other . They can be especially helpful in places like New Jersey, where communities are spread out rather than concentrated in big cities.”

-- Mary Yang, news assistant on NPR’s Business Desk, “How one magazine became a mainstay of New Jersey's Chinese community ”

Share your journalism tips with The Latest readers!

Readers, we want to celebrate and amplify your great ideas in this newsletter. If you’d like to share lessons learned from your reporting let us know. We could feature you and your work in this space.

Please complete this brief form to be considered for our subscriber spotlight.

Resources

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

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

If you value this newsletter, consider supporting The Latest with a tax-deductible, recurring gift to the Institute: Even $5 a month will help fund the technology and time it takes to provide this important service.

SUPPORT 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.