Latinos Opt Not to Compete for Funders, Attendees
Trump Praises China’s State-Controlled Journos
Morehouse Opens Michael Jordan-Funded Media Unit
Bulwark Sells 1,000+ Tickets to Benefit Haitians
Noted Cuban Journo in Custody Over ‘Disobedience’
Short Takes: Boston Globe’s lesbian-bar story; Donnell Suggs; Puerto Rico newspapers; Maryland Gov. Wes Moore vs. Baltimore Sun owner; Tony Kornheiserand Michael Wilbon; reporting the deadly Jordan Neely-Daniel Penny subway confrontation; opening the battlefield to journalists pays off.
Homepage photo: From left, Mari Torres, Ginger Thompson, Alfredo Corchado and Paola Ramos in conversation for “Nuestro periodismo bajo ataque,” (Our Journalism Under Attack) organized by El País, during a July 26 session at the NAHJ convention. (Credit: Yarithza Liceaga Lopez/Latino Reporter)
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Latinos Opt Not to Compete for Funders, Attendees
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists, faced with a refusal by the National Association of Black Journalists to change the dates of its 2027 convention to avoid a head-to-head conflict, has decided to change its own dates instead, NAHJ announced Friday.
“After careful consideration, the NAHJ board of directors decided to move our 2027 conference from its previously scheduled dates of August 4-8 to August 30 to September 2, 2027,” it said.
The new dates are even later those that NABJ said would hurt its own finances if it met then, as many potential attendees would be heading to school. The Black journalists changed their dates from Aug. 16 to 22 to Aug. 4 to 8.
NAHJ acknowledged, “Any significant change to a contracted national conference has potential financial and operational implications.
“NAHJ carefully considered those factors. The National Conference & Expo is NAHJ’s largest annual gathering and an important source of revenue supporting programs and services throughout the year. Avoiding direct competition for sponsors, exhibitors, recruiters and attendees was an important consideration.
“NAHJ is working with its conference partners and the hotel to minimize the financial impact.”‘
However, NABJ rejected NAHJ’s request to select dates that did not conflict, with some members privately recalling with distaste NAHJ’s 2023 decision to pull out of the joint convention both were to have the next year in Chicago.
As it turned out, the appearance by then-candidate Donald Trump at that NABJ convention generated unprecedented attention to that Chicago event.
Journal-isms reported last year that NAHJ was the nation’s fourth-largest association of journalists, behind Investigative Reporters & Editors, NABJ and the Society of Professional Journalists. NABJ had 4,259 members to NAHJ’s 3,654.
- Journal-isms: Vega Outlines Interference at ’60 Minutes’ (July 24)
- Journal-isms: NABJ Changes Plans, Putting NAHJ on Edge (July 23)
- Journal-isms: Journal-isms to Skip NAHJ, AAJA Conventions (June 13, 2025)
President Trump and President Xi Jinping of China walk past the media after Trump gave Xi a tour of the Helipad and Marine One at the White House on Thursday (Credit: Doug Mills/New York Times)
Trump Praises China’s State-Controlled Journos
- Update: White House Blocks CNN From Air Force One (New York Times)
In the run-up to President Trump’s White House visit with President Xi Jinping of China, more than 100 U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Trump urging him to secure the release of jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai and veteran Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu.
The New York Times has protested the Chinese government’s decision to expel Times correspondent Vivian Wang, whose departure back to New York “follows a campaign of harassment and threats directed at her over professional, accurate and even-handed reporting on the expansion of the Chinese security apparatus and its handling of the Covid epidemic.”
And the press-freedom group Reporters Without Borders issued a report on the “Chinese regime’s efforts to impose its propaganda across the information space worldwide. Since 2012, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has sought to promote a ‘new world media order’ in which facts are suppressed in favour of propaganda and anyone reporting truths that displease his government is repressed,” it said.
None of that seemed to matter, however, when Xi arrived in Washington to what some called an unprecedented show of pomp and circumstance for a foreign leader, who, coincidentally, is backing Iran, a nation with which the United States is at war.
“In the epic contest between democracy and autocracy, Mr. Trump has long given the impression that he may be on the other side,” Peter Baker wrote Thursday for the New York Times. “But rarely has that been brought home as starkly as this week, as he punishes news outlets for being too ‘negative’ about him while embracing Mr. Xi and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, two of the world’s leading authoritarians whose governments brutally suppress free speech. . . .
Connor Stringer of The Telegraph called the scene “chaos” and described “lots of shouting and raised voice as Chinese journalists refuse to move for Secret Service” at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. (Credit: X)
“In a social media post late in the day, Mr. Trump praised Mr. Xi as ‘the Highly Respected President of China’ and flattered ‘his beautiful wife, Madam Peng’ while accusing CNN and MS NOW of having ‘NO CREDIBILITY’ and being ‘Fake News.’ ‘A White House pool report indicated that at one point during the day Mr. Trump ‘made a joke about how the Chinese had the friendliest press corps.’
“Which of course depends on the definition of friendly. China exercises iron-fisted control over its press corps and has at least 111 journalists and media workers locked up, according to Reporters Without Borders, making it ‘the world’s largest prison for journalists.’ Of the 180 countries that the group ranks on freedom of the press, China ranks almost at rock bottom at 178th place, above only North Korea and Eritrea. (The United States has fallen to 64th under Mr. Trump.)”
Meanwhile, Tom Durante reported Friday for Mediaite, “Videos popping up on social media over the last 24 hours have shown numerous confrontations between pushy members of the Chinese media and Secret Service agents during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, D.C.
“The clips emerged Thursday ahead of a lavish state dinner at the White House for Xi, attended by members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet and such notable figures as billionaire Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“One clip, posted by Visegrad24, shows a Chinese photographer by the red carpet refusing to budge as a couple of female Secret Service agents ask him to move. When a third male agent approaches, he finally starts walking away. . . .”
- Danielle Belton, Black Snob: Defenders of Democracy Unite: Press Forms Voltron Against White House
- Brendan Cole and Alex Backus, Newsweek: Who Attended Trump-Xi State Dinner? And What It Says About US Priorities
- Editorial, Washington Infomer: President Violates the First Amendment, Mainstream Publications Get a Taste of What the Black Press Has Long Experienced — Exclusion
- Zachary Leeman, Mediaite: Trump Says China Has the ‘Friendliest Press Corp’ Amid His Own Media Ban Chaos
- Yi-Shen Loo, Asian American Journalists Association: AAJA stands in support of journalist Vivian Wang, who was expelled from China (June 4)
At the ribbon-cutting: From left, Shauncey Mashia Stelly, senior director, Global Purpose for Jordan Brand; Emani Saucier ’19, inaugural director and co-founder of the Morehouse Multimedia Center; Mikki Harris, chair of the Journalism in Sports, Culture, and Social Justice department and an associate professor; Regine O. Jackson, Ph.D., dean of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Media & Arts Division and professor of sociology, and Mel Foster, DMA, associate provost for academic success. Behind them is Joshua Bass, editor-in-chief of the Maroon Tiger student newspaper. (Credit: Morehouse College)
Morehouse Opens Michael Jordan-Funded Media Unit
“Michael Jordan is known for his legendary dunks, fadeaway jumper and famous Nike kicks. Now, he’s also the latest celebrity philanthropist to pour into HBCUs,” Bridgette Bartlett Royall reported Thursday for Essence.
“On Wednesday, September 23, Morehouse College celebrated the grand opening of the Morehouse Multimedia Center (MMC) with a program launch and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The state-of-the-art facility, funded by a gift from NBA legend and philanthropist Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand, advances the storied Atlanta institution’s commitment to developing a diverse talent pipeline of reporters, editors, content creators, journalists and media innovators.
“The cutting-edge multimedia hub Morehouse Media Center was made possible by a generous 2021 commitment of more than $1 million from the hall of famer and Jordan Brand. This transformative partnership funds scholarships and academic programming specifically designed for Morehouse students pursuing journalism and sports-related fields.
“With the opening of this dynamic new space, Jordan and his namesake brand are actively fueling opportunities for future Black journalists. . . . “
- Jason Armesto, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Morehouse medical students struggling to afford meals after financial aid delays
Sam Stein, Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, an independent media outlet. Stein, Miller and Longwell are to be in Dayton Friday, along with Bill Kristol and Jonathan V. Last.
Bulwark Sells 1,000+ Tickets to Benefit Haitians
“The political team behind The Bulwark, an independent, left-leaning media outlet, intends to give Springfield’s Haitian community a national media boost Friday, Sept. 25, at the Dayton Masonic Center,”
Russell Florence Jr. reported Monday, updated Wednesday, for the Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun.
“Publisher Sarah Longwell and Editor at Large Bill Kristol will appear alongside contributors Tim Miller, Jonathan V. Last and Sam Stein for an evening of advocacy and reflection in light of the Trump administration’s decision to end temporary protected status for thousands of area Haitians. The Bulwark team also found political and cultural significance in the death of Pierre Damas Bel, who died Aug. 31 after he stepped in front of a semi truck on Interstate 70. They felt now was the time to speak up and show up in solidarity.”
In Haiti, a mural demanding justice for all victims of insecurity, particularly journalists killed in their work. This creation of artist Laurent “PENS” Philippe with other graffiti artists features the photojournalist Vladimir Legagneur in the middle of a screaming man and woman with a roll of names of some other journalists victimized by gang violence. The painting was exhibited on the wall at Rue Rivière, Port-au-Prince, in 2024. (Credit: juhakenson Blaise/Haitian Times)
Kristol told Bulwark readers Friday, “I’m pleased to report that more than a thousand people have bought tickets at the Dayton Masonic Center, which is terrific. I look forward to seeing you there.
“And I’m thrilled to report that thousands more of you who won’t be in Dayton have stepped up to help out. Bulwark readers and viewers have already contributed more than $85,000 over the past couple of weeks to support the Haitian Support Center in Springfield.”
The News-Sun also reported, “ ‘We’ve been horrified at The Bulwark by the treatment of the Haitian community for a long time, going back to the (2024 presidential) campaign,’ said Miller, writer-at-large and host of the Bulwark Podcast. ‘And the tragedy (regarding) Pierre Bel made us feel like we wanted to do something more. This was a good kid who came here legally and did everything right. So, we decided to do a benefit for Springfield. And I think people need to cover this more and pay attention to this more. News moves on. We want to use our platform to continue to drive [what] is happening with the Haitians.’ ”
Noted Cuban Journo in Custody Over ‘Disobedience’
“The independent journalist Henry Constantin (pictured) was transferred this Thursday, September 24, to the Cerámica prison in Camagüey, where he must serve the precautionary measure of preventive detention imposed in the case he is facing for an alleged offense of disobedience,” the independent Cuba-focused CiberCuba reported Thursday.
Separately, the Dallas Morning News editorialized Tuesday, “The U.S. is feeding a black market in Cuba after authorizing an exception to its oil blockade that allows fuel to be exported to the island. The fuel is supposed to be for humanitarian needs or for private businesses, like restaurants or retailers. In practice, however, there is evidence that this aid has indirectly become a lifeline for the regime. . . .
“Jorge Piñón, an energy analyst at the University of Texas at Austin, told us there is anecdotal evidence, through social media, that shows tank containers going to gas stations, owned by GAESA,” Cuba’s largest military conglomerate. “U.S. export rules prohibit the Cuban government from getting this fuel, but there is no enforcement.
“ ‘Cuba is still selling gasoline … They’re not getting any barrels from Venezuela. They’re not getting any barrels from Mexico. They’re not getting any barrels from the Russians,’ Piñón said. ‘So where is this fuel coming from? The U.S.’ ”
The U.S.-funded Marti Noticias describes Constantín as “one of the most visible independent journalists in the interior of Cuba. Throughout his tenure as head of La Hora de Cuba, a media outlet dedicated to local journalism and social commentary in Camagüey, he has been repeatedly subjected to arbitrary summonses, brief arrests, unlawful house arrests, and confiscation of his equipment.
“The journalist, who is also the regional vice president of the Inter-American Press Association,” which has called for his release, “has faced previous charges of ‘contempt’ and ‘enemy propaganda,’ legal terms commonly used by authorities to punish the exercise of press freedom and freedom of expression on the island.
“International press freedom organizations, such as ARTICLE 19, have systematically denounced the state harassment and criminalization of Constantín and the La Hora de Cuba team.”
Cubalex, another independent publication, reported Tuesday, “Constantin was arrested on September 16th after responding to a summons from Cuban authorities. The journalist appeared at the designated station, and his last known communication with colleagues occurred around 8:48 a.m. He was subsequently transferred to Villa María Luisa, the State Security headquarters located in Camagüey, where he remains.
“Sources close to the situation confirmed to Cubalex that, since his arrest, Constantin has not been allowed phone calls or visits. His lawyer has only been able to see him once. So far, only essential items have been delivered to the establishment where the journalist is being held.
“His defense has also faced obstacles.”
Meanwhile, “A new European Parliament resolution denounces the situation of Cuban political prisoners. The debate pits those who demand more pressure on Havana against those who criticize the sanctions,” Mirra Banchón wrote Sept. 17 for Germany’s Deutsche Welle.
On Sept, 10, the Madrid-based Prisoners Defenders reported, “a new record of 1,339 political prisoners in Cuba as of the end of August 2026, following 19 new admissions and 7 releases. Among them are 155 women (another record) and 38 people detained as minors. Documented cases show how prisoners demanded water and electricity, recorded agents, and more.”
Cuba ranks 160 of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ Global Press Freedom Index.
- Amna Nawaz with Carlos Fernández de Cossío, “PBS News Hour”: Cuban official on Trump’s threats as tensions with U.S. rise (Sept. 16)
Short Takes
“Annalisa Quinn’s story published Tuesday in The Boston Globe Magazine — ”A Western Mass. lesbian bar required KN-95 masks. When it changed the rules, all hell broke loose’ — is, in this reporter’s opinion, a perfect piece,” Laura Hazard Owen wrote Friday for Nieman Lab. “People are subscribing, a lot of them. In the first day after the story was published, it drove 1,000 new Globe subscriptions. A Globe spokesperson told me Friday that it has now spurred ‘several thousand’ people to subscribe. That’s in about 72 hours. . . . ”
“I’m the new publisher and editor of The Courier Herald in beautiful Dublin, #Georgia,“ Donnell Suggs announced on social media. “After 4 years as the EIC at The Atlanta Voice, I’ll be headed back to Middle Georgia to run a quality local news and take the next step in my career. In the words of the great New York Jet Bart Scott, ‘Can’t Wait’.” Commemorating its 60th year, Tandy Lau wrote about the Voice on Sept. 11 for E&P Magazine.
- “Two of Puerto Rico’s biggest newspapers announced Monday that they will end their print editions in upcoming days and pivot to digital only, joining a worldwide trend,” Danica Coto reported Tuesday for the Associated Press. “GFR Media, a Puerto Rican company that publishes El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora, said Monday that the decision responds to a change in consumer habits.”
- “The Maryland Attorney General’s office is representing Gov. Wes Moore in a defamation lawsuit brought against him by David Smith, co-owner of The Baltimore Sun,” Tinashe Chingarande reported Thursday for the Sun. “Maryland law provides state officials with a state-funded legal defense under certain circumstances, but Smith’s lawyers contend Moore was acting as a private citizen when he made the statements at the center of the case and should not qualify for one.”
Tony Kornheiser, left, and Michael Wilbon (Credit: ESPN)
- “Longtime Pardon the Interruption hosts Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser have earned every plaudit they’ve received through decades in print and on television. Now they are receiving one of the most prestigious awards in media,” Matt Yoder reported Wednesday for Awful Announcing. “The duo has been named the 2027 recipients of the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. The award has been given by the Cronkite School at Arizona State University for 43 years in honor of the legendary CBS News anchor.”
- “Anand Giridharadas’ wonderful first book, The True American, told the story of a Pakistani-born gas station attendant in Texas who was shot in the face by a white supremacist — only to then try and save his attacker from the death penalty,” Ben Smith wrote Sunday for Semafor. “Giridharadas may be best known these days as a progressive political commentator, but his new book, Man in the Mirror, goes back to those roots with the tale of the subway confrontation between Jordan Neely, a homeless man with mental illness, and the former Marine Daniel Penny, who was acquitted of killing him. The book is a model of a kind of journalism you don’t see much of, journalism that shows compassion for everyone involved.”
“Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (pictured), says opening the battlefield to journalists helped the Nigerian Army break Boko Haram’s grip on information and counter terrorist propaganda,” the News Agency of Nigeria reported Sept. 19. “He said the frontline coverage demonstrated the seriousness of the operation and the resolve of the Army to defeat the insurgents.” Buratai “said the approach subsequently denied Boko Haram the monopoly of telling its version of events to the public and the international community. He stressed that timely and credible information remained critical to modern military strategy, adding that failure to effectively communicate military activities could undermine operational objectives.”
