Week of July 16, 2026

From the editor’s desk

TV news outlets found themselves in an awkward position this week after President Trump said he wanted some primetime air time this evening.

Tom Jones, a columnist with the journalism research group Poynter, explained the situation in his newsletter yesterday: 

Presidential addresses to the nation are usually reserved for major issues—war, national emergencies or significant policy changes on critical topics such as healthcare or the economy. In other words, information that’s absolutely critical for the American people to know.

So when President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that he would address the nation in prime time on Thursday night, most assumed the topic would be the war in Iran.

But then MS NOW and others started to report that Trump’s address would not focus on the war, but instead on his issues with the 2020 election.

Jones reached out to the major networks to ask about their plans. As of Tuesday evening, none of them had decided to broadcast Trump’s address.

Jones explained their hesitation:

On one hand, he’s the president. What he says is news. On the other hand, if he is going to make baseless accusations, don’t news outlets have a responsibility to ensure viewers aren’t exposed to lies and baseless conspiracy theories?

Jones, in today’s newsletter, again pondered the question of whether to air or not to air:

If there’s genuine news, even if it’s Trump making an outlandish proposal about future elections, then Americans need to know. That would be a reason for the networks to televise his remarks in full.

But if he’s just going to float more unproven conspiracy theories, then the networks probably don’t want to hand him a megaphone to do so.

After all, the bar for a national address is usually pretty high.

He noted that, in the past, networks have declined to broadcast addresses by Presidents Biden (on threats to democracy) and Obama (on his immigration reform plan), because they seemed more political than newsworthy.

As of this morning, networks were still deciding. Here’s what CNN’s Brian Stelter said in today’s Reliable Sources newsletter: 

Network executives have been locked in hours-long meetings about this question. As of this morning, none of the broadcasters have answered it publicly.

By mid-afternoon, PBS has announced plans to stream the address on its website. Shortly before two o’clock, Axios reported that some major outlets plan to cover the address—with guardrails:

NBC News said in a statement it would provide live coverage of the president’s remarks on NBC News NOW, and air “a special report” on the afterward.

ABC said it would air the speech on its 24/7 streaming channel, ABC News Live, and ABC News Radio “with comprehensive, anchored coverage” and “in our regular network newscasts.”

ABC added that it is “prepared to break into network programming to deliver live updates and reporting should significant developments occur.”

CBS and FOX have yet to announce their plans for the speech.

The address is expected to start at 6 p.m. West Coast time. It’ll be a busy night for fact checkers everywhere. 

Go RN&R team! 

Last week, I attended the 2026 AAN (Association of Alternative Newsmedia) Conference in Palm Springs (which our sister paper, the Coachella Valley Independent, expertly hosted).

In the midst of two jam-packed days of networking, brainstorming and presentations with more than 100 colleagues from around the U.S., I also had the honor of being among the first to learn—during an inspiring awards ceremony—that the RN&R team punched above its weight in the 2026 AAN Awards competition.

Frank X. Mullen won first place in the “Feature Story—Shorter Form” category for his historical and cultural deep dive, “Facing our darker history: As the feds censor narratives about racism, local officials tell the truth about Reno’s Chinatown and its government-ordered destruction.” The judges said, “Spectacular writing and retelling of history in light of today’s political climate and administration’s violence toward history. Well done!” 

Max Stone won second place in the “Arts Feature—Shorter Form” category with his touching profile, “A complicated legacy: Dani Putney, the non-binary child of a mail-order bride, comes to peace with a fractured identity.” It sounds like the judges were as moved as I was by this piece: “Max Stone crafts a terrific profile of a local poet which perfectly encapsulates the very essence of what an alt-weekly feature should be, highlighting several marginalized communities in the singular form of Dani Putney, and ensuring that this type of coverage is what will keep alternative voices shining brightly into the future.”

Jason Sarna won second place in Health Care Reporting for his insightful news feature “Psychedelic therapy: Nevada patients, doctors and lawmakers push for a legal pathway.” Per the judges: “The substance of the entry is clear and guides the reader through the complexities of this issue in a way that readers should find engaging and relatable. The depth is still there, but explanation is clear.”

The final award, an honorable mention in the “Special Section—Print” category for the Best of Northern Nevada 2025, went to “staff and contributors.” You know it, AAN judges! That took the commitment and skills of the whole team. The combined magic touches of illustrator Jason Williams, designer Maria Ratinova and all of the freelancers whose recommendations helped make that issue a great resource for Northern Nevada led the judges to say: “‘Best of’ issues are a staple of regionally oriented issues, but this one is unusually comprehensive with a sprightly design, which elevates it above the usual.”

These accolades are the result of our team’s commitment to great journalism, and great journalism does not come easy. It comes from hardworking individuals who care very much about keeping you informed and keeping our community connected. If you see Frank, Max, Jason S., Maria or Jason W. out and about, shake their hand, and buy them a drink.

Speaking of the Best of Northern Nevada issue …

While the AAN contest judges pointed out comprehensiveness and design as important parts of a great Best of Northern Nevada issue, there’s another important component—our readers’ opinions about what’s great in our region. The more people who vote in the poll, the better and more accurate the poll is. 

The final round of voting for the 2026 Best Of is open now. If you’ve already voted, thank you! If you haven’t, please do! It only takes a few minutes. Just go to vote.renonr.com. Seriously, it takes a village. You are the village. Thanks for participating!

Take care,

—Kris Vagner, managing editor