National Press Club Journalism Institute

Registration is still open for our briefing on midterms coverage with the Bipartisan Policy Center on Thursday, April 23, at 12 p.m. ET.

BPC’s Elections Project Director Wren Orey will lead the free webinar, answering your questions and sharing resources you need to tell impactful stories during the midterms.

We’ll cover:

• changes in voter list maintenance and what they mean for election coverage
• trends among the elections workforce
• questions reporters can ask before election results come in
• how to cover major policy proposals in a way that cuts through the noise

Midterms Briefing: Covering impactful elections stories in 2026 - Journalism Institute As journalists cover the high-stakes 2026 midterm elections, the National Press Club Journalism Institute is partnering with the Bipartisan Policy Center for a midterm coverage briefing. Join the Institute at noon ET on Thursday, April 23 for a free webinar on what journalists and their audiences ne...

Interested in business and B2B journalism? 💼 Join us on April 7 for a free, virtual Career Office Hour to learn how to adapt your skills and find opportunities in business reporting.

Register:

Career Office Hour: Finding opportunities within business journalism and B2B publications - Journalism Institute Business journalism offers a wide range of career paths for ambitious journalists, especially in the growing field of B2B and industry publications. These outlets are often the source of deeply reported coverage in the energy, healthcare, law, and technology sectors, among others. Join the National....

Last night, hundreds of journalists and journalism advocates gathered for a press freedom town hall organized by our amazing colleagues at the (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists. The conversation highlighted the vital need for physical safety and legal support options for journalists covering some of the most important stories of our time.

It also showcased the firm commitment everyone on screen or watching has to journalism as a public good.

The solidarity on display last night was so important. Our collective action follows. Because when journalism is chilled, the public pays the price, and democracy is weaker for it.

Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/live/IEcIkJtADNQ?si=QzQFZJuvjblt3hw-

Journalism is not a crime. The National Press Club and the Institute are proud to support tonight's (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists press freedom town hall. Now is the time to stand together and protect our free press as a vital part of a healthy democracy.

Tonight's town hall will feature journalism leaders, press freedom advocates, civil rights groups, including remarks from NPCJI President Mike Balsamo.

Join us on Feb 2, 2026 for Not On Our Watch: A National Town Hall On Press Freedom hosted by NABJ and in partnership with Black Star Network. Streaming LIVE on NABJ Youtube and Facebook

The National Press Club is honoring AP with the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award in recognition for its leadership in defending press freedom and standing for the right of all Americans to speak freely without government retaliation or control.

“The Associated Press stood its ground for a simple reason: Journalism must be independent to be free,” said NPC President Mike Balsamo. “A newsroom that lets the government decide its words gives up its voice. The AP chose principle over permission — and in doing so, defended every journalist’s right to report without fear or favor.”

The Aubuchon Award, named for late NPC President John Aubuchon, is the Club's highest recognition for . The award goes to a domestic and international honoree each year.

The Club will confer the Aubuchon awards, along with the Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism, during its annual Fourth Estate Award Gala honoring Robert Costa on Dec. 9.

Learn more:

National Press Club awards The Associated Press with its highest press freedom award - Journalism Institute The National Press Club is honoring The Associated Press, a global independent global news organization whose work is seen by billions of people each day, with its highest honor for press freedom, the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award. This year, the National Press Club board unanimously agreed to r...

The National Press Club is thrilled to announce the launch of the Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship! This $5,000 annual award will support undergraduate college students who demonstrate excellence and promise in sports journalism.

A HUGE thanks to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan and his family, who established this scholarship to honor Rich Passan, a longtime print and broadcast journalist who spent 41 years at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in spring 2026. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2026.

Learn more & apply here:

Introducing the Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship: Supporting the Next Generation of Sports Journalists - Journalism Institute The National Press Club is pleased to announce the launch of the Rich Passan Sports Writing Scholarship, a $5,000 annual award supporting undergraduate college students who demonstrate excellence and promise in sports journalism.

The Institute is proud to honor Ed Mahon, an investigative reporter at Spotlight PA with the 2025 Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism! Join us at the National Press Club on Dec. 9 to celebrate.

Ed covers addiction treatment and the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania as well as access to care and broader public health issues. His reporting has spurred policy changes, created new legal precedent in favor of transparency, and earned national recognition.

“Ed's coverage sets a high bar for investigative journalism with consistent and direct impact for communities in Pennsylvania,” said NPCJI president Ed Kelley.

Learn more about Ed and Spotlight PA: https://www.pressclubinstitute.org/2025/09/12/ed-mahon-of-spotlight-pa-honored-with-the-institutes-sheehan-award-for-investigative-journalism/

Solutions-oriented journalism about America’s public health landscape has become increasingly important as disinformation continues to spread and health disparities widen among marginalized communities.

The Institute is offering a series of six virtual programs aimed at training journalists who cover public health. Topics to be covered:

- Uncovering & reporting on solution-focused infrastructures (Feb. 25)
- Covering public health policy in the current political landscape (March 25)
- How community health workers can be the key to your reporting (April 29)
- Covering rural & urban health disparities (May 27)
- Finding focus and shaping your narrative (June 24)
- Lessons from our inaugural journalism fellowship cohort (July 25)

We hope you can join us for these important discussions!

National Press Club Journalism Institute announces public health journalism training series - Journalism Institute The National Press Club Journalism Institute will present a series of six virtual programs aimed at training journalists who cover public health.

Last year, the Institute was proud to serve thousands of journalists, communicators & members of the public worldwide. Download our 2024 Annual Report, which highlights our training initiatives, signature events, publications, scholarships/fellowships + more.

We look forward to continuing this important work!

PS: We'd love to hear from you about training needs in 2025. Contact us at [email protected].

National Press Club Journalism Institute publishes Annual Report highlighting 2024 impact, accomplishments - Journalism Institute The Institute was a go-to resource for 8,378 journalists and communicators, as outlined in its 2024 Annual Report.

We are thrilled to announce our inaugural Public Health Reporting Fellowship cohort, coordinated by the NPCJI with backing from the Common Health Coalition. These five mid-career journalists will receive training and funds to support reporting projects focused on the intersection of public health and health care delivery.

The fellows include: Ted Alcorn, Jamal Jordan, Eleanor Klibanoff, Lygia Navarro, and Amanda Seitz.

They will conduct investigations into the growing disparities in and solutions for disease prevention and health care for immigrant workers, rural populations, and elder communities, among other topics.

Click the link below to learn more about the fellows and their projects!

https://www.pressclubinstitute.org/public-health-reporting-fellowship/

Public Health Reporting Fellowship - Journalism Institute The Public Health Reporting Fellowship awards up to $7,500 each to five individuals to support reporting projects focused on the intersection of public health policy and health care delivery.

"This is a time for connection. Leaders, be ready to support your newsroom. Bullet-proof your reporting with rigorous fact-checking, and be ready to defend your work. But this connection shouldn’t only be professional. We should exhibit genuine care for our colleagues and the challenges they may be facing."

We asked KUER 90.1 news director Elaine Clark to share top tips for news leaders today:

1. Recommit to your standards of ethical journalism.
2. Be open to criticism and use it to make the work better.
3. Support one another professionally and personally.

See more advice:

How newsroom leaders can motivate their teams in a hostile environment for the press - Journalism Institute The Institute reached out to Elaine Clark, news director for KUER, Utah’s largest NPR affiliate, for tips on facing the challenges ahead.