Npc Update-1

Former Washington Post reporter Kate Woodsome was at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and saw firsthand the riots that occurred that day. Her life was forever changed, and now she helps others deal with stress and trauma. In this edition of Update-1, Woodsome talks with NPC Board of Governors member Debra Silimeo about the stress of newsroom life even before January 6, what happened to her in the Capitol when she was confronted by insurrectionists, and how that experience led her to re-evaluate her life and dedicate herself to helping others through her trauma work. She also discusses how reporters are affected by the tragedies and disruptions they cover and provides resources and contact information.

Documentary photographer Ben Sarao is no stranger to drought, having experienced the weather condition up and down the western United States. That drove him to self-publish a book titled "Drought" and then to photograph the devastation caused by California's Palisades Fire in January 2025. In this edition of Update-1, Sarao speaks with Broadcast/Podcast Team Co-Chair Adam Konowe about what drew him to photography, the impact of AI and other technology, sensitivities associated with covering the loss of life and property and the photos on display at the NPC. The conversation concludes with reflections on the importance of organizations like the American Red Cross in recovery and renewal.

The financial system depends on robust and credible economic data. But some observers say the credibility of that data took a blow when President Trump fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. Without evidence, Trump said July job numbers from the BLS were rigged against him. On the latest Update-1, Broadcast/Podcast Committee member Tom Young, along with former NPC President and Bankrate Senior Economic Analyst Mark Hamrick, speak with former BLS Commissioner Erica Groshen about job numbers and trust in the financial system.

Israel says it plans to take over Gaza City, escalating its 22-month war with Hamas and drawing a dismissal from the militant group. Israel's intentions have renewed international calls to end the conflict and have stirred fears for the hostages still in Gaza. Karim Elsammak has been involved in Mideast affairs, working for the Trump campaign in the Arab American community in New York and Michigan.  In this episode of Update-1, he talks with Broadcast Podcast team co-chair Mike Hempen about the feedback he's getting regarding the situation in Gaza. He also offers thoughts on the worsening humanitarian crisis, the possibility of a truce and what he believes is the long-term solution for peace in Gaza.

National Press Club member Tom Young has made a successful transition from journalism to fiction writing, leveraging his journalistic skills to craft compelling narratives. In the latest Update-1 episode, Young talks with Broadcast Podcast co-chair Adam Konowe about a new book he has coming out, "The Mapmaker," a World War II novel set within the French Resistance. Resistance fighters Charlotte and Phillippe, an American woman and a Frenchman, brave death or worse to evade the Gestapo and get critical information to the Allies. Young also talks about his career, beginning as a journalist and later becoming a pilot and an author. "The Mapmaker" is the eleventh book he has written.

It will still be several months before the National Transportation Safety Board issues its final report as to the cause of January’s deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport. Sixty-seven people died in what was the deadliest U.S. plane crash in more than two decades. In this episode of Update-1, CNN aviation and transportation correspondent Pete Muntean, who reports from Reagan National on a regular basis, talks about what it was like covering that accident. In an interview with Broadcast Podcast team member Gemma Puglisi, Munteam, who's a pilot and flight instructor, talks about using airplane models to explain to the viewers the technicalities of what happened. He also discusses the human toll the accident is having on the families of the victims.

Held on June 15 at the Aero-Club de France, this year's Aerospace Media Awards highlighted excellence in journalism across the industry. The event attracted approximately 200 attendees to celebrate the winners of 22 categories from best new journalist to three lifetime achievement winners. In this edition of Update-1, NPC Broadcast/Podcast Team Co-chair Adam Konowe interviews event organizer Peter Bradfield on the sidelines of the biennial Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport about honored journalists, corporate sponsors and the Defense Media Awards this fall in Washington, D.C.

Independent journalist and National Press Club member Miranda Spivack details the underreported rise in secret dealmaking between local governments and corporations and how these agreements are a threat to our health, safety and democracy in her new book that was just released. Spivack discusses "Backroom Deals in Our Backyards: How Government Secrecy Harms Our Communities and the Local Heroes Fighting Back" with Broadcast Podcast member Bill Loveless in the latest Update-1 podcast. They talk about "accidental activists" who combat secrecy around poisoned drinking water, dangerous roads, failing sewers and tainted firefighter protective gear. They also discuss ways people can take action against secret dealmaking. 

He's 94 years old and has been a writer for more than 70 years, winning many awards during that time, including a Pulitzer Prize. But many people are not familiar with John McPhee. This edition of Update-1 features NPC member Noel Rubinton, who has written a new book, "Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee." Rubinton talks to Broadcast Podcast team co-chair Mike Hempen about why he wrote the book, the many books and articles McPhee has written, and why much of McPhee's work is not recognized by the general public. They also discuss the writing seminar McPhee taught for 50 years and how many of his students went on to successful editing and writing careers.

Navy veteran and journalist Zach Baddorf is the co-founder of Military Veterans in Journalism. With a focus of building community, supporting career growth and advocating for Vets, one of MVJ's main goals is to place more veterans in America's Newsrooms. In this episode of Update-1, National Press Club Broadcast/Podcast Team member Lincoln Smith talks with Baddorf about his own career and the 2019 founding of Military Veterans in Journalism.

The Space Symposium in Colorado Springs is the one of the industry's largest annual events, attracting a global mix of corporate executives, civilian and military officials, non-profit organizations, plus an increasing number of mainstream and trade media outlets. In this episode of Update-1, NPC Broadcast/Podcast Co-chair Adam Konowe speaks with Mike Gruss, chief content and strategy officer for Space News, on the sidelines of the 40th Space Symposium. Space News produces a special "show daily" at the event, in addition to its regular print and digital content. Gruss also shares his perspective on the news value of events, developments at this year's show, plus trends in journalism and media relations more broadly.

A legal battle seeks to put Voice of America back on the air after its silencing by the Trump administration. VOA Chief National Correspondent Steve Herman serves on the National Press Club's board of governors, and he's taking part in the court action. In the latest edition of Update-1, Steve speaks with Broadcast Podcast Committee member Tom Young about the effort to revive VOA and protect other outlets such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Gaza could soon reopen to international news organizations, but what is the policy of the Israel Defense Forces toward working journalists? That's one of the questions surrounding the investigation into the tank shelling in October, 2023 that killed one journalist and wounded six others. This edition of Update-1 highlights the March 12 Press Freedom Center panel discussion on why no one has been held accountable for the deadly attack. Multiple investigations indicate an Israeli tank crew almost certainly was responsible. The panel includes two reporters who survived the attack and a colleague of the reporter who died.

Andrea Murad came to journalism through the unconventional route of finance in New York. Now, as a successful, D.C.-based freelance reporter and co-chair of the NPC's Freelance Team, she helps other members in an increasingly competitive market. In this episode of Update-1, Murad speaks with Broadcast/Podcast Team Co-Chair Adam Konowe about the lessons she has learned, the rise of artificial intelligence and the realities of making a living in journalism.

The number of journalists arrested in the U.S. last year surged, exceeding the previous two years combined. That's according to The Freedom of the Press Foundation, which keeps a running total of such incidents with its U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a database of press freedom incidents in the U.S. In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast team member Gemma Puglisi talks with Kirstin McCudden, the vice president of editorial at the Freedom of the Press Foundation. They discuss are why more journalists were arrested in the U.S. last year, the circumstances surrounding a majority of the arrests, where most occurred and the consequences of such arrests on a free press.

The National Press Club's new Press Freedom Center officially launched in late November, with the first event involving 17 members of the family of Austin Tice, the American journalist who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria on August 13, 2012. In this edition of Update-1, NPC Broadcast Podcast Team co-chair Mike Hempen talks with Bill McCarren, the center's director, and Jason Rezaian, the director of press freedom issues for The Washington Post and a consultant for the center, about how it will be used in the club's press freedom initiatives. They also discuss why there's a need for the center, how it will be funded, and the ongoing challenges to press freedom.

The journalists who were in the courtroom covering the Nuremberg Trials, sharing details about Nazi war crimes, are the focus of a new book by NPC member Noel Marie Fletcher. In this edition of Update-1, Fletcher discusses "Reporting the Nuremberg Trials: How Journalists Covered Live Nazi Trials and Executions," with Broadcast Podcast team member Tom Young. Among the topics they talk about are how the news was gathered and reported, how reporting such as event today would compare, and the well-known reporters who covered the trials.

One day as he walked on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Sam Eskenazi had a flash of inspiration, one that motivated his journey to create a new museum in the capital dedicated to the people who have made America over thousands of years. In this episode of Update-1, Sam, the director of the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People, describes this vision to Bill Loveless, a member of the Broadcast Podcast Team at the National Press Club. They talk about ways in which this museum would tell the story of the American people, how it would differ from other museums in the capital, and what it will take to build such an institution. Quoting from a 2024 report to the White House and Congress from the coalition, Sam explains its statement that “our nation needs this museum now as a vehicle to bring all Americans together.”

As the war between Russia and Ukraine escalates in hostilities, with the U.S. granting Kyiv permission to deploy American longer-range missiles and Moscow striking Ukraine with a new experimental ballistic weapon, often overlooked is the impact the conflict has had on Ukraine's Orthodox Church. In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast co-chair Mike Hempen talks with conflict journalist and NPC member Flavius Mihaies, who visited the country and talked to Ukrainians to find out how the war has affected the church. They discuss the interplay between faith, nationalism and state power and how it has been a challenge for Ukrainians to maintain religious freedom. Mihaies also talks about an article he wrote for The American Conservative magazine about what he learned while he was in Ukraine.

Natalie Jacobsen's journalism career began at age 13 writing Harry Potter book reviews for local newspapers. A fascination with Japan in college led to an opportunity to work in the country as a photographer and then journalist. In this edition of Update-1, Jacobsen speaks with NPC Broadcast/Podcast Co-chair Adam Konowe about her career path in journalism, including how the profession in Japan differs compared to here in the U.S. The interview covers how Jacobsen's experiences there as a westerner and a woman influenced how she researched and wrote "Ghost Train," a historical fantasy novel set in 19th century Japan.