E&P Exclusives
When The Paper debuted this week on Peacock, it promised laughs — but inside America’s newsrooms, the reaction was anything but simple. Co-created by Greg Daniels of The Office fame, the mockumentary follows a struggling local paper. For publishers and editors who’ve lived that story, the premiere raised big questions: can a sitcom capture the grit, humanity, and relentless optimism of real journalism, or will it play into tired clichés? We want to hear your take — join the conversation on our LinkedIn page and be part of the story.
Over the past decade, Donald Trump has waged a relentless campaign against the press — not just in rallies or interviews, but in the 75,000 social media posts he’s fired off since 2015. More than 3,500 of them singled out journalists and news outlets by name, catalogued in a database that shows clear patterns of attack. What emerges is not off-the-cuff bluster but a deliberate strategy, one that senior reporter Stephanie Sugars says is reshaping how millions of Americans view the press — and raising alarms about the future of democracy itself.
When the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in less than an hour on July 4, it wasn’t just Kerrville, Texas, that was under siege — it was its people, homes, summer camps and way of life. National media swooped in to capture the devastation, but it was the town’s own journalists who stayed, delivering life-saving information, correcting misinformation and documenting both the tragedy and the resilience of their neighbors. From the Kerrville Daily Times’ all-hands-on-deck coverage to The Kerr County Lead’s relentless real-time updates, two small newsrooms proved that in a disaster of international scale, local press still matters most.
With threats against journalists escalating in the tense post-election climate, five of the nation’s leading press freedom organizations have joined forces to launch the Journalist Assistance Network — a coordinated hub offering legal, safety and security resources to reporters under pressure. Announced in May, the alliance unites the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom of the Press Foundation, International Women’s Media Foundation, PEN America and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, formalizing years of informal cooperation into a one-call system that connects journalists with the help they need — fast.
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Industry News
“The U.S. Tennis Association’s request that broadcasters ‘refrain from showcasing any disruptions to the President's attendance in any capacity’ was an embarrassment. This is not North Korea or Russia, and it is not ABC’s, ESPN’s or any other broadcaster’s job to stroke President Donald Trump’s ego.” — Nancy Armour, sports columnist, USA TODAY
Howard Stern pranked his fans and the media Monday about leaving his longtime SiriusXM radio show.
A federal appeals court has upheld a civil jury’s finding that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault.
“Margaux Blanchard” appears to be one dubious element of a broader scheme to peddle bogus AI-generated articles to a number of publications.
Christina Manna will support the company’s push to feature high-profile talent in its journalism.
The New York Times has announces a new addition to its Middle East editing team in London: Christopher Lord, formerly of Monocle and BBC News, will join Marjorie Olster in working with a growing group of correspondents in the region to deliver comprehensive and insightful coverage of one of the biggest stories in the world.
Sinclair Ventures, a division of Sinclair, Inc., has appointed Craig Blank as principal. In this newly created role, Blank will oversee Sinclair Ventures’ minority-owned investment portfolio, helping to shape the long-term investment strategy and drive growth across various asset classes, as well as sourcing majority-owned investments.
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E&P Partner News
Five years ago, Column set out to revolutionize the cumbersome process of publishing public and legal notices, and today, their self-serve platform is delivering results. With intuitive features like flexible document uploads, instant proofs, and real-time price transparency, Column has simplified workflows for over 850 publications and 4,500 organizations, helping law firms, government agencies, and businesses save time and reduce frustration. By offering free training and innovative tools, Column has boosted newspaper staff efficiency by 270% and allowed legal reps to handle up to 67 daily notices, earning praise for transforming an outdated industry standard.
The Defender Network has transformed its newsroom efficiency and audience engagement with Nota, an AI-powered tool tailored for modern journalism. Clyde Jiles, Strategic Alliance Manager at the Defender Network, shared how Nota helped cut content production time from 90 minutes to just 15, allowing their small team to focus on impactful storytelling. With features like tone customization and SEO optimization, Nota enabled the Defender to boost digital engagement and reach more readers without compromising journalistic quality. Jiles called the tool a game-changer, emphasizing its role in streamlining operations while amplifying their community’s voice.
Elite Insights and St. George News have revolutionized how media companies engage with their communities and generate revenue through innovative “Best Of” programs. These initiatives, powered by Elite Insights’ comprehensive software, enable publishers to create seamless, end-to-end campaigns that drive audience participation, build advertiser relationships, and unlock significant revenue streams. For St. George News, this approach has transformed their business, generating over $600,000 in annual revenue and fostering long-term advertiser loyalty, all while deepening connections with their local community.
When The Villages Daily Sun launched a nostalgia-driven insert called Classics, they sold out ad space for the entire year and signed up 46 brand-new advertisers. At Lee Enterprises, a partnership with NTVB Media delivered daily “What to Watch” recommendations to more than 200 newspapers, replacing outdated TV grids and giving readers content they actually wanted. For Tom Comi, NTVB’s vice president of content partnerships, those results highlight an industry blind spot. “The average person watches six hours of television a day,” he said. “Newspapers have a tremendous opportunity to be the go-to source on what to watch — and too many are leaving that on the table.”
Fresh data from a brand-new study reveals a hard truth: nearly half of small businesses leave their media partners within the first year — and price and lack of results top the list of reasons. These insights are a wake-up call for publishers who want to retain and grow their SMB clients. In this must-see E&P webinar, Mike Blinder sits down with Rachel Nulman-Schapiro, VP of Product Marketing at vcita, to unpack the findings and what they mean for your business. Don’t miss the data every publisher needs to see — and the strategies to act on it now.
Newsletters should be a publisher’s most powerful revenue engine — yet too often they get bogged down by bottlenecks, clunky tools, and wasted potential. That’s why E&P is teaming up with Letterhead CEO Chris Sopher and revenue strategist Marianne Maniero for a masterclass on transforming email from a time drain into a money maker. This session will be packed with practical fixes, proven revenue frameworks, and a live Q&A — designed to reset how you think about newsletters and show you where growth is hiding in plain sight. You’ll come away with actionable ideas to streamline workflows, strengthen your strategy, and unlock the true business value of email.
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