Troubling news out of Russia.
Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal based in Moscow, is being detained by Russian authorities and accused of espionage.
In a statement, the Russian Federal Security Service said Gershkovich “is suspected of spying in the interests of the American government.” The RFS said Gershkovich is being detained in Yekaterinburg, a city about 900 miles east of Moscow.
A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “We’re not talking about suspicions. He was caught red-handed.”
However, the spokesperson offered no details.
The Wall Street Journal immediately denied Russia’s claims, writing, “The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich. We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family.”
Almar Latour, the chief executive of Dow Jones, which publishes The Wall Street Journal, told staff in a memo, “This is an incredibly disturbing development,”
In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms. We also condemn the Russian government’s continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press.”
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. wants consular access to Gershkovich, and said, “In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices.”
The New York Times’ Daniel Victor and Michael M. Grynbaum wrote, “His detention comes as relations between Russia and the United States continue to deteriorate, with Washington leading a coalition of nations supporting Ukraine’s military defense and pushing for Moscow’s further diplomatic and economic isolation.” They added, “The detention is an ominous sign for the rights of foreign journalists based in Russia.”
As if tensions could get much higher between the U.S. and Russia.
The Wall Street Journal’s Daniel Michaels and Vivian Salama wrote, “Mr. Gershkovich’s detention and charge on the allegation of espionage mean the case is likely to become a high-level diplomatic issue, and is also expected to heighten tensions between Moscow and Washington.”
The Associated Press reported that Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since 1986. That’s when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. He was released 20 days later when he was swapped for a Russian who was arrested by the FBI on spying charges.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov didn’t sound as if a swap was possible at this time, telling Russian news services, “I wouldn’t even consider this issue now because people who were previously swapped had already served their sentences.”
And now onto the rest of today’s media news, tidbits and links for your weekend review …
- It appears as if several noted news organizations — including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Politico and BuzzFeed, just to name a few — will not pay for Twitter verification. Starting Saturday, Twitter will remove the blue verification checkmarks that were previously in place for those who qualified under Twitter’s rules. Now those who wish to be verified must sign up for the $8-a-month Twitter Blue subscription. Most media organizations choosing to not sign up are using the thinking of the Los Angeles Times. Managing editor Sara Yasin told staff, “Verification no longer establishes authority or credibility, instead it will only mean that someone has paid for a Twitter Blue subscription.” Yasin did say Times staffers are welcome to pay for the subscription out of pocket.
- Speaking of Twitter, commentary from the Los Angeles Times’ Matt Pearce in “If Twitter finally dies, where do we find the smart people?”
- And one more on Twitter. The Washington Post’s Faiz Siddiqui and Jeremy B. Merrill with “Twitter pushes hate speech, extremist content into ‘For You’ pages.”
- Disney’s sizable companywide layoffs have hit one of its properties: ABC News. Some 50 staffers inside ABC News were laid off Thursday, including several senior executives. CNN’s Oliver Darcy reports the list of those laid off includes senior vice president of newsgathering Wendy Fisher, senior vice president of talent Galen Gordon, vice president of talent Mary Noonan, Los Angeles bureau chief David Herndon, vice president of communications Alison Rudnick, senior executive producer Chris Vlasto and executive editorial producer Heather Riley. In a memo to staff, ABC News president Kim Godwin said, “Throughout the company, teams are being impacted by the downsizing that was announced several weeks ago, including our own ABC News family. While these actions are never easy, they are a necessary step to ensure we’re on solid footing for the years ahead as we chart a sustainable, growth-oriented path forward for the entire organization.”
- In an interview with NBC News’ Cynthia McFadden, fired Fox News producer Abby Grossberg says her former network is a “big corporate machine that destroys people.” Here’s more from NBC News.
- Associated Press media writer David Bauder with “CNN preaches patience as ratings tank during turnaround.”
- As part of The Washington Post’s “American Icon” series about AR-15s, the Post and Ipsos asked nearly 400 AR-15 owners why they own the rifle. The results are here in this Post story by Emily Guskin, Aadit Tambe and Jon Gerberg: “Why do Americans own AR-15s?”
- I missed this fun story by Dan Brooks when it came out in January in The New York Times Magazine. Then I heard it read aloud on The Daily’s Sunday Read. So check out the audio version: “How Danhausen Became Professional Wrestling’s Strangest Star.”
- Wall Street Journal sports columnist Jason Gay with “John McEnroe Is Playing Pickleball for $1 Million? You Cannot Be Serious.” Great, as always, from Gay, who tweeted that he plays the sport. But he also added this perceptive tweet on Thursday: “The founder of Major League Pickleball recently said he believes the sport will ‘easily’ become a top 5 TV sport, but I find it a tough watch. Pickleball feels destined to be one of those activities that is more fun to do than watch other people do, like eating, and karaoke.”
- The most infuriating thing you’ll read all day. The Sacramento Bee’s Sam Stanton with “9-year-old California girl wanted to save her goat from slaughter. Then came the search warrant.”
- Fascinating drama here in The New York Times from Michael Forsythe and Benjamin Weiser: “The Undoing of Guo Wengui, Billionaire Accused of Fraud on 2 Continents.”
- The Guardian’s Giles Tremlett with “Three abandoned children, two missing parents and a 40-year mystery.”
- This weekend, longtime CBS announcer Jim Nantz will call his final Final Four. He has been the lead play-by-play announcer for the men’s NCAA basketball championship since 1991. He will remain CBS’s top announcer on the NFL and golf. But as he approaches his final Final Four, Nantz is profiled by the Los Angeles Times’ Sam Farmer in “Jim Nantz broadcasts last shining moments in NCAA tournament with some mourning.”
- Mark Russell, a political satirist and comedian known for playing the piano and singing songs about politics, has died. He was 90. The cause of death, according to his widow, was prostate cancer. Bart Barnes has more in The Washington Post: “Mark Russell, political satirist with a star-spangled piano, dies at 90.”
More resources for journalists
- Subscribe to Poynter’s Friday newsletter, Open Tabs with Poynter managing editor Ren LaForme, and get behind-the-scenes stories only available to subscribers.
- Telling the Stories of Faith and the Faithful — Los Angeles, April 18 (Seminar) — Register by April 3.
- Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative — (Sept. – April, 2024) (Hybrid) — Apply by May 15.
- An Evening with Denis Phillips — May 12, at The Straz. Get tickets.
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