August 26, 2021
Top stories
Axel Springer to acquire POLITICO (Business Wire) / ‘In the long term, expect leadership changes at Politico. Axel Springer CEO Mathias Doepfner tells me the company is going to search for a new CEO after the deal closes.’ (Ben Mullin) / ‘A few notes on the sale of Politico to German publishing house Axel Springer: In a call with staff today, execs from both outlets assured staffers that there would be no change for them, and that the goal would be to expand, not shrink, Politico.’ (Erik Wemple) / ‘The deal is valued at more than $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter… In an interview, Axel Springer CEO said that Politico and Axel Springer have been holding on-again, off-again deal talks for years.’ (WSJ) / Flashback: ’Jim VandeHei was eager to sell to Axel Springer, Allbritton ambivalent. VandeHei left and formed Axios, which was reportedly in talks with AS earlier this year.’ (Andrew Beaujon) / ‘Axel Springer CEO Matias Dompfner is not ruling out a deal for Axios, telling me he intends to “very carefully watch their development.” ‘ (Ben Mullin) / ’Look, all the cork-popping today about the Politico deal is a good thing. A media startup of any kind that sells for 4 Washington Posts is a good thing.  But we ought to tap the brakes on all the “what journalism can learn from Politico” stuff I’m seeing. The answer is, not much.’ (Aron Pilhofer) 

Press freedom
Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago and Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership, discusses what managers should avoid.
Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute and a distinguished panel to learn how to:

  • Choose voices to feature in ways that differentiate your op-eds from the noisy crowd
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Registration is now open for this program, which will take place on September 24 at 11:30 a.m. ET. 

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

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