Jon Allsop

Thanks for reading!

Thanks so much, Dan

It’s true! I’m leaving @columjournreview.bsky.social after eight incredible years, seven of them atop the newsletter. It’s been an unbelievable ride, and I am so grateful for the trust they’ve placed in me. Going forward, I’m gonna continue contributing to The New Yorker, among other things I’m sure

Thank you, Brad

Gah I knew I’d miss something! Thanks so much for reading and the kind words

I’m only surprised it’s taken me so long

Can Public Media Survive Trump? Government-backed institutions sometimes stand up more strongly to authoritarianism than their commercial counterparts.

Enjoyed talking to @jonallsop.bsky.social at @newyorker.com about the recent attacks on public media. Instead of showing why we can’t let government support journalism, this moment shows precisely why we need a strong public media system that can withstand autocracy www.newyorker.com/news/fault-l...

Thanks, Sophie!

Do you see any linkages between the Palin outcome and yesterday’s other big media news out of CBS and USAGM? On the one hand, it predates these other stories and isn’t explicitly about Trump; it’s almost a portal into a different time. On the other hand, something about it has seemed to prefigure this age of intensifying right-wing attacks on the media that are now coming from inside the house. Did Palin v. New York Times walk so Trump v. CBS could run? [For eight years] the New York Times, I think to its great credit, fought this thing tooth and nail every step of the way. I am not privy to what kind of settlement talks they may or may not have had with Palin and her attorneys, but you can imagine—you don’t have to imagine; you can see how ABC and Disney caved to Trump [in a more recent defamation case involving the anchor George Stephanopoulos, which ABC settled before Christmas]. In a perfect world, you would hope other media organizations would look at the New York Times and say, Well, goddammit, I guess we have to fight these things, too. It would be a somewhat different world if the Times had caved on the Palin case and paid her off just to go away. And they didn’t—they stuck it out through two trials and lots of depositions. Sometimes you get sued for defamation over a story that’s basically true. In this case, they got sued over an editorial that had one important untrue paragraph in it. And they kept fighting it. They didn’t try to pretend that the paragraph was fine and that Palin didn’t have a case, but they said, Look, we did everything possible to correct it as quickly as we could. I think they deserve a certain amount of admiration for that. And I would hope especially that well-financed news organizations might stiffen their spines a little bit the next time somebody comes after them for what’s basically an unfounded case.

I woke up this morning to a text from @jonallsop.bsky.social, asking if we could talk about yesterday's Sarah Palin/NYTimes verdict.

Well, why not? Jon's a good guy!

Here is an excerpt, via @columjournreview.bsky.social

www.cjr.org/the_media_to...

Very excited to join the Press Freedom Center at the @pressclubdc.bsky.social for a virtual discussion of my book, What is Journalism For?, at 3pm Eastern (8pm UK) today! Details on how to (virtually) attend below:

What is Journalism For? A Conversation with Jon Allsop On April 22, 2025, at 3:00PM, the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club will host a virtual event with author and journalist Jon Allsop. Allsop, who recently authored What is Journalism For?...

On Tuesday April 22 at 3pm EST, we will be joined by @jonallsop.bsky.social as he discusses his new book, What is Journalism For?

To learn more about the book and the event (and to RSVP!) follow this link:

www.press.org/events/what-...

I’m LIVE with @revkin.bsky.social in 25 mins! Details below:

Viewing links are in the post. What is journalism for and how can it be sustained? Noon Eastern.

Amid Autocrats' Attacks, Imploding Revenue and a Flood of Distraction and Fakery, What is Journalism For? Join me live Wednesday at noon Eastern to explore this urgent question. Paste this link in your calendar and click to watch four ways.

…and before that, I’ll be live with @revkin.bsky.social TODAY at midday Eastern/5pm UK. Details here:

revkin.substack.com/p/amid-autoc...

My next event for my book, What is Journalism For?, will be a virtual one with Bill McCarren and the Press Freedom Center at the @pressclubdc.bsky.social next Tuesday, April 22, at 3pm Eastern/8pm UK. Details on how to join us here:

www.eventbrite.com/e/what-is-jo...

Massive thanks to @joelsimonsays.bsky.social and @journalismfestival.com for helping me launch my book, What is Journalism For?, yesterday in Perugia! If you missed the talk, you can watch it here:

journalismfestival.com/programme/20...

Come join me in 15 minutes at the Teatro Della Sapienza! Also online below:

Sadly not, but if you come to the talk (or see me around) I have cards with a discount code!

What is journalism for? A conversation with Jon Allsop and Joel Simon Media critic Jon Allsop has covered every aspect of journalism in his Media Today newsletter for the Columbia Journalism Review. But in his new book, What is Journalism For?, he grapples with the Big ...

I’ll be launching my book, What is Journalism For?, TODAY at the @journalismfestival.com in Perugia! I’ll be on at the Teatro della Sapienza, with the great @joelsimonsays.bsky.social, at 12.35 Italian time. Also viewable online (11.35 UK, 6.35 US). #IJF25

www.journalismfestival.com/programme/20...

It’s publication day! I’ll be launching What is Journalism For? in Perugia at the @journalismfestival.com this Saturday at 12.35pm local time. Come say hi if you’ll be there, or watch online; details here: www.journalismfestival.com/programme/20...

' "In each paper, there’s a will to fuck over the powerful,” a newspaper journalist acquaintance in the United Kingdom told me... mainstream newsrooms in the United States have tended to be less aggressive toward those in power '

Thanks to @columjournreview.bsky.social for excerpting my book, What is Journalism For, out this week! This is from the fourth chapter, in which I argue that journalists must constantly criticize everything around them:

www.cjr.org/feature-2/wh...

deeply detailed and thoughtful reflection on what the purpose of it all is. phenomenal @jonallsop.bsky.social!

Thanks so much for reading!

Thanks for sharing, Sarah!

Check this out from my friend @jonallsop.bsky.social at the Columbia Journalism Review.

Thanks to @waterstones.bsky.social for stocking my book, What is Journalism For? See the link for more details and to order, and if you’ll be at the @journalismfestival.com in Perugia next week please come to my launch event on Saturday April 12! bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/what-is-jour...

Ach! I was wondering why I hadn’t bumped into any former Argyle fitness coaches yet

My book, What is Journalism For?, exists and is about to be out in the world. And I’m delighted to announce I’ll be launching it on April 12 at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia with @joelsimon.bsky.social. Hit me if you’re gonna be there!

www.journalismfestival.com/programme/20...

Media Training Revisiting the Gary Hart scandal on a trip from East to West.

I found myself reading Matt Bai’s book on Gary Hart on a train ride last week—just because I finally got round to it—and felt compelled to write about it. It both does and doesn’t foresee an awful lot about our present media moment in ways that are super interesting:

www.cjr.org/the_media_to...