The Latest: Kansas raid investigation; Covering Trump; NYT + WaPo unions connect; WSJ’s Gershkovich ‘remains strong’

August 15, 2023

Top stories

■ Trump says he plans to hold press conference responding to Georgia indictment (POLITICO) / Mugshots, TV cameras: Trump won't be treated so different this time (Daily Beast) / ‘Today's AJC A1 Trump indictment edition ’ (Greg Bluestein)

■ State investigators will probe police raid of Kansas newspaper office (Washington Post) / Kansas paper warns police not to review information on seized devices (New York Times) / EXPLAINER: Why is a police raid on a newspaper in Kansas so unusual? (Associated Press) / Gov. Laura Kelly discusses police raid on Kansas newspaper (KMBC)

■ Elon Musk's Twitter throttles links to Threads , Blue Sky and New York Times (Washington Post) / Scoop: X shuts down $100M promoted accounts ad business (Axios)

■ White House reporter sues Karine Jean-Pierre after losing press pass (Fox News) / Opinion: Simon Ateba is right to fight his White House ban (Bloomberg) / ICYMI: White House warns reporter he may lose press pass over continued interruptions (The Hill)

■ NYT union staffers brief WaPo union as it considers a walkout (Axios)

■ Why news anchors go to disasters like the wildfires in Hawaii (Poynter)

■ The email rocking D.C. media (Daily Beast)

■ Courier newsroom plots expansion ahead of 2024 election (Axios)

■ Selina Wang jumps to ABC News from CNN for senior White House reporting role (Variety) / NBC News taps Gabe Gutierrez as senior White House correspondent (TVNewser)

■ ESPN anchor Sage Steele departs network after settling lawsuit (CNN) / Saima Mohsin wins right to sue CNN for unfair dismissal & discrimination after injury on assignment (Deadline) / Former WSJ reporter ends Indian hacker lawsuit against Dechert (Reuters)

■ Why TV news executives are having a brutal year in 2023 (CNN)

■ Vice blocked news stories that could offend Saudi Arabia, insiders say (The Guardian)

■ St. Louis station reaches agreement with union , ends months-long boycott (Adweek)

■ The Conversation is pairing up academics with reporters for big investigations (Nieman Journalism Lab)

■ Substack now lets you follow writers before subscribing to them (The Verge)

■ NAB honored with Emmy for a century of innovation (TVNewsCheck)

Press freedom

■ Report on anti-gay slur could put Wisconsin news site out of business (New York Times)

■ U.S. ambassador says American journalist jailed in Russia 'remains strong' (VOA)

■ Prominent local journalist killed in Pakistan (VOA)

■ Female journalist flees Afghanistan after the Taliban targeted her (NBC News)

■ U.S. universities launch partnership to elevate free speech to counter threats to democracy (Associated Press)

CRAFT

Fill voids in deep-dive reporting with community pop-up newsrooms

“If your community is anything like mine, the vast expertise and subject matter knowledge among residents is astonishing. These individuals often serve as sources in our stories but we can do more with their knowledge and enthusiasm beyond just quoting them in articles. ... We can expand the definition of what it means to be a journalist . For instance, when your town faces a flood, you could create a pop-up community newsroom to cover the insurance issues together. Or, if local retirees are feeling neglected in the affordable housing conversation, let’s investigate the matter collaboratively. What about young people covering the local youth mental health crisis and lack of services? We could establish a micro newsroom where we teach reporting skills, and in return, the community helps us tell better stories that otherwise might not be told. The potential for collective action and impact is inspiring.”

-- Stacy Feldman, founder and publisher at Boulder Reporting Lab, “How a pop-up community newsroom shed light on wildfire health impacts in Boulder, Colorado”

CAREER

Productivity hack: Let your ideas percolate

“Percolating means providing yourself time and space to think without tracking your performance . It’s reflection, exploration, generation. It’s remembering there’s a wide world of opportunities outside the narrow confines of what you already know. The further we get into our careers, the more we are drawn away from percolation and towards productivity. We churn along and burn out to maximize profits, hours, and energy. We may become experts at hustling through a to-do list, but the hustle can also become incredibly boring. ... If you’re percolating, there doesn’t always have to be a point. An obsession with productivity dulls the edges of your creativity, but also your life.”

-- Kara Cutruzzula, freelance writer and editor, "Obsessing over your productivity? Try percolation instead"

COMMUNITY

See you at ONA23 in Philadelphia

The Institute team will be at the Online News Association’s annual convention in Philadelphia next week: Aug. 23-26.

We hope you’ll stop by our booth to say hi, or schedule some time to chat. We’d love to meet you and learn more about how we can support you and your important work!

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.

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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.