assignment department in news channel

Who does what in the newsroom? A guide to media roles

Pitching to the right person at a media outlet can make the difference between having your company make the front page or helplessly watching it slip through the cracks of someone’s inbox. Even small newsrooms exchange thousands of emails every day, and a fraction of the staff is tasked with screening and collecting stories to go to broadcast, print or online. 

You must stand out and connect with the gatekeepers to enjoy the benefits of media coverage.

Broadcast media

Though online media has been steadily closing in on television as the most preferred news platform over the past several years, TV news remains on top. Even still, local broadcast stations maintain a strong online presence as more people cut their cables, dominating social media feeds for local news. 

Facebook recently announced it would prioritize originally reported news content over click-baity, hyper-partisan articles on news feeds, giving local news outlets even more of a boost compared to national affiliates and 24/7 news networks, which often pick up local stories to spin in a way that’s favorable to their audience.

That’s not to say national news shows don’t hold value—the sheer number of regular viewers makes it worthwhile to pitch to CNN or Fox News. For example, the Reputation Ink team secured an opportunity for Lightfoot Law’s Jack Sharman on MSNBC’s The 11th hour with Brian Williams to talk about the then-ongoing Mueller investigation. The appearance not only gained him national coverage during a historical event, it highlighted his experience as a Whitewater special counsel and special counsel to the Alabama House Judiciary committee in its impeachment investigation of Governor Bentley on a national level.

News director

A broadcast newsroom is guided and governed over by the news director. They guide editorial decisions about what’s covered, how it’s covered and the focus of the broadcast. They’re generally hard to reach on a cold-call basis and usually aren’t the person you should pitch directly.

Assignment editor

The assignment editor is the gatekeeper of the newsroom. Their responsibilities include answering the phone, gathering and filtering stories, vetting sources, and assigning reporters and photographers to events and breaking news. This (often-exhausted) team member is typically the first point of contact and will likely be the first to read a press release and decide if it’s worthy of being forwarded to the rest of the newsroom.

Due to the sheer volume of communication exchanged in the newsroom, calling the station (the assignment editor usually answers the phone) to bring attention to your email greatly increases your chances of being covered.

Reporters are the storytellers of the station, but their job entails a lot more than standing in front of the camera and talking. Off screen, they aggressively chase down leads and sources, write scripts, conduct interviews and are always looking for the next story idea to pitch to their news director. 

Though the news director often makes the ultimate decision of what’s included in a day’s coverage plan, a reporter can have great influence on the story they’re assigned. A story’s value to a reporter depends on its relevance to ongoing events, its exclusivity (will they be the first or only reporter to cover the story?) and its authenticity. 

Smaller news stations employ multimedia journalists, essentially a one-person band who reports, films and edits their own stories. Larger news stations assign photographer-reporter teams, and often have spare photographers known as “stringers” to cover breaking news or smaller events.

An easy way to determine which beats a reporter covers is to search the related issue and news network name together. For example, searching “Criminal justice reform FOX35 Orlando,” will bring up all criminal justice-related articles and videos from FOX35 Orlando on a single page, where it’s easy to see who covers that specific issue.

Many stations provide email addresses on their “Contact Us” page. If the person you want to reach doesn’t have their email listed, follow the format of other station email addresses. For example, News4Jax anchor Kent Justice’s email address is listed as [email protected], so you can safely assume reporter Zachary Lashway’s email address is [email protected].

Reporters use Twitter heavily to break stories and keep up with breaking news, so reaching out through a direct message is another good way to make direct contact. 

Producers are in charge of writing and executing the actual show itself. They write scripts for anchors, decide what stories will be included and in what order, and communicate with reporters and photographers during the show. 

While producers are typically preoccupied with writing and “stacking” their show (compiling and organizing segments), they can act as a second set of eyes for the assignment editor. A producer may see value in a press release that an assignment editor misses and choose to include that story in their coverage plan. In smaller newsrooms, it is common for a producer to also be tasked with an assignment editor’s duties.

Radio and television news stations are largely organized and run in a similar fashion . Their content requirements, however, often differ. A radio reporter will rely heavily on narration, natural/ambient sound and interview audio to break down an issue, where a TV reporter leans more on visuals and video interviews to tell the story.

Daily newspapers

A daily newspaper has a similar structure to a broadcast station, but papers generally have more freedom to dive deeper into issues, unencumbered by the time constraints that force broadcast reporters to keep their stories to under two minutes, for example. Newspapers also have the ability to include niche stories in different sections (Metro, Business, Sports, Community) of the paper that would not make an evening newscast.

Unfortunately, the newspaper industry has been gutted since the onset of the Great Recession, shedding half its employees since 2008 .

Image source: Pew Research Center

Beat reporter

Newspapers have beat reporters, who focus on specific issues and cover them over long periods of time, such as:

• School systems
• Legal proceedings and developments
• Government accountability
• Neighborhood issues like crime, poverty and pollution

A beat editor would be in charge of a specific section of the paper. The letters editor filters and edits commentary submissions. Lastly, the editor-in-chief is the news director of the paper. 

Depending on the economic state of a paper, one reporter could cover multiple beats, and editors may double-up as reporters or assignment editors when necessary.

Special interest and community newspapers

Special interest and community newspapers come in all shapes and sizes. Some might employ a dozen or more people to run 50 pages in a magazine-style format, while others are just a few pages long, written and published by a handful of die-hards. 

Generally speaking, larger news markets (think New York City or Seattle) can sustain multiple special interest papers with more people on staff. Mid-sized markets (Jacksonville, Tulsa, Spokane) might have one or two, depending on the economic and political makeup of the area.

Community and special interest papers exist to fill in the gaps left by major media outlets or cater to a specialized audience. They can sometimes skew politically and are made up of more editorial content, which is based on the opinions of authors, compared to their conventional counterparts. 

Special interest papers often cover issues that conventional media outlets avoid. Issues like police brutality and marijuana decriminalization appeared in special interest papers years before major media outlets included them in their coverage schedules.

The editor-in-chief is the captain of the ship for community papers, setting the tone/style of the outfit and guiding the coverage of the publication. In smaller papers, they might fill most of the pages, while editors who have more staff on hand will assign reporters to beats and specific stories.

Trade magazines

Trade magazines are regularly published periodicals or journals that range from subject-specific journals to general interest magazines. Scholarly and trade publications are run by an editor who curates non-advertising content. Assistant editors pitch stories with staff and freelance writers and edit articles before they’re published.  

Trade publications, depending on size and scope, cover major developments, studies, industry advancements and prominent figures that set the pace or buck trends in a given field. While some might pertain to the same trade, they don’t always focus on the same things.

Tip: The trade publication you pitch to depends on who you want to see the story.

For example, the National Law Journal is a major legal trade magazine that focuses on major cases, litigation and national legal developments. The American Law Journal , on the other hand, is more focused on the business of law firms; who law firms are hiring and what moves they are making. Law360 is an online legal trade journal covering a gamut of topics from litigation and settlements to the business of law. Above The Law , another online publication, is more focused on associate-level issues. Above The Law stays on top of issues like law firm layoffs, pay cuts and associate salaries/bonus levels.

Bottom line: Trade publications are extremely valuable for gaining credibility and business-to-business relationships within your specific field.

Business Journals

Business journals cover business-related developments and issues on a local or national level. Companies making headway in a region, major land purchases, political developments with financial implications and important businesspeople are some of the topics that fill the pages of business journals. 

Local business journals like the Jacksonville Business Journal or the Atlanta Business Chronicle are not only an excellent way to keep your finger on the pulse of an area’s economy, they’re also an excellent source of potential business-to-business connections. Placing advertisements and landing coverage in local business journals helps foster these connections and puts your company in front of right sets of eyes. 

2 Responses to “Who does what in the newsroom? A guide to media roles”

I’ve worked in print and broadcast for years… this is a great article. Sharing with my interns!

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What Does an Assignment Editor Do?

Learn About the Salary, Required Skills, & More

The Balance / Ellen Lindner

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Assignment Editor Salary

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An assignment editor works at the assignment desk, which is the nerve center of any newsroom. This is where newsroom staff members monitor multiple sources for breaking news, including police and fire scanners. When possible news arises, the assignment editor works with reporters, photographers, producers, and other staff members to assign and develop story ideas.

Small companies sometimes have one assignment editor who is responsible for organizing the assignment desk to operate around the clock. In larger newsrooms, there may be a team of assignment editors that take turns staffing the desk.

Assignment Editor Duties & Responsibilities

The job generally requires the ability to perform the following duties:

• Monitor multiple sources for possible news stories
• Develop and propose a daily news coverage plan
• Lead newsroom staff meetings to review possible stories and assignments
• Help choose which journalists, photographers, and other staff members are assigned to cover stories
• Stay on top of all stories to ensure they're developing as planned and determine which ones are not coming together
• Be the main point of communication between reporters, production teams, and executive staff on developing stories

It's up to the assignment editor to assign people to investigate and report on news stories. The assignment editor's day is sometimes spent shifting people and equipment around so that as many stories get covered as possible, with an eye out on how to handle breaking news coverage at any moment.

When working in television, an assignment editor may also work with the tv producer to decide which crews will take live trucks or a helicopter to broadcast live during a newscast. Also, a TV news anchor who is reviewing scripts just before airtime will often turn to the assignment editor to confirm facts.

An assignment editor's salary can vary depending on location, experience, and employer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics offers salary data for the broader editor category, but it doesn't offer separate data on the assignment editor subcategory:

• Median Annual Salary: $59,480 
• Top 10% Annual Salary: $114,460 
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: $30,830  

Education, Training, & Certification

Most assignment editors have the same types of degrees as other editors and journalists in a newsroom.

• Education: Most employers prefer candidates that have at least a bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, or English. 
• Experience: This is often key to getting this type of job, because experience is key to building a list of contacts and learning how to operate smoothly. Employers usually prefer candidates with a background in the type of media in which they specialize, whether it's television, digital, or print news.
• Training: Most training happens on the job. Aspiring assignment editors may want to find an internship position at a newsroom assignment desk.

Assignment Editor Skills & Competencies

To be successful in this role, you’ll generally need the following skills and qualities: 

• Editorial judgment: Assignment editors need to be able to quickly decide whether a story is newsworthy. And although they aren't usually writing the stories themselves, they need to know all of the components of a good news story to guide reporters on coverage.
• Interpersonal skills: Successful assignment editors form relationships with many contacts that can help bring a story together. For example, someone in this role at a local TV news station may have all the county sheriffs' home telephone numbers on speed-dial and be on a first-name basis with the current and previous mayors.
• Organizational skills: An assignment editor must be able to organize the logistics and track the details of several stories at a time and keep everything on schedule.
• Communication skills: An assignment editor must skillfully communicate with all of the staff involved in making news stories come together, including reporters, photographers, production teams, and executive staff.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in this field will grow 6 percent through 2026, which is slightly slower than the overall employment growth of 7 percent for all occupations in the country. The BLS it doesn't offer separate data on the assignment editor subcategory.

Most of this job is done in an office working under several tight deadlines at once. Those who thrive on pressure and get an adrenaline rush when something unexpected happens may be best suited for this occupation.

An assignment editor usually arrives in the newsroom earlier than the other managers to get a handle on what's happening that day to brief the newsroom. Most assignment editors work full time, and many work long hours, which include evenings and weekends.

People who are interested in becoming assignment editors may also consider other careers with these median salaries: 

• Writers and authors: $61,820
• Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts: $40,910
• Desktop publishers: $42,350

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , 2017

How to Get the Job

Build a Contact List

Making a list of contacts is the best place to start for a budding assignment editor. That involves making personal connections with people so that you can turn to them when you need information.

Join a Professional Association

The American Media Institute offers  a list of professional associations you can join. Which one you choose may depend on your specialty or medium (websites or television, for instance). This will help you build your contact list and stay up to date on the latest tools and techniques in the industry.

Search job sites that specialize in media careers, such as MediaBistro and iHire Broadcasting .

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Career Spotlight: Assignment Editor

By NBCU Academy

What does an assignment editor do? A longtime assignment manager for NBC4 Washington shares how his team covers breaking news.

At the heart of every newsroom is an assignment desk, where assignment editors figure out what news stories to cover around the clock. They make constant phone calls, listen to police radios and sift through emails to get news tips and background information from officials and the public. They contribute to editorial meetings with reporters, editors and producers. But breaking news can rewrite coverage plans at any point of the day.  

Charlie Bragale, an assignment manager who has worked at WRC-TV in Washington since 1988, has seen many changes in technology , but his assignment desk has always been crucial to newsgathering. He calls his assignment editors “off-air reporters,” talking to sources and conveying updates to news crews and production staff.  

“I compare the assignment editor to a flight controller. I’m trying to land five 747s, a couple of A380s and a couple 737s in a blinding rainstorm,” Bragale said. “100% of my day is talking on the phone, networking with people, trying to get people to talk to me and check in.” 

Bragale talks about the work of an assignment editor in the video above and shares more remarks below.  

What are some tips to being a good assignment editor?

Be curious, be a risk taker and instinctively know what you’re doing right. You see something, go chase after it. We don’t run away from bad news or good news — we run towards everything. 

Success is collaborating with everybody.  We’re just a cog in the wheels of what we do every day. Collaboration is key.  

Your workspace is surrounded by walkie-talkies tuned in to a bunch of police and emergency medical scanners. Isn’t it confusing to listen to all that at once?

Don’t be intimidated by this. This is just white noise. Just listen for keywords, the intensity in the voice, the impact of the event. 

What are some memorable stories you worked on?

I covered a guy who pulled out an AR-15 and shot up the front of the White House [in October 1994] — that was a [Saturday] afternoon, we were running AFC football.  

The phone rings, a guy with a heavy accent says, “Do you speak Portuguese?” And I was like, “Yes, I’m from Brazil.” A Brazilian tourist, videotaping the White House with his family, captured the moment that guy shot at the White House. Back then, we had no cellphones, so I sent a courier to pick him up and look at the video. One of my colleagues ran over, grabbed the video and took it downstairs. They broke into AFC football to show the guy shooting the White House — that’s how important it was.  

[On 9/11,] we knew about the planes that struck the World Trade Center. But then I heard a plane hit the Pentagon. I heard that officer, the chill in his voice — we knew it was [a related attack]. We were ready, directing people everywhere, because we knew Washington.

You’ve worked at the same assignment desk for 36 years. What keeps you going?

This is gonna sound mushy, but I grew up here in Washington, two blocks from the TV station. As a child riding my bike through this park, past Channel 4 to the Catholic school on Massachusetts Avenue, I would always tell my brothers, “One day, I’m going to work at that place.” To represent the community and work at this incredible organization, in my job which I love, is an honor. 

Gallery: Scenes from Charlie Bragale’s Career

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The Organizational Structure of a Television Station

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In spite of the growing prevalence of cable TV channels, millions of people still depend on their local television stations for news stories, weather updates and special interest programs. These stations also carry programming from major networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. Local television stations need qualified professionals in a wide range of positions to carry out their daily tasks. These positions vary from administrative officers to on-air talent to technical staffers. The organizational structure of most stations begins with four critical off-screen positions: general manager, news director, sales manager and production manager.

TV Newsroom Hierarchy: General Manager

The general manager supervises the station's management and operations tasks, reports the National Association of Broadcasters . The general manager establishes and implements station policy and often has the final word in decisions affecting the station's programming and production work. If the station is an affiliate of a nationwide network, the general manager coordinates local programming schedules with the network to prevent any scheduling conflicts. The general manager also works with the news, sales and technical staff members to ensure that the station's operations run smoothly.

News Director

In the structure of TV news, the news director coordinates the station's news-gathering efforts. The news director may be called on to write news stories, edit stories from reporters and coordinate schedules for covering breaking news stories. For stories with nationwide impact, the news director for the local station coordinates efforts with the network news staff and determines how to cover the story to show its affects on the local community. The news director is also in charge of activating the Federal Communications Commission's Emergency Broadcast System in the event of a natural disaster.

Sales Manager

Commercial television stations and news stations rely on advertising to generate revenue. The station sales manager is at the top of the hierarchy in a news channel, working with the ad sales staff on lead generation, sales techniques and client relations to sell the station's available commercial time. The sales manager hires and trains new sales staff, finds the best sales opportunities for the station's programming and creates sales plans and objectives. The sales manager works with the general manager to determine the station's revenue needs and the best methods to meet those needs.

Production Manager

The production manager supervises each live local newscast and assigns news stories to anchors. The tasks of the production manager includes setting the order of stories for each newscast and selecting when and where any live remote reports occur. The production manager works in the operations booth, alongside the director and technical staff, to ensure that the lights, camera angles and sound cues all work together to present a professional and informative program.

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What do Local TV Journalists Do? Behind the Scenes of a Newsroom

By Gretchen Andsager

In the world of digital PR , our work closely aligns with the journalism industry. Our job is to reach out to members of the media, often daily, to get news coverage for our campaigns and clients. Solid pitch and subject lines can make a world of difference when link building, but there’s also something else to factor in when trying to connect with a journalist: their daily schedule. 

What do journalists do daily? We all know what time the newscasts go on air, but do you know what happens before, during, and after it cuts to commercials? Sure, we’ve all seen movies and TV shows attempting to depict a day in the life of a journalist. I’m looking at you Firefly Lane , The Morning Show , and The Newsroom … and the list goes on and on. 

We all know that movies and shows rarely show what these jobs are actually like. But there’s good news: I spent seven years in the local broadcast news industry working everywhere from Indianapolis to Chicago as a TV news producer before making the leap into digital PR. I’m not the only one! Our entire digital PR team comes with previous journalism experience and it definitely benefits the work we do! 

Let my career path be your benefit: I’m going to pull back the curtain and give you a glimpse into what local journalists do and share some tips about how to contact a journalist… including the best times to pitch and connect with these hard media workers.

Who Makes Up a Local TV Newsroom?

Before getting into the nitty-gritty details, it’s essential to first understand what positions actually make up a local TV newsroom. News stations are filled with various positions, including many that have no relationship or connection to those who pick and choose what stories are covered. This is why it’s important to reach out to the right people when pitching . 

The head of a local television station is the general manager . This person runs the entire TV station, including the sales side, and while they have some involvement in the news and how it’s presented, their position is more high-level rather than taking part in the day-to-day story creation process. 

In the hierarchy of TV news, there are two major departments: the news department and the sales department (the general manager oversees both departments). While the departments do see some crossover in situations such as sponsored segments or events, the sales department is not usually involved with the news department.

To ensure ethical media coverage, sales departments normally have little-to-no contact with journalists. In most of my past stations, these employees worked on entirely separate floors. The news team barely met sales: every once in a while, we’d meet a sales employee on an elevator or in a break room and it was like meeting a stranger. Despite working in the same company, there was no working together .

The head of the news department is called the news director. This person is the boss of the entire newsroom. News directors each have different styles in how they run their newsrooms. I’ve worked with some who I talked with a grand total of about two times: when I was initially hired and the day I put in my notice to leave. On the opposite end, I’ve worked with news directors who would go through my newscast daily and ran nearly every editorial meeting the station held.

News directors are the person to reach out to if you’re looking for a job in the newsroom, but not necessarily the person to pitch for daily media coverage. Similar to the general manager, the news director position is generally more high level taking on responsibilities such as hiring and analyzing newscast rating performances over time, versus involvement in the daily grind. 

So, who within the news department is the best target for media outreach? While you mainly see anchors and reporters on the TV screen, there are also all sorts of people behind the scenes making sure everything goes smoothly including producers, video editors, engineers, and more. For digital PR purposes, it can be hard to connect with the right people when pitching your work and that could lead to no coverage– which no one wants! Below are the five primary positions worth pitching:

• Assignment Desk Editors
• Web Producers

Local TV News Shifts

First caveat: even though people may work in the same position at a TV station, it’s vital you know what schedule they work.

For example, say there are two people who are assignment desk editors. Although they each perform the same role, one may work overnights Monday through Friday, while the other works the evening shift Wednesday through Sunday.

Why does this matter? As we in the Digital PR world continue to focus on more targeted and thoughtful pitches, in place of mass blasting hundreds of journalists, this information can help you reach out to the journalist at the optimal time for them to read your email.

While you’re building media lists, try and determine which shift your contacts work and pitch accordingly. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself pitching the journalist when they’re logging off at the very end of their shift or even when they’re asleep! 

The daily schedule of journalists falls primarily into three shifts: morning, daytime, and nighttime.

The “morning” shift is more like the graveyard shift. It can range anywhere from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. CST (for positions such as producers and assignment desk editors) to 2 a.m. – 10 a.m. CST (for positions such as anchors and reporters). However, these times are estimates and vary depending on the newscast (more for producers than any other position). When I worked overnights, there were some days I’d come in at 8 p.m. while producing the 4 a.m. newscast. But on days I put together the 9 a.m. show I wouldn’t come into the newsroom until 1 a.m. 

The daytime shift, also known as “dayside,” is more of the normal 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. shift. This is compared to the nighttime shift, also known as “nightside,” which is usually a schedule that runs 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. CST. All these schedules can vary, depending on the station’s location, the station itself, and staffing. 

Depending on the TV station and broadcast market size (DMA), some stations are fully staffed 24/7, while others may have some hours where no one is on the clock. But with recent cost-cutting measures, and skeletal staffing situations in local news, many news stations now have limited staff (or are understaffed) during the overnight and weekend hours. 

The Unpredictable Schedule of TV Journalists

You may have heard the phrase that the news never sleeps. Never has it been more true than in a television newsroom. There is no mundane, typical day in a journalist’s life because you can never predict what the news of the day may bring. Some work days are chaotic from the moment you walk through the door, until the moment you leave. On other days, especially holidays such as President’s Day or Labor Day, it’s so quiet it’s hard to find newsworthy content to fill an entire newscast. 

Although work schedules can be unpredictable, most stations do have a daily meeting at the start of each shift. This editorial meeting is when staff, mainly reporters, pitch stories that they would like to try and cover for the day. If you are hoping to newsjack something in the news cycle, you should schedule your pitches before the daily pitch meeting. Once these meetings are complete and stories are assigned, people hit the ground running and many don’t focus on anything aside from that story. So, here’s who and what to keep in mind while pitching to TV journalists.

Assignment Desk Editor Job Description

Assignment desk editors can be your first hurdle to getting news coverage. Think of these workers as the organizers of TV news stations.

Assignment desk editors comb through daily press releases, answer station phone calls and emails, act as the central hub of communication among newsroom members and often decide what stories are worth pursuing for the day.

In addition, some assignment editors assist in coordinating interviews, directing reporters, and choosing live shot locations. When you send a pitch to a station’s generic email, it will most likely end up in the inbox of assignment editors (though it’s important to note that in smaller stations it may go to all news department staff). It’s up to these journalists to go through the press releases and see if there is anything worth covering. If there is, they’ll pass it along to reporters, producers, and anchors, but if they don’t think it’s worthy of coverage that might be the end of the press release’s journey. 

If your press release is forwarded to other newsroom staff, that doesn’t necessarily mean it makes it into the newscast and gets coverage. Instead, it has to be read once in the next inbox it most likely goes to: a TV producer.

What Does a TV Producer Do?

TV producers are like the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz. Producers do a lot of the behind-the-scenes work to make a newscast come together. They have the power to pick most of the stories that are run in the newscast (and in which order stories run), do the majority of the script writing, and then monitor the show’s time and cue talent.

While producers could be ideal for getting news coverage, they’re also balancing a lot of work every day. TV producers are inundated with emails, texts, and phone calls while trying to put together an hour’s worth of news coverage with limited to no help. Even in bigger markets, some producers don’t have any writers to assist with this process, so there’s little time to glance at emails or calls unless it’s from one of their reporters or photographers.  

As a former producer, I’ll admit, the days are often very long with very little downtime. While I would sometimes run pieces on air that I was emailed, I wouldn’t necessarily link back to them at the end of the day: I was simply too busy. Producers end their day after their newscast ends once they’ve sent a final show report. At that time in the day, the last thing I’d think about doing is posting a web article. By the time I came in the next day, I was already onto the next show. Stories covered 24 hours ago are often considered “old news” and no longer of interest to viewers.

Therefore, when pitching a story to a TV producer, keep in mind you may be more likely to get an unlinked mention on air than a link. Obviously, digital PR is all about the links, but good brand visibility is still a plus!

The Difference Between a TV Producer and a Web Producer

While TV producers put together the newscasts, TV web producers are the newsroom employees who keep the website up to date. Managing to attract the attention of a TV web producer is like uncovering a Golden Ticket in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory . These producers are ideal as contacts since posting an article with a link is part of their job. The web producers post stories throughout the day while updating the station’s social media, sending out push notifications, and helping to stream live press conferences and newscasts. 

Another caveat: Not every station has full-time web producers. In many small market TV stations, some producers or assignment desk editors may work dual roles. As many TV stations consolidate positions and do more with less, web producers are often lumped into other jobs. More often than not, reporters are the ones posting their own stories on the website daily, not web producers.

TV News Reporter Job Description

So, what do TV reporters do? In movies and TV shows, you’ve probably seen them running around town with a photographer trying to get interviews and doing live reports. Is that realistic? Kind of.

In larger DMA markets, many reporters have photographers to film interviews, shoot video, and lead their live shots. However, in many (if not most) markets, it is now common to have multimedia journalists (MMJs). The title is a fancy way of saying that the reporter is doing two, possibly three jobs at once.

These reporters write, shoot, edit, and post their stories essentially doing the roles of a reporter, a photographer, and a web producer. This is important to recognize and keep in mind for us in the digital PR world because MMJs work at a different pace than we do. They are constantly on the move, and barely have time for a bathroom break or snack, let alone to comb through email pitches. 

Even if TV news reporters have a photographer, they’re under constant pressure to meet daily deadlines. These reporters may have multiple stories assigned to them throughout the day. Generally, if they don’t have any audio or video, the piece doesn’t work as a story for television. They don’t often have the luxury to wait an hour or two for someone to respond about interview availability. When most TV journalists reach out about a story, they need answers immediately.

That’s why I’d recommend pitching reporters at the start or end of their shifts unless you’re trying to newsjack a piece. After daily stories are assigned, reporters and MMJs don’t have the time to check their emails unless a story has fallen through. They’re racing against the clock and your email could just end up lost in the shuffle.

TV News Anchors: Should You Pitch Them or Not?

When you think of TV news the first position you probably think of is an anchor. Anchors are the faces of the news stations, the “talking heads”  you see sitting behind a desk reading through the day’s headlines.

Anchors are the most well-known newsroom personalities, even more so than reporters. So, shouldn’t they be your key contact when emailing your pitches? In my opinion, not really. While each anchor has a different style and involvement in their newscasts, they are not as fundamentally involved in the content process as you may think. 

During my days in TV news, I had some anchors who would pass along story ideas my way, but it wasn’t a daily occurrence. Anchors act as one of the final checks of the newscast before going live. Think of them as the teacher checking your final paper after you’ve gone through drafts and drafts.

After scripts are written and read by the producer, executive producer (a managing producer), and maybe even a news director, then anchors step into the picture. Anchors often tweak scripts to match their speaking style or make minor edits rather than writing or pitching brand-new stories.

While it can’t hurt to pitch anchors, I definitely wouldn’t rely on them to get coverage.

Ready. Set. Pitch.

So, when is the best time to pitch a TV newsroom, and who should you target? Not to pull a fast one on you, but there’s no secret one-size-fits-all approach for this! Instead, my best recommendation is to pitch carefully and thoughtfully. Keep in mind each person’s role in a newsroom and pitch accordingly. TV journalists have a different day-to-day work schedule than those in other media roles.

Because of the nature of TV news, the daily schedule for journalists is intense. Each day journalists have just hours to meet their deadlines. With that being said, it’s vital to be responsive if a TV journalist is interested in covering something of yours. Do not take a long time to respond. We recommend having quotes and interview subjects ready to go because journalists may have to move on if they don’t get a response quickly. Often journalists may be reaching out to more than one expert just to see who is available, so you’re not only racing against the clock, but you may be racing against your competitors too. 

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With KCBS’s ‘The Desk,’ Assignment Editors Tell The Story

Less than 25 minutes after an SUV plowed into more than two dozen sheriff’s recruits on a jog through Whittier, a city in Los Angeles County, images of the horrific scene were beamed from the KCBS chopper to the station’s airwaves . Details of the unfortunate event were scant but trickling in, with viewers learning what happened about as quickly as the KCBS newsroom was.

“This is a very chaotic scene,” Liu informed viewers. “I have been listening to this on the radio and my colleagues Esteban and Annette on the assignment desk have been calling Los Angeles sheriffs to get more information as this is unfolding.”

He was able to report that the car that struck the recruits and its driver remained on the scene, so it was not a case of hit-and-run. Liu also said first responders were shutting down lanes of nearby highways to transport the injured to local hospitals.

For around 10 total minutes Liu shared the rest of the information he had about the incident with KCBS News morning anchors before they interviewed a retired member of the fire department, who provided insight into what the scene’s first responders appeared to be doing.

The segment was one example of a new KCBS broadcast initiative, The Desk . During morning and evening news shows on KCBS and its sister station KCAL, both of which are CBS-owned, assignment desk editors Liu and Mike Rogers discuss the stories members of the newsroom are working on — breaking news and, sometimes, enterprise stories as well. When producers choose not to interrupt the broadcast, one of the assignment editors may deliver breaking stories on the KCBS website streaming channel.

The Desk is the brainchild of Mike Dello Stritto, VP and news director at KCBS and KCAL. Like so many others in the industry, Dello Stritto has bounced around the country during his career, working in newsrooms in Florida, Tennessee, Nevada and elsewhere. After taking his current position in February 2022, Dello Stritto committed himself to finding a way to further leverage what he believes is the finest assignment desk in America.

Mike Dello Stritto

He says The Desk is the “next generation” of the breaking news desk, which he recalls became in vogue about a decade ago, likely after some news consultants told stations it would add immediacy to their broadcasts.

“Still, it was filtered; [the news] had to go through a middle manager, through a process,” Dello Stritto says about the old breaking news desk feature. “Did it make things faster? Probably a few things, but really some of it was just playing a little television smoke-and-mirrors.”

With The Desk , any middlemen have been cut out of news delivery. Anchors throw to Liu or Rogers at the assignment desk, which was built into the station’s new studio, launched Jan. 5, with a camera at the ready. (In the old digs, several cameras were placed around the assignment desk for varying shot selections.) Once on the air, the assignment editors simply discuss what they know about a new story, while reporters travel to a scene and prepare their packages.

“In other worlds, the assignment editor would be telling the reporter what they’ve learned,” Dello Stritto says. “In our world, we’re telling the viewer right away instead of telling the reporter.”

At the very least, The Desk is a low-tech means of producing new content with a virtual net-zero impact on workflow. Assignment editors were already doing this job; now they’re just doing it on camera. More crucially, in this period of consumer distrust in news organizations, Dello Stritto says The Desk is an opportunity to provide viewers with critical transparency. Authenticity shines through; Liu and Rogers don’t dress like anchors, nor were they trained in news delivery — which was precisely the point.

“I don’t want them to go through a process where we’re trying to take the real person out of them and make them ‘a broadcaster,’” Dello Stritto says, inflecting his voice at the end to sound more formal. And while KCBS has several other assignment editors on staff, Dello Stritto nominated Liu and Rogers for the on-air duty based in large part on their innate ability to verbally project well, which they otherwise display when dishing out assignments to reporters and producers.

Mike Rogers

“There’s nothing more exciting than being on an assignment desk in the most unique news market in the world,” Rogers says. “Finding and gathering information — especially breaking news — has been my passion for the nearly 10 years I’ve been in broadcast journalism. When I was presented with the opportunity to do my job in a new and unique way, while maximizing the viewer experience, I immediately agreed.”

Rogers sees The Desk as an opportunity for KCBS and KCAL to “bolster” the “trust and reliability” they’ve built with consumers for years. His assignment desk peer, Liu, says the segment is a “grand experiment” that’s “pulling back the curtain on how we gather the news and putting it on the air faster and with greater depth than we have before.”

“It’s equal parts exhilarating and terrifying because there’s no template as to how this should look or feel,” Liu says. “We have evolved it every day since we started, and it’s already become this dynamic, awesome thing.”

Dello Stritto has scoured the news industry for similar programming and says, so far, he hasn’t seen anything else quite like The Desk anywhere else. He conjures the phrase “imitation is the finest form of flattery,” but observes that other stations might not have the right personnel to develop their own version of The Desk : extremely well-trained, passionate assignment editors with natural on-air reporter chops.

Though The Desk is just a few months old, Dello Stritto says the audience is taking to it. They find it “refreshing” and are developing a connection to Liu and Rogers, he says.

“The attraction is that they are regular guys doing their job and then telling people what’s happening,” he says. “People are expressing that in different ways, but there are strong indications that viewers are latching on to not only the concept, but to these guys who are delivering it. My hunch is it’s because of that transparency and authenticity, that it doesn’t look and feel like a television news anchor who’s sitting there, yet they’re delivering in a compelling, clear way.”

Editor’s Note: This is the latest of TVNewsCheck ’s “Newsroom Innovators” profiles, a series showcasing people and news organizations evolving the shape and substance of video reporting. These profiles examine the inception of their innovations, the tools they employ and how they’re reconciling experimental approaches to news storytelling within daily workflows. You can find the others here .

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tvn-member-9324370 says:

January 24, 2023 at 5:18 pm

Great idea…but not new. We tried this exact idea with the “News Outside the Box” concept at KIRO in Seattle in 1992. And it really depends on the ability of the assignment desk personnel to tell a story…as indicated in the KCBS example. What’s old is new again…

Former Producer says:

January 25, 2023 at 9:33 am

I presume KCBS also saves money with this approach. It’s cheaper to use an in-house assignment editor than it does to send a reporter and photographer to the scene. And, as anyone who follows the TV news business knows, CBS is in the midst of cutting costs.

This is fundamentally no different than when major-market TV stations starting using one-man-band MMJs. Managers promoted the concept as a new chapter of visual storytelling and innovation and blah blah blah, but be real: it costs less to pay one person do the jobs of two people.

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Justice Department formally moves to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in historic shift

Reclassifying Marijuana FILE - Cannabis clones are displayed for customers at Home Grown Apothecary, April 19, 2024, in Portland, Ore. The Justice Department has formally moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in a historic shift to generations of drug policy in the United States. A proposed rule sent Thursday to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) (Jenny Kane/AP)

WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Justice Department on Thursday formally moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift in generations of U.S. drug policy.

A proposed rule sent to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation's most dangerous drugs. The plan approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use .

The Drug Enforcement Administration will next take public comment on the proposal in a potentially lengthy process. If approved, the rule would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. Pot would instead be a Schedule III substance, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids.

The move comes after a recommendation from the federal Health and Human Services Department, which launched a review of the drug's status at the urging of President Joe Biden in 2022.

Biden also has moved to pardon thousands of people convicted federally of simple possession of marijuana and has called on governors and local leaders to take similar steps to erase convictions.

“This is monumental,” Biden said in a video statement, calling it an important move toward reversing longstanding inequities. “Far too many lives have been upended because of a failed approach to marijuana, and I’m committed to righting those wrongs. You have my word on it.”

The election year announcement could help Biden, a Democrat, boost flagging support, particularly among younger voters .

The notice kicks off a 60-day comment period followed by a possible review from an administrative judge, which could be a drawn-out process.

Biden and a growing number of lawmakers from both major political parties have been pushing for the DEA decision as marijuana has become increasingly decriminalized and accepted, particularly by younger people. Some argue that rescheduling doesn’t go far enough and marijuana should instead be treated the way alcohol is.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York applauded the change and called for additional steps toward legalization.

The U.S. Cannabis Council, a trade group, said the switch would “signal a tectonic shift away from the failed policies of the last 50 years.”

The Justice Department said that available data reviewed by HHS shows that while marijuana "is associated with a high prevalence of abuse,” that potential is more in line with other Schedule III substances, according to the proposed rule.

The HHS recommendations are binding until the draft rule is submitted, and Garland agreed with it for the purposes of starting the process.

Still, the DEA has not yet formed its own determination as to where marijuana should be scheduled, and it expects to learn more during the rulemaking process, the document states.

Some critics argue the DEA shouldn’t change course on marijuana, saying rescheduling isn’t necessary and could lead to harmful side effects.

Dr. Kevin Sabet, a former White House drug policy adviser now with the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, said there isn’t enough data to support moving pot to Schedule III. “As we’ve maintained throughout this process, it’s become undeniable that politics, not science, is driving this decision and has been since the very beginning,” Sabet said.

The immediate effect of rescheduling on the nation’s criminal justice system is expected to be muted. Federal prosecutions for simple possession have been fairly rare in recent years.

Schedule III drugs are still controlled substances and subject to rules and regulations, and people who traffic in them without permission could still face federal criminal prosecution.

Federal drug policy has lagged behind many states in recent years, with 38 states having already legalized medical marijuana and 24 legalizing its recreational use. That’s helped fuel fast growth in the marijuana industry, with an estimated worth of nearly $30 billion.

Easing federal regulations could reduce the tax burden that can be 70% or more for marijuana businesses, according to industry groups. It also could make it easier to research marijuana, since it’s very difficult to conduct authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances.

Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington and Joshua Goodman in Miami contributed to this report.

Follow the AP's coverage of marijuana at https://apnews.com/hub/marijuana .

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Channel Assignment Strategies in Mobile Communication Explained

Mohammad Jamiu

Engineering Contents

Read Time 🕠 - 3mins

Table of Contents ↬

What are channel assignment strategies.

Channel assignment strategies in mobile communication are used to allocate available radio channels to mobile users in a way that maximizes spectrum utilization and minimizes interference.

This is important because the radio spectrum is a limited resource, and there is a growing demand for mobile communication services.

Types of Channel Assignment Strategies

There are three main types of channel assignment strategies:

Fixed channel assignment (FCA)

Dynamic channel assignment (dca), hybrid channel assignment (hca).

In fixed channel assignment, each cell is allocated a fixed or predetermined set of channels (voice channels).

If all channels in a cell are occupied, the call from a mobile user is blocked and the user won’t receive service.

This strategy is simple to implement, but it can lead to inefficient spectrum utilization and increased interference if the traffic load is not evenly distributed across the cells.

Advantages of FCA:

• Simple to implement and manage
• Reduces co-channel interference

Disadvantages of FCA:

• Can lead to inefficient spectrum utilization
• Can lead to increased call blocking if traffic load is not evenly distributed across the cells

In dynamic channel assignment, channels are assigned to cells on demand, based on the current traffic load. i.e., there is no allocation of predetermined set of channels (voice channels).

This strategy is more efficient than FCA, but it is also more complex to implement.

Advantages of DCA:

• Improves spectrum utilization
• Reduces likelihood of blocking since all available channels are accessible to all cells

Disadvantages of DCA:

• More complex to implement and manage than FCA
• Can lead to increased call blocking if traffic load is high

HCA is a combination of FCA and DCA. In HCA, each cell is allocated a fixed set of channels, but additional channels can be dynamically assigned to cells if needed.

This strategy offers a good balance between simplicity and efficiency.

Advantages of HCA:

• Improves spectrum utilization compared to FCA
• Simpler to implement and manage than DCA

Disadvantages of HCA:

• Can be more complex to implement than FCA
• Can lead to increased co-channel interference compared to DCA

Channel Borrowing

Channel borrowing is a technique that can be used with any channel assignment strategy.

In channel borrowing, a cell can borrow a channel from a neighboring cell if all of its own channels are occupied.

This process is carried out by the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) which supervises the borrowing procedures and ensures that the borrowing of a channel does not interrupt or interfere with any of the calls in progress in the donor cell.

This technique can help to reduce call blocking and improve spectrum utilization.

Advantages of channel borrowing:

• Reduces call blocking

Disadvantages of channel borrowing:

• Can increase co-channel interference

Comparison of Channel Assignment Strategies (FCA, DCA and HCA)

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Court rejects parents’ attempt to opt kids out of LGBTQ-inclusive reading assignments

( The Hill ) — A federal appeals court rejected a bid from a group of Maryland parents to require Montgomery County Public Schools to allow them to opt their children out of lessons that involve LGBTQ-inclusive material.

A divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a  lower court decision  denying a preliminary injunction on the basis that the parents had not yet demonstrated how the county’s board of education book policy would infringe on their right to free expression of religion.

Three sets of parents – who are Muslim, Jewish and Christian – along with a parental rights organization, sued the Maryland school district after it said it would no longer allow parents to opt their children out of lessons that used a slate of newly approved LGBTQ-inclusive books.

The parents argued that the books “contradict their sincerely held religious beliefs about marriage, human sexuality, and gender” and that the lack of an opt-out policy violates their children’s First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.

U.S. Circuit Judge G. Steven Agee, writing for the majority in the opinion, said there was not enough evidence on the record to assess how the books were being used in the classroom and, therefore, to assess the likelihood of the case succeeding.

“We take no view on whether the Parents will be able to present evidence sufficient to support any of their various theories once they have the opportunity to develop a record as to the circumstances surrounding the Board’s decision and how the challenged texts are actually being used in schools,” Agee, appointed by former President George W. Bush, wrote.

“At this early stage, however, given the Parents’ broad claims, the very high burden required to obtain a preliminary injunction, and the scant record before us, we are constrained to affirm the district court’s order denying a preliminary injunction,” he continued, in the opinion, which was joined by U.S. Circuit Judge DeAndrea Benjamin, an appointee of President Biden’s.

U.S. Circuit Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum, Jr., an appointee of former President Trump’s, dissented, arguing the board violated parents’ right to influence their children’s religious upbringing.

Eric Baxter – vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which is representing the parents – pledged to appeal the ruling on Wednesday, in an emailed statement to The Hill.

“The court just told thousands of Maryland parents they have no say in what their children are taught in public schools,” Baxter said in his statement. “That runs contrary to the First Amendment, Maryland law, the School Board’s own policies, and basic human decency.”

“Parents should have the right to receive notice and opt their children out of classroom material that violates their faith. We will appeal this ruling,” he added.

In August 2023, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman found that the parents were unlikely to succeed on the merits and denied their request to keep the policy in place while the case proceeds. She found that they failed to show that the lack of an opt-out policy would result in the “indoctrination of their children” or “coerce their children to violate or change their religious beliefs.”

“The parents still may instruct their children on their religious beliefs regarding sexuality, marriage, and gender, and each family may place contrary views in its religious context,” Boardman wrote in the order last year.

“No government action prevents the parents from freely discussing the topics raised in the storybooks with their children or teaching their children as they wish,” she added.

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Mattress fundraiser to benefit Fritch, Stinnett volunteer fire departments

BORGER, Texas (KFDA) - A mattress sale in Borger this weekend will benefit the Fritch and Stinnett volunteer fire departments.

Event organizers say the fundraiser is raising funds for both fire departments to repair and replace equipment. The goal is to sell 60 mattresses.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and noon until 6 p.m. Sunday at The Dome in Borger, 1113 Bulldog Blvd.

Organizers say there will be over 25 beds on display for visitors to try out.

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METRO police lieutenant accused of trying to run down former lover who's a pastor, records state

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A lieutenant with the METRO Police Department has been charged following allegations she tried to run over a church pastor identified as her former lover in court records.

Lt. Tarlesha James has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a family member for an incident that happened on the morning of May 13 in the parking lot of the Willowbend Apartments near Humble.

Court records state the victim is Roderick Darnell Dawson, the pastor at St. Paul AME Church on Gears Road.

"There is not a crime here. She did not hit him with her vehicle, and neither did she leave the scene," James' attorney, Letitia Quinones-Hollins, said Wednesday after ABC13 first reported the allegations on Tuesday.

According to court records, Dawson told a deputy with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office that he and James were in a previous relationship that ended two years ago but continued as friends. On Monday morning, Dawson said he asked James to bring him a key to the apartment complex on FM 1960 Bypass Road, and that is where the incident happened.

"He believed someone was after him because she was in a different vehicle. He dove to get out of the way of the vehicle, and as a result of that, he injured himself," Quinones-Hollins explained.

Citing security video and an eyewitness, the investigator wrote in court records that James was in her METRO-issued SUV when it "accelerated speed" and "steered" in Dawson's direction and that she yelled, "I told you not to (expletive) with me" as he was laying on the ground.

Records list his injuries as a cut that needed stitches, a broken hand, a broken rib, and a broken knee. James' attorney said she immediately tended to him.

"Lt. James did, in fact, accompany him to the hospital to ensure he was OK. In fact, she was the one who drove him to the hospital," Quinones-Hollins said.

Dawson's church in Greenspoint was locked up when ABC13 stopped by, and he did not respond to questions about the incident or his condition.

James has been placed on administrative leave, according to METRO police. Quinones-Hollins said she is certain her client will be cleared.

"Once the DA's office hears the actual facts, those charges will not move forward," she said.

For more on this story, follow Jessica Willey on Facebook , X and Instagram .

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White House blocks release of Biden audio as Republicans move ahead with Garland contempt charge

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, speaks during the House Judiciary Committee markup hearing to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, Thursday, May 16, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Credit: AP/Jose Luis Magana

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday blocked the release of audio from President Joe Biden’s interview with a special counsel about his handling of classified documents, arguing that Republicans in Congress only wanted the recordings “to chop them up” and use them for political purposes.

Hours later, the House Judiciary Committee voted to advance an effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for not turning over the records. A second vote was scheduled for later Thursday with the House oversight committee. But the timing of any action by the full House, and the willingness of the U.S. attorney’s office to act on the referral, remained uncertain.

“The department has a legal obligation to turn over the requested materials pursuant to the subpoena,” Rep. Jim Jordan, the GOP chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said during the hearing. “Attorney General Garland’s willful refusal to comply with our subpoena constitutes contempt of Congress.”

The rapid sequence of events Thursday further inflamed tensions between House Republicans and the Justice Department, setting the stage for another round of bitter fighting between the two branches of government that seemed nearly certain to spill over into court.

If House Republicans’ efforts against Garland are successful, he will become the third attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress. The White House slammed Republicans in a letter earlier Thursday, dismissing their efforts to obtain the audio as purely political.

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“The absence of a legitimate need for the audio recordings lays bare your likely goal — to chop them up, distort them, and use them for partisan political purposes," White House counsel Ed Siskel wrote in a scathing letter to House Republicans ahead of scheduled votes by the two House committees to refer Garland to the Justice Department for the contempt charges.

“Demanding such sensitive and constitutionally-protected law enforcement materials from the Executive Branch because you want to manipulate them for potential political gain is inappropriate,” Siskel added.

President Joe Biden, right, sitting next to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, speaks at the beginning of his meeting with the Combatant Commanders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, before hosting them for a dinner. Credit: AP/Susan Walsh

Garland separately advised Biden in a letter made public Thursday that the audio falls within the scope of executive privilege, which protects a president’s ability to obtain candid counsel from his advisers without fear of immediate public disclosure and to protect confidential communications relating to official responsibilities.

The attorney general told reporters that the Justice Department has gone to extraordinary lengths to provide information to the committees about special counsel Robert Hur's investigation, including a transcript of Biden's interview with Hur. But, Garland said, releasing the audio could jeopardize future sensitive and high-profile investigations. Officials have suggested handing over the tape could make future witnesses concerned about cooperating with investigators.

“There have been a series of unprecedented and frankly unfounded attacks on the Justice Department,” Garland said. “This request, this effort to use contempt as a method of obtaining our sensitive law enforcement files is just most recent.”

The Justice Department warned Congress that a contempt effort would create “unnecessary and unwarranted conflict," with Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte saying: “It is the longstanding position of the executive branch held by administrations of both parties that an official who asserts the president's claim of executive privilege cannot be held in contempt of Congress.

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil to honor the law enforcement officers who lost their lives in 2023, in Washington, on May 13, 2024. House Republicans are set to advance contempt of Congress charges against Garland for his refusal to turn over unredacted audio of a special counsel interview with President Joe Biden. Credit: AP/Jose Luis Magana

Siskel’s letter to lawmakers comes after the uproar from Biden’s aides and allies over Hur’s comments about Biden’s age and mental acuity, and it highlights concerns in a difficult election year over how potentially embarrassing moments from the lengthy interview could be exacerbated by the release, or selective release, of the audio.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the White House’s move, accusing Biden of suppressing the tape because he's afraid to have voters hear it during an election year.

“The American people will not be able to hear why prosecutors felt the President of the United States was, in Special Counsel Robert Hur’s own words, an ‘elderly man with a poor memory,’ and thus shouldn’t be charged,” Johnson said the during a press conference on the House steps.

House Democrats defended Biden's rationale during the back-to-back hearings on Thursday, citing the massive trove of documents and witnesses who have been made available to Republicans as part of their more than yearlong probe into Biden and his family.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said on Thursday that Republicans want to make it seem like they’ve uncovered wrongdoing by the Justice Department.

“In reality, the Attorney General and DOJ have been fully responsive to this committee in every way that might be material to their long dead impeachment inquiry,” the New York lawmaker said. “Sometimes, they have been too responsive, in my opinion, given the obvious bad faith of the MAGA majority.”

The contempt effort is seen by Democrats as a last-ditch effort to keep Republicans' impeachment inquiry into Biden alive, despite a series of setbacks in recent months and flailing support for articles of impeachment within the GOP conference.

A transcript of the Hur interview showed Biden struggling to recall some dates and occasionally confusing some details — something longtime aides say he’s done for years in both public and private — but otherwise showing deep recall in other areas. Biden and his aides are particularly sensitive to questions about his age. At 81, he’s the oldest-ever president, and he's seeking another four-year term.

Hur, a former senior official in the Trump administration Justice Department, was appointed as a special counsel in January 2023 following the discovery of classified documents in multiple locations tied to Biden.

Hur’s report said many of the documents recovered at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, in parts of Biden’s Delaware home, and in his Senate papers at the University of Delaware were retained by “mistake.”

However, investigators did find evidence of willful retention and disclosure related to a subset of records found in Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, house, including in a garage, an office and a basement den.

The files pertain to a troop surge in Afghanistan during the Obama administration that Biden had vigorously opposed. Biden kept records that documented his position, including a classified letter to Obama during the 2009 Thanksgiving holiday. Some of that information was shared with a ghostwriter with whom he published memoirs in 2007 and 2017.

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