Molly Jong Fast on Mothers, Memoirs, and Mayhem

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By David A. Andelman


As the great columnist and Silurian Joyce Wadler observed, when your grandfather was Howard Fast who wrote Spartacus and went to jail for refusing to name names to the HUAC, your father is novelist Jonathan Fast, and her mother is Erica Jong, whose book Fear of Flying sold over 22 million copies, you’ve got to have no small amount of chutzpah, let alone talent, to write about them—and yourself.

That's just what Molly Jong-Fast did.

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How to Cover the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump

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Our next meeting features Julian E. Zelizer, one of the nation’s leading historians and political analysts. Zelizer is a Princeton University history professor, a columnist for Foreign Policy, former CNN contributor, and author/editor of 27 books and has written more than 1,500 op-eds. His most recent book, In Defense of Partisanship, challenges the conventional wisdom that intense political partisanship is the source of American democracy's problems.

News Media News

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Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material—or else


New crackdown on journalists at the Pentagon would require tpledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey.

Read WashPost Story [paywall]
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Judge throws out Trump's $15 bllion suit against New York Times


Federal judge says, "A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally..." Gives Trump’s attorneys 28 days to refile.

Read story on The Hill
Donald Trump yelling in a hallway surrounded by press; people with cameras and microphones.

Trump floats pulling licenses if networks are ‘against’ him after Jimmy Kimmel suspended


FCC Chair Brendan Carr earlier on Wednesday hinted that the broadcast license of ABC was at risk if it did not “take action on Kimmel.”

Read CNBC story

Paramount Picks Kenneth R. Weinstein, Former Head Of Right-Leaning Think Tank, As Ombudsman For CBS News


Skydance committed to hiring an ombudsman as it sought FCC regulatory approval of its acquisition of Paramount.

Read Story in Deadline

After Trump’s Cuts, ‘Crippled’ NPR and PBS Stations Must Transform


Radio and TV stations, facing enormous budget holes, are pleading with NPR and PBS to lower fees as they weigh dropping national programming altogether.

Read NY Times story [paywall]

The German Owner of Politico Wants Another US Media Outlet


After taking full control of publisher Axel Springer, Mathias Döpfner has a pile of cash and the desire to grow.

Read Business Week Story [paywall]

CBS changes ‘Face the Nation’ interview policy after Noem backlash


“FACE THE NATION will now only broadcast live or live-to-tape interviews (subject to national security or legal restrictions),” CBS said.

Read story on The Hill

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material—or else


New crackdown on journalists at the Pentagon would require tpledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey.

Read WashPost Story [paywall]

Judge throws out Trump's $15 bllion suit against New York Times


Federal judge says, "A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally..." Gives Trump’s attorneys 28 days to refile.

Read story on The Hill

Recent Guests/Speakers

Molly Jong Fast on Mothers, Memoirs, and Mayhem

By David A. Andelman


       As the great columnist and Silurian Joyce Wadler observed, when your grandfather was Howard Fast who wrote Spartacus and went to jail for refusing to name names to the HUAC, your father is novelist Jonathan Fast, and her mother is Erica Jong, whose book Fear of Flying sold over 22 million copies, you’ve got to have no small amount of chutzpah, let alone talent, to write about them—and yourself.


That's just what Molly Jong-Fast did.

Mike Kandel at 95: Unfiltered and Unforgettable

By Mel Laytner


The Silurians Press Club is no stranger to legendary journalists, but few can hold a room with the charm, wit, and sheer force of intellect that is Myron “Mike” Kandel.   

Her Worst Day, Best Day, and Weed Bearing Her Name:  A Very Connie Story

By Mel Laytner


Perhaps the worst day of Connie Chung’s life  was being fired from her dream job, sitting in “half of Walter Cronkite’s seat,” co-anchoring the CBS Evening News. With karmic irony, two days later was one of her best: Chung and husband Maury Povich learned that their long-pursued adoption had come through. 

Molly Jong Fast on Mothers, Memoirs, and Mayhem

By David A. Andelman


       As the great columnist and Silurian Joyce Wadler observed, when your grandfather was Howard Fast who wrote Spartacus and went to jail for refusing to name names to the HUAC, your father is novelist Jonathan Fast, and her mother is Erica Jong, whose book Fear of Flying sold over 22 million copies, you’ve got to have no small amount of chutzpah, let alone talent, to write about them—and yourself.


That's just what Molly Jong-Fast did.

Mike Kandel at 95: Unfiltered and Unforgettable

By Mel Laytner


The Silurians Press Club is no stranger to legendary journalists, but few can hold a room with the charm, wit, and sheer force of intellect that is Myron “Mike” Kandel.   

Her Worst Day, Best Day, and Weed Bearing Her Name:  A Very Connie Story

By Mel Laytner


Perhaps the worst day of Connie Chung’s life  was being fired from her dream job, sitting in “half of Walter Cronkite’s seat,” co-anchoring the CBS Evening News. With karmic irony, two days later was one of her best: Chung and husband Maury Povich learned that their long-pursued adoption had come through. 
[More] Silurians Speaker/Event Videos

Journalism and AI

Love it or fear it, Artificial Intelligence is rapidly being integrated in newsrooms around the world in a variety of ways, even as the technology upends and challenges online news business models. Here you will find links to articles, clips and videos that will be updated from time to time to help better understand this accelerating trend.


Judge skewers $1.5B Anthropic settlement with authors in pirated books case over AI training

Read AP Story

Rolling Stone Publisher Sues Google Over AI Summaries

Read WSJ article [paywall]

The AI Doomers Are Losing the Argument

"Weekend Essay on Bloomberg [paywall]

A Complete List of Publishers and Their AI Licensing Deals (as of Sept. 1, 2025)

Read FutureWeek Story
[CLICK] Journalism & AI Archive

Judge skewers $1.5B Anthropic settlement with authors in pirated books case over AI training

Read AP Story

Rolling Stone Publisher Sues Google Over AI Summaries

Read WSJ article [paywall]

The AI Doomers Are Losing the Argument

"Weekend Essay on Bloomberg [paywall]

A Complete List of Publishers and Their AI Licensing Deals (as of Sept. 1, 2025)

Read FutureWeek Story

And The Awards Go To...

Silurians 2025 Excellence in Journalism Awards Honor Local Reporting in 16 Categories

The 80th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards was celebrated with a festive dinner on June 18 at the historic National Arts Club in New York City, honoring outstanding work across 16 categories spanning print, broadcast, and online journalism. The event showcased the enduring strength and diversity of New York-area journalism.

[CLCIK]for Main Awards Page & Links to Winning Entries
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Silurians Scholarship Program

Prepare To Be Inspired

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Kennedy Sessions, Dennis Duggan Award

Sessions, 26, specializes in Local Accountability Reporting and Data Journalism at the CUNY Newmark J-school..

See Sessions Acceptance
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Marina Samuels, 2025 Local Reporting Scholarship

Samuel, 24, CUNY Newmark J-school. "Work that we do should...reflect the struggles, amplify the voices of the community.

See Samuels Acceptance
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Anna Oakes, Columbia Journalism School

"The importance of reporting with sensativity, thoroughness and persistence."

Anna Oaks Acceptance
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Garrett Owen

“Adherence to the hard truths and standards of integrity must always be followed and respected. We get to do that; We have the honor and privilege to do that. It’s a good kind of pressure.”

Garrett Own's Acceptance

Silurians Scholarship Program

Prepare To Be Inspired

Kennedy Sessions-Black woman in white sweater

Kennedy Sessions, 2025 Dennis Duggan Award Recipient

Sessions, 26, specializes in Local Accountability Reporting and Data Journalism at the CUNY Newmark J-school.. Interested in covering how elected officials' decisions and policies impact lives of constituents.

See Sessions Acceptance
A woman is standing at a podium in front of a microphone.

Marina Samuels, 2025 Local Reporting Scholarship

Samuel, 24, specializes in Local Accountability Reporting and Data Journalism at the CUNY Newmark J-School, . "Work that we do should...reflect the struggles, amplify the voices of the community, and fights for its needs.

See Samuels Acceptance
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Anna Oakes, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism

Anna Oakes spent the last two years reporting on immigration, social movements, and healthcare.Will work as a summer fellow in local accountability journalism at The City. 

Read More About Anna Oaks

The Silurian Archives

Silurians YouTube channel — 120+ videos of speakers and events.

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The Silurians News newspaper archive, dating back to 2009

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