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

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

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

One day as he walked on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Sam Eskenazi had a flash of inspiration, one that motivated his journey to create a new museum in the capital dedicated to the people who have made America over thousands of years.

In this episode of Update-1, Sam, the director of the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People, describes this vision to Bill Loveless, a member of the Broadcast Podcast Team at the National Press Club. They talk about ways in which this museum would tell the story of the American people, how it would differ from other museums in the capital, and what it will take to build such an institution.

Quoting from a 2024 report to the White House and Congress from the coalition, Sam explains its statement that “our nation needs this museum now as a vehicle to bring all Americans together.”

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

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

What were the origins of the Cold War? What was the Cold War? 

In this edition of Update-1, Broadcast Podcast Team member Lincoln Smith talks with Cold War historians Gary Powers Jr. and Christopher Sturdevant about the recently released book,"Cold War Virginia," which outlines the storied history of the Cold War decades in Virginia. They discuss in detail how the Commonwealth of Virginia was geographically and situationally central to the Cold War.

More than 200 photos were on display at the National Press Club as part of this year's members photo exhibit. Four of them belonged to Susan Dickenson, who lives in North Carolina. In this edition of Update-1, Dickenson talks to Broadcast Podcast team co-chair Mike Hempen about the ways in which her photos depict life in Jamestown, where she lives.

She also discusses her role as editor of The Jamestowner, all-volunteer news and information site for the people and by the people of Jamestown. Dickenson says the site seeks to provide accountability for government officials who allegedly have colluded with developers and other businesses to destroy the quality of life there. Her exhibit was as much about community journalism as it was about photos.

NPC member Jody Beck has always had a strong interest in her family history, but it was the discovery of World War II-era diary entries and family letters about Madsen Cobb Kokjer, nicknamed Ty, that led her to write “Your Loving Son, Ty: A World War II Story of Hope and Horror in the Pacific.” In this episode of Update-1, Beck speaks with Broadcast/Podcast Team co-chair Adam Konowe about the plethora of documents made available to her, as well as what she pieced together about Ty's life before and during the war. Postscripts to this poignant family story were revealed through visits to Asia by Ty's parents in 1958 and Beck herself in 2023.

The focus is on veterans in the latest episode of the Update-1 podcast. Gemma Puglisi talks with Veterans on the Rise Executive Director, David Kurtz, who shares the work the 30-year-old nonprofit has done to help homeless veterans in our nation's capital.

From the launch of the organization back in 1989 by four veterans who took a stand against veteran homelessness, through today, including the Supreme Court ruling on homelessness, Kurtz shares how Veterans on the Rise has helped vets through a range of services from physical and mental health, life skills and employment training.  More importantly, what can we do to help Vets.

From humble beginnings as a blogger in trade media to noteworthy stints at the Wall Street Journal and CNN, Jon Ostrower has covered the aviation industry with an unrivaled passion. Now as founder and editor-in-chief of The Air Current, he's built an award-winning, subscription-based media outlet that continues to grow. Yet fundamental challenges persist for him and other publishers. In this edition of Update-1, Ostrower explains to NPC Broadcast/Podcast Team co-chair Adam Konowe why companies and individuals must do more to support legitimate journalism, as well as his approach to covering everything from the Farnborough International Airshow to a recent NTSB hearing in Washington.