apnews.com/article/jour... back: Tech deal promotes conversations between journalists and those who follow their stories

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: #SPEECHMATTERS 2026: Preserving the Pillars of Free Expression. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Cracks continue to appear in the pillars upholding our democratic institutions including colleges and universities. Our 8th annual #SpeechMatters conference will look at challenges to the First Amendm...

Looking forward to joining Mike Hiestand, @FrankLoMonte & @margarettalev today at 11:30 a.m. for our “Press Under Pressure” panel at #SpeechMatters2026, hosted by @ucfreespeech.

Defending press freedom is essential to democracy. Join us to learn more:
uci.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

AP says it will offer buyouts as part of pivot away from newspaper journalism The Associated Press says it will offer buyouts to an unspecified number of its U.S.-based journalists as part of an acceleration away from the focus on newspaper journalism that sustained the company...

apnews.com/article/news... says it will offer buyouts as part of pivot away from newspaper journalism

How a twangy country ballad captivated the nation Breakout Nashville singer Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is breaking genre barriers and topping multiple charts.

“Choosin’ Texas” — breakout Nashville singer Ella Langley’s wistful ode to lost love and two-stepping — is surpassing songs from pop superstars.

“My favorite thing about it is it’s a country song and it was universal,” singer Miranda Lambert said.

Fool’s spring is the cruelest season.

Courtney Barnett works her way through writer's block with a little help from a praying mantis Writer's block is the fear of any creative person, and it struck rock singer and songwriter Courtney Barnett hard as she made her new album.

Courtney Barnett talks with me about how she navigates writer’s block.

apnews.com/article/cour...

Judge orders Voice of America be put back together again. What are the chances that will happen? A judge this week ruled that Voice of America's employees — and the news organization itself — get back to work. Whether that actually happens is anybody's guess.

apnews.com/article/voic... orders Voice of America be put back together again. What are the chances that will happen?

CBS News shutters its storied radio news service after nearly a century, ending an era CBS News says it's shutting down its radio news service after nearly a century of operation as part of a round of layoffs at the company.

CBS News shutters its storied radio news service after nearly a century, ending an era

apnews.com/article/cbs-...

Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it President Donald Trump and his team are increasing the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants.

Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it

apnews.com/article/trum...

A media-rating company says a Trump agency is threatening its livelihood A company that evaluates news outlets and websites to see which produce reliable journalism says it's under attack by the Trump administration.

A low-key media organization takes its fight with the administration to court.
apnews.com/article/trum... media-rating company says a Trump agency is threatening its livelihood

Trump administration denounces CNN for airing messages from Iranian leaders The Trump administration is denouncing CNN for airing a portion of the new Iranian supreme leader's first public statement since he got the job.

Should a news organization be attacked for trying to air te point of view of an enemy?

apnews.com/article/kham... administration denounces CNN for airing messages from Iranian leaders

White House war promo videos marry action movies, sports and video games to real-life combat footage Through its social media feed, the White House has sent out a series of pumped-up videos that mix real Iran war explosions with movie action heroes, video game footage and sports heroes.

White House war promo videos marry action movies, sports and video games to real-life combat footage

apnews.com/article/vide...

Fox News apologizes for showing old video of a hatless Donald Trump at a dignified transfer ceremony Fox News has apologized for airing old video of a hatless President Donald Trump at a dignified transfer ceremony as part of its coverage.

Fox News apologizes for showing old video of a hatless Donald Trump at a dignified transfer ceremony

apnews.com/article/base...

Hegseth's comments are a reminder that government isn't always eager to show the human cost to war Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has drawn negative attention for his comment that the press has emphasized casualties in the Iran war because it wants to make President Donald Trump look bad.

Hegseth's comments are a reminder that government isn't always eager to show the human cost to war

apnews.com/article/us-c...

Cracks appear in Trump's MAGA base as leading figures criticize the Iran war Some of the sharpest criticism President Donald Trump has faced in the early days of the Iran war has come from once-loyal media figures more accustomed to singing his praises.

Worked with my colleagues Meg Kinnard and Ali Swenson for this piece on MAGA media.

apnews.com/article/iran... appear in Trump's MAGA base as leading figures criticize the Iran war

Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about its war in Iran The Trump administration took more than 48 hours to make any live, public communication with the American people about why it had decided to go to war with Iran.

Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about its war in Iran

apnews.com/article/iran...

CNN chief prescribes calm after staff anxiety over Paramount's expected purchase of parent company Shortly after it became known that Paramount was the apparent victor in the competition to buy CNN's parent company, network president Mark Thompson was compelled to send his staff a note to calm down...

CNN chief prescribes calm after staff anxiety over Paramount's expected purchase of parent company

apnews.com/article/cnn-...

Growing more complex by the day: How should journalists govern use of AI in their products? Journalists at the investigative outlet ProPublica have pledged to strike if negotiations for a contract don't take a turn — in what is believed would be the first such job action in the news industry...

Growing more complex by the day: How should journalists govern use of AI in their products?

apnews.com/article/ai-m...

Interesting for two reasons, Mike: the awkward position Democrats were put in, and the fact the moment is likely to be seen in multiple campaign ads. I’ll let others judge its importance.

To sit or stand: Trump's challenge to Democrats a key moment in State of the Union address As a moment of political theater, President Donald Trump set a trap for Democrats while challenging them in his State of the Union address to sit or stand in signifying their belief in the primary rol...

To sit or stand: Trump's challenge to Democrats a key moment in State of the Union address

apnews.com/article/trum...

Citizen journalists, citizen sleuths helping to unravel the tangle of Epstein documents Professional journalists sifting through the trove of documents released in the Epstein files have some help — a cadre of citizen journalists or sleuths who have become obsessed with the material.

My piece on citizen journalists whho have been diving into the Epstein files.
apnews.com/article/epst... journalists, citizen sleuths helping to unravel the tangle of Epstein documents

When they win it’s because of talent, when they lose it’s because of coaching? Come on.

Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico's history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show Bad Bunny delivered a historic performance at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show that brought Puerto Rican culture and history to the fore.

Did you like Bad Bunny but, like me, your high school Spanish and deep unhipness left you struggling to keep up? My AP colleague Maria Sherman is here to help you.
apnews.com/article/bad-... 
Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico's history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show

Reporting on itself: 'Today' keeps it low-key in covering search for Savannah Guthrie's mother It's frequently a challenge for a news organization to cover a story that involves itself, or one of its employees.

How the 'Today' show has dealt with a family member in the news.
apnews.com/article/toda... 
Reporting on itself: 'Today' keeps it low-key in covering search for Savannah Guthrie's mother

Somebody at The Weather Channel’s website has an interesting sense of humor. Their outlook: “It’s officially sweater weather. Expect a cool weekend with highs of 16 degrees.” Sweater weather?

Washington Post cuts a third of its staff in a blow to a legendary news brand The Washington Post is laying off one-third of its staff in the newsroom and other departments, a brutal blow at one of journalism’s most legendary brands.

A brutal day for journalism.
apnews.com/article/wash... 
Washington Post cuts a third of its staff in a blow to a legendary news brand

In Minneapolis, all-encompassing immigration story tests a newsroom in midst of digital transition With the eyes of a nation upon it, the Minnesota immigration enforcement effort has tested a local newsroom in the midst of a digital transformation — and it hasn't left the local journalists overmatc...

In Minneapolis, all-encompassing immigration story tests a newsroom in midst of digital transition

apnews.com/article/immi...

This just in from The New York Times: Its first 2-player game, and an evolving business model There's a lot more to The New York Times than its news stories, and that's by design. The success of ancillary products on its website — Games, the Wirecutter product recommendations, mounds of recipe...

Game on at The New York Times. My piece on how its ancillary products have fueled an expansion in its journalismt.
apnews.com/article/new-... 
This just in from The New York Times: Its first 2-player game, and an evolving business model

Press freedom advocates worry that raid on Washington Post journalist's home will chill reporting Press freedom advocates are concerned this week's raid on a Washington Post journalist's home will deter reporting on government actions and silence whistleblowers.

Press freedom advocates worry that raid on Washington Post journalist's home will chill reporting

apnews.com/article/repo...

Defense Department says military newspaper Stars and Stripes must eliminate 'woke distractions' The Defense Department says it is revamping the military newspaper Stars and Stripes to focus on “reporting for our warfighters” and eliminate woke distractions.

Defense Department says military newspaper Stars and Stripes must eliminate 'woke distractions'

apnews.com/article/star...