The Hill (newspaper): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 38°54′11″N 77°02′15″W / 38.90306°N 77.03750°W / 38.90306; -77.03750 (The Hill newspaper)
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{{short description|Political newspaper and website based in Washington, D.C.}}
{{Short description|American political newspaper and website}}
{{Infobox newspaper
{{Infobox newspaper
| name = The Hill
| name = The Hill
Line 5: Line 5:
| type = [[Daily newspaper]] (when Congress is in session)
| type = [[Daily newspaper]] (when Congress is in session)
| format = [[Compact (newspaper)|Compact]]
| format = [[Compact (newspaper)|Compact]]
| owners = [[Nexstar Media Group]]
| owners = Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications Inc
| founder = [[Jerry Finkelstein]] and Martin Tolchin
| founder = {{ubl|[[Jerry Finkelstein]]|[[Martin Tolchin]]}}
| editor = Bob Cusack
| publisher = Peter Greenberger
| editor = Bob Cusack<ref name="Cusack">{{Cite news|last=Yingling|first=Jennifer|title=The Hill names Bob Cusack Editor in Chief|work=The Hill|access-date=2014-08-07|date=2014-07-28|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/213489-the-hill-names-bob-cusack-editor-in-chief}}</ref>
| chiefeditor =
| chiefeditor =
| assoceditor =
| assoceditor =
| maneditor = Ian Swanson<ref name="Cusack">{{Cite news |last=Yingling |first=Jennifer |title=The Hill names Bob Cusack Editor in Chief |work=The Hill |access-date=2014-08-07 |date=2014-07-28 |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/213489-the-hill-names-bob-cusack-editor-in-chief}}</ref>
| maneditor = Ian Swanson<ref name="Cusack"/>
| photoeditor = Greg Nash
| photoeditor = Greg Nash
| foundation = {{start date and age|1994|9|01}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|1994|9|01}}
| headquarters = 1625 K St., NW, Suite 900, [[Washington, D.C.]], 20006 [[U.S.]]
| headquarters = 1625 K St., NW, Suite 900, [[Washington, D.C.]], 20006 [[U.S.]]<br/>{{coord|38|54|11|N|77|02|15|W|region:US-DC_type:landmark|display=inline,title|name=The Hill newspaper}}
| language = [[American English]]
| language = [[American English]]
| publishing_city = Washington, D.C.
| publishing_city = Washington, D.C.
| publishing_country = United States
| publishing_country = United States
| circulation = 24,000 print
| circulation = 24,000 print
| circulation_date = December 2012
| circulation_date = December 2012
| circulation_ref = <ref name="about" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://artsactionfund.org/news/entry/the-hill-op-ed|title=The Hill: 'An investment in the arts is an investment in economic growth'|date=February 2015|publisher=Americans for the Arts Action Fund|access-date=June 20, 2015}}</ref>
| circulation_ref = <ref name="about" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://artsactionfund.org/news/entry/the-hill-op-ed |title=The Hill: 'An investment in the arts is an investment in economic growth' |date=February 2015 |publisher=Americans for the Arts Action Fund |access-date=June 20, 2015 |archive-date=June 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620225751/http://www.artsactionfund.org/news/entry/the-hill-op-ed |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| ISSN = 1521-1568 <!-- https://lccn.loc.gov/sn95044740 -->
| ISSN = 1521-1568 <!-- https://lccn.loc.gov/sn95044740 -->
| oclc = 31153202
| oclc = 31153202
| website = {{URL|https://thehill.com}}
| website = {{URL|https://thehill.com}}
}}
}}
{{Italic title}}
'''''The Hill''''' is an American digital media company, based in [[Washington, D.C.]] which began as a [[newspaper]] publisher in 1994.<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/contact/about-us|title=Who we are|work=The Hill|access-date=23 February 2020}}</ref><ref name="nytimes" >{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/us/new-paper-to-vie-for-readers-on-capitol-hill.html|title=New paper to vie for readers on Capitol Hill |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>


'''''The Hill''''' is an American newspaper and digital media company based in [[Washington, D.C.]], that was founded in 1994.<ref name=times >{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/us/new-paper-to-vie-for-readers-on-capitol-hill.html |title=New paper to vie for readers on Capitol Hill | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716163427/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/25/us/new-paper-to-vie-for-readers-on-capitol-hill.html | archive-date=July 16, 2014 | first=William| last=Glaberson | issn=0362-4331 | newspaper=The New York Times|date=25 May 1994 }}</ref><ref name="about">{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/contact/about-us |title=Who we are |work=The Hill |date=7 February 2007 |access-date=23 February 2020}}</ref>
Focusing on politics, policy, business and international relations, ''The Hill'' coverage includes the [[United_States_Congress|U.S. Congress]], the presidency and executive branch, and election campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/new-and-old-political-media-are-battling-dominance-centurys-wildest-election-170151/|title=New and Old Political Media Are Battling for Dominance in the Century's Wildest Election|newspaper=AdWeek|access-date=2016-12-24}}</ref> On its website, ''The Hill'' describes its output as "nonpartisan reporting on the inner workings of Congress and the nexus of politics and business".<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact Us |url=https://thehill.com/contact |work={{no selflink|The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill}} |orig-year=First published August 5, 2009 |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref>


Focusing on politics, policy, business and international relations, ''The Hill''{{'}}s coverage includes the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]], the presidency and executive branch, and election campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joyella | first=Mark | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211220554/https://www.adweek.com/digital/new-and-old-political-media-are-battling-dominance-centurys-wildest-election-170151/ |url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/new-and-old-political-media-are-battling-dominance-centurys-wildest-election-170151/ | archive-date=February 11, 2017 |title=New and Old Political Media Are Battling for Dominance in the Century's Wildest Election |place=K Street, NW, Washington D.C |issn=0199-2864 |newspaper=AdWeek |access-date=2016-12-24}}</ref> Its stated output is "nonpartisan reporting on the inner workings of Government and the nexus of politics and business".<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact Us |url=https://thehill.com/contact |work={{no selflink|The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill}} |orig-year=First published August 5, 2009 |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref>
The company’s primary outlet is TheHill.com. As of 2020, it is the largest independent political news site in the United States, is second in online political news readership behind [[CNN]],<ref>https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2020/08/17/2020-best-summer-record-cnn-digital-traffic-ratings/</ref> and is the third most-Tweeted U.S. news source.<ref>https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/328959/nowthis-the-hill-among-top-10-most-tweeted-ne.html</ref>


The Hill is additionally distributed in print for free around Washington D.C. and distributed to all congressional offices. It is owned by Capitol Hill Publishing, which is owned by News Communications, Inc. It is currently owned and managed by James "Jimmy" A. Finkelstein.
The company's primary outlet is ''TheHill.com''. ''The Hill'' is additionally distributed in print for free around Washington, D.C., and distributed to all congressional offices. It has been owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]] since 2021.


==History==
==History==
===Founding and early years===
===Founding and early years===
The company was founded as a newspaper in 1994 by Democratic [[Power broker (politics)|power broker]] and New York businessman [[Jerry Finkelstein]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=McFadden |first=Robert D. |date=November 28, 2012 |title=Jerry Finkelstein, New York Power Broker, Dies at 96 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/jerry-finkelstein-new-york-power-broker-dies-at-96.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121129200210/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/jerry-finkelstein-new-york-power-broker-dies-at-96.html | archive-date=November 29, 2012 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and [[Martin Tolchin]], a former correspondent for ''[[The New York Times]]''. New York Representative [[Gary L. Ackerman]] was also a major shareholder.<ref name=times/> The name of the publication alludes to "[[Capitol Hill]]" as a [[synecdoche]] for the [[United States Congress]] and government generally.<ref>{{Cite news |magazine=Mediaweek |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Mediaweek/1996/Mediaweek-1996-12-02.pdf |date=December 2, 1996 | archive-date=March 9, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309061446/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Mediaweek/1996/Mediaweek-1996-12-02.pdf |title=The In-Your-Face Race |page=20 | volume=6 | issue=46 |author=Mundy, Alicia }}</ref>


In 2012, James A. Finkelstein assumed control of the organization.<ref name=ben>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Ben |last2=Robertson |first2=Katie |title=The Hill Is Sold to a TV Giant |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/20/business/the-hill-sale-nexstar-media.html |work=The New York Times |date=August 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821235041/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/20/business/the-hill-sale-nexstar-media.html | issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 21, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Cusack" /><ref name="about" />
The paper was founded in 1994 by Democratic [[Power broker (politics)|power broker]] and New York businessman [[Jerry Finkelstein]], and Martin Tolchin, a former correspondent for ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Mcfadden|first=Robert D.|date=November 28, 2012|title=Jerry Finkelstein, New York Power Broker, Dies at 96|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/jerry-finkelstein-new-york-power-broker-dies-at-96.html|access-date=December 24, 2016|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> New York Representative [[Gary L. Ackerman]] was also a major shareholder.<ref name=":0" /> The name of the publication alludes to “[[Capitol Hill]]” as a [[Metonymy|metonym]] for the [[United States Congress]] and government generally.<ref>{{Cite news
| magazine = Mediaweek
| url = https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Mediaweek/1996/Mediaweek-1996-12-02.pdf
| access-date = 2020-02-24
| date = 1996-12-02
| title = The In-Your-Face Race
| page = 20
| author = Alicia Mundy
}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

In 2012, James "Jimmy" A. Finkelstein assumed control of the organization.<ref name="about" /><ref name="Cusack" />


===Digital distribution and print circulation===
===Digital distribution and print circulation===
In 2016, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that ''The Hill'' was "proceeding with ambitious expansion plans" to become a national brand publication, and its website traffic increased 126% over the prior year, and was above [[Politico]]'s traffic for the period.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fandos |first=Nicholas |date=2016-05-14 |title=Capitol Hill Newspapers, Once a Protected Class, Redefine Themselves (Published 2016) |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/business/media/capitol-hill-newspapers-once-a-protected-class-redefine-themselves.html |access-date=2021-03-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


Following the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 US presidential election]], ''[[TheStreet.com|The Street]]'' reported that ''The Hill'' saw the largest increase in online political readership among political news sites, with an increase of 780%. CNN and Politico saw smaller increases over the period,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doctor |first=Ken |title=Washington Post, New York Times are big winners of election wars |url=https://www.thestreet.com/opinion/two-newspapers-have-crushed-all-others-in-post-election-growth-14199728 |access-date=2021-03-18 |website=TheStreet |date=28 June 2017 |language=en-us}}</ref> making ''The Hill'' "the fastest-growing political news site".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Communicator |first=Capitol |date=2017-03-02 |title="The Hill" Has Record Web Traffic in January |url=https://capitolcommunicator.com/the-hill-hits-record-high-in-web-traffic-in-january/ |access-date=2021-03-18 |website=Capitol Communicator |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2017, ''The Hill'' was also cited by Twitter as one of the top 10 "most-tweeted" news sources.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lejeune |first=Tristan |date=2017-12-05 |title=The Hill named one of 2017's top 10 tweeted news outlets by Twitter |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/363304-the-hill-named-one-of-2017s-top-news-outlets-by-twitter |access-date=2021-03-18 |website=TheHill |language=en}}</ref> A 2017 study by the [[Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society]] at [[Harvard University]] found that ''The Hill'' was the second most-shared source among supporters of [[Donald Trump]] on Twitter during the election, behind ''[[Breitbart News]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blake |first=Aaron |date=August 22, 2017 |title=Analysis {{!}} Trump backers' alarming reliance on hoax and conspiracy theory websites, in 1 chart|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/08/22/trump-backers-disturbing-reliance-on-hoax-and-conspiracy-theory-websites-in-1-chart/ |access-date=2021-10-10 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Faris |first1=Robert |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1048396744 |title=Partisanship, Propaganda, and Disinformation: Online Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election |last2=Roberts |first2=Hal |last3=Etling |first3=Bruce |date=August 8, 2017 |publisher=[[Berkman Center for Internet & Society]] |pages=72 |oclc=1048396744}}</ref>
In 2019, The Hill was ranked second among all US news sites for political readership, second to
CNN, and ahead of Capitol Hill competitors such as Politico.<ref>{{cite web |title=CNN Digital Breaks Records, Sees Biggest Audience in History in 2019 |url=https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2019/12/16/cnn-digital-breaks-records-sees-biggest-audience-in-history-in-2019/ |access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref>


In 2017, ''The Hill'' hired [[John Solomon (political commentator)|John Solomon]] as executive vice president of digital video.<ref name="CNN 2019">{{cite web |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |last2=Darcy |first2=Oliver |date=2019-01-18 |title=Jimmy Finkelstein, the owner of The Hill, has flown under the radar. But he's played a key role in the Ukraine scandal |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/media/jimmy-finkelstein-the-hill-ukraine/index.html |access-date=2019-11-19 |website=[[CNN Business]]}}</ref> Solomon inserted material from advertisers into journalistic copy, leading to protests from ''The Hill''{{-'}}s publisher.<ref name="propublica-2019">{{Cite news |first1=Jake |last1=Pearson |first2=Mike |last2=Spies |first3=J. David |last3=McSwane |date=2019-10-25 |title=How a Veteran Reporter Worked with Giuliani's Associates to Launch the Ukraine Conspiracy |work=ProPublica |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/how-a-veteran-reporter-worked-with-giuliani-associates-to-launch-the-ukraine-conspiracy |access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> In March 2018, he worked closely with associates of [[Rudy Giuliani]], the personal lawyer of U.S. President [[Donald Trump]], to promote the spurious [[Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory]].<ref name="propublica-2019" /> In May 2018, Solomon's role was changed to opinion contributor, although he was allowed to keep his original title.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Erik Wemple |date=2018-05-14 |title=The Hill's John Solomon moves to new spot as 'opinion contributor' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/05/14/the-hills-john-solomon-moves-to-new-spot-as-opinion-contributor/ |access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> In September 2019, he left ''The Hill''.<ref name="CNN 2019" /> A February 2020 internal review by ''The Hill'' concluded that there were multiple flaws in Solomon's 14 columns about Ukraine and the Bidens, including omitting important details and failing to disclose that the sources used by Solomon were his own attorneys [[Victoria Toensing]] and [[Joseph diGenova]]—both close associates of Trump and his personal attorney [[Rudy Giuliani]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/john-solomon-columns-on-ukraine-ripped-in-newspapers-internal-investigation-for-conflicts-and-distortions/2020/02/19/f626c5b6-532c-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html|title=John Solomon columns on Ukraine ripped in newspaper's internal investigation for conflicts and distortions|date=2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304072754/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/john-solomon-columns-on-ukraine-ripped-in-newspapers-internal-investigation-for-conflicts-and-distortions/2020/02/19/f626c5b6-532c-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html|archive-date=March 4, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/six-degrees-rudy-giuliani-s-web-tangles-three-trump-controversies-n1090631|title=Six degrees of Rudy: Giuliani's web tangles three Trump controversies|date=November 30, 2019 |publisher=NBC News}}</ref>
[[File:The Hill vending box DC.jpg|thumb|Vending box for ''The Hill'' on K Street.]]


[[Katie Halper]], a former free-lancer with ''Rising'', was terminated on September 28, 2022. ''[[The Intercept]]'' reported that she had recorded a "Radar" monologue that described Israel as an "[[apartheid]]" state.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grim |first1=Ryan |title=Hill TV Censors Segment on Rashida Tlaib's Description of Israel as "Apartheid Government," Bars Reporter |url=https://theintercept.com/2022/09/29/hill-tv-israel-apartheid-rashida-tlaib-censorship/ |work=The Intercept |publisher=First Look Media |date=2022-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930205113/https://theintercept.com/2022/09/29/hill-tv-israel-apartheid-rashida-tlaib-censorship/ |archive-date=2022-09-30 }}</ref>
As of 2020, the newspaper claims to have more than 22,000 print readers.<ref name="about"/> ''The Hill'' is distributed for free in newspaper boxes around the [[U.S. Capitol building]], and mailed directly to all congressional offices.


{{As of|2018}}, ''The Hill'' was the second most-viewed US political news website and the third-most [[Twitter|tweeted]] U.S. news source.<ref>{{Cite web |title='NowThis,' 'The Hill' Among Top 10 Most Tweeted News Outlets |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/328959/nowthis-the-hill-among-top-10-most-tweeted-ne.html |access-date=2021-03-08 |website=www.mediapost.com |language=en}}</ref>
As of 2020, The Hill’s YouTube channel had 1,100,000 subscribers, ahead of Politico, Axios, and Bloomberg Politics. In October 2020, The Hill's Youtube channel averaged over 1.5 million daily video views and more than 10 million per week; in September 2020 it received over 340 million video views.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hill's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats |url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UCPWXiRWZ29zrxPFIQT7eHSA |website=socialblade.com}}</ref>


In January 2019, [[CNN]] claimed Finkelstein interfered in the [[editorial independence]] of the paper by "keeping a watchful eye on the newspaper's coverage to ensure it is not too critical" of President Trump.<ref name="CNN 2019" />
The National Press Club’s annual Sandy Hume Memorial Award is named after staffer Sandy Hume, in recognition of her 1997 reporting in The Hill of an attempted Republican coup against then-speaker [[Newt Gingrich]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Press Club Journalism Awards |url=https://www.press.org/national-press-club-journalism-awards |website=National Press Club |language=en}}</ref>


In 2019, ''The Hill'' was ranked second among all US news sites for political readership, second to CNN, and ahead of Capitol Hill competitors such as ''Politico''.<ref>{{cite web |title=CNN Digital Breaks Records, Sees Biggest Audience in History in 2019 |url=https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2019/12/16/cnn-digital-breaks-records-sees-biggest-audience-in-history-in-2019/ |access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref>
In January 2020, ''[[Politico]]'' reported that the owner is looking for potential buyers of ''The Hill'' and claimed that Finkelstein attended the second 2016 presidential debate as a [[Trump campaign]] guest.<ref name="Hill seeks buyers">{{cite web|first1=Daniel|last1=Lippman|first2=Tina|last2=Nguyen|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/03/the-hill-sale-ukraine-finkelstein-093576|title=The Hill’s owner seeks potential buyers, investors|quote=Jimmy Finkelstein, owner of The Hill, is shopping his publication &hellip; to various media owners}}</ref> As of January 2021 no such sale has been effected. <ref name="Hill seeks buyers" />


In 2019, The Hill won the Society of Professional Journalists’ First Prizes for Features ("Celebrities dive into midterms, hoping to thwart Trump") and Series ("How The Trump Tax Law Passed").<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-06-12|title=List of Dateline Awards winners announced at dinner|url=https://spjdc.org/2019/06/list-dateline-awards-winners-announced-dinner/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2020, it was again ranked second for online politics readership across all news sites, behind only CNN. It remained ahead of ''Politico'', [[Fox News]], [[NBCNews.com]] and [[MSNBC|MSNBC TV]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Best Summer on Record For CNN Digital |url=https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2020/08/17/2020-best-summer-record-cnn-digital-traffic-ratings/ |access-date=2021-03-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>


[[File:The Hill vending box DC.jpg|thumb|Vending box for ''The Hill'' on [[K Street (Washington, D.C.)|K Street]].]]
In 2020, The Hill won the Society of Professional Journalists’ First Prize for Features, for the story "Inside the Secret World of the CIA’s Social Media Team."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dateline Awards for work published, broadcast in 2019 announced online in historic first for SPJ DC Chapter|url=https://spjdc.org/2020/06/dateline-awards-for-work-published-broadcast-in-2019-announced-online-in-historic-first-for-dc-pro-chapter/|url-status=live|website=Society of Professional Journalists}}</ref>


As of 2020, the newspaper claims to have more than 22,000 print readers.<ref name="about"/> ''The Hill'' is distributed for free in newspaper boxes around the [[U.S. Capitol building]], and mailed directly to all congressional offices.
==Staffing==
As of 2021, Bob Cusack currently serves as the editor-in-chief, with Ian Swanson as managing editor.<ref name="about" />


As of 2020, ''The Hill''{{'}}s YouTube channel had 1,100,000 subscribers, ahead of ''Politico'', ''Axios'', and ''Bloomberg Politics''. In October 2020, ''The Hill''{{'}}s YouTube channel averaged over 1.5 million daily video views and more than 10 million per week; in September 2020 it received over 340 million video views.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hill's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats |url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UCPWXiRWZ29zrxPFIQT7eHSA |website=socialblade.com}}</ref>
=== Masthead<ref name="about" /> ===


In 2021, ''The Hill'' was acquired by [[Nexstar Media Group]] for $130 million.<ref name=ben/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Jill |title=Nexstar Media Buys Political News Hub, The Hill, For $130 Million |url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/nexstar-media-political-news-the-hill-1234818982/ |website=Deadline |date=August 20, 2021}}</ref>
* James Finkelstein, Chairman
* Richard Beckman, President
* Bob Cusack, Editor-in-chief
* Ian Swanson, Managing Editor
* Rory McCafferty, Senior Vice President, Digital
* Sheila Casey, [[Chief Operating Officer]]


===Current columnists and contributors===
==Features and editions==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* Lisa Boothe ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]])
* [[Brent Budowsky]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]])
* [[Lanny Davis]] (Democrat)
* [[John Feehery]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]])
* [[Katie Pavlich]] (Republican)
* [[Bill Press]] (Democrat)
* [[Juan Williams]] (Democrat)
{{div col end}}


===Past===
===The Hill TV===
In June 2018, ''The Hill'' launched Hill.TV, a [[Web television|digital news]] channel. Four years later, the channel expanded to a 24 by 7 [[Free ad-supported streaming television|FAST streaming service]] and was rebranded as ''The Hill TV''.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-08-10 |title=Nexstar Digital Launches The Hill TV Streaming Channel on Plex |url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-digital-launches-the-hill-tv-on-plex/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |language=en-US}}</ref> It is distributed by Haystack, LG, LocalNow, Plex, Roku, and Vizio. Programming includes ''[[Rising (news show)|Rising]]'', a morning news program hosted by [[Briahna Joy Gray]] and [[Robby Soave]] four days a week (initially by [[Krystal Ball]] and [[Buck Sexton]].)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |author=Cockburn |date=2021-06-01 |title=The fall of Rising |url=https://spectator.us/topic/rising-hill-krystal-ball-saagar-enjeti/ |access-date=2021-06-07 |website=[[The Spectator]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-21 |title=Buck Sexton helps launch Hill.tv with debut of new daily morning show "Rising with Krystal & Buck" |url=https://www.premierenetworks.com/Press/Pages/Buck-Sexton-Helps-Launch-Hill-tv-with-Debut-of-New-Daily-Morning-Show-Rising-with-Krystal--Buck.aspx |access-date=2020-02-11 |publisher=Premiere Networks}}</ref> In May 2021, long-time hosts Ball and [[Saagar Enjeti]] announced they were departing in order to release their own independent project, ''[[Breaking Points]] with Krystal and Saagar''.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berkowitz |first=Joe |date=2021-06-12 |title=Why 'Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar' became the number-one political podcast in a week |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90646413/why-breaking-points-with-krystal-and-saagar-became-the-number-one-political-podcast-in-a-week |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=[[Fast Company]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[James Carville]]
* [[Ron Christie]]
* [[Judd Gregg]]
* [[David Keene]]
* [[Josh Marshall]]
* [[Dick Morris]]
* [[A. B. Stoddard]]
* [[Byron York]]
* [[John_Solomon_(political_commentator)|John Solomon]]
* [[Michael Hayden|Gen. Michael Hayden (ret.)]] (former NSA and CIA director)
{{div col end}}


== Hill TV ==
=== Notable stories and awards ===
The [[National Press Club]]'s annual Sandy Hume Memorial Award is named after staffer [[Sandy Hume]], in recognition of his 1997 reporting in ''The Hill'' of an attempted Republican coup against then-speaker [[Newt Gingrich]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Press Club Journalism Awards |url=https://www.press.org/national-press-club-journalism-awards |website=National Press Club |language=en}}</ref>
In June 2018, ''The Hill'' launched Hill.TV, a [[Web television|digital news]] channel. The channel features ''[[Rising (news show)|Rising]]'', a daily morning news program hosted by [[Krystal Ball]] and [[Saagar Enjeti]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.premierenetworks.com/Press/Pages/Buck-Sexton-Helps-Launch-Hill-tv-with-Debut-of-New-Daily-Morning-Show-Rising-with-Krystal--Buck.aspx|title=Buck Sexton helps launch Hill.tv with debut of new daily morning show "Rising with Krystal & Buck"|publisher=Premiere Networks|date=2018-06-21|access-date=2020-02-11}}</ref> On October 30, 2020, Ball and Enjeti appeared on ''[[Matt Taibbi|Useful Idiots]]'' and provided an assessment of the legacy of [[Donald Trump]].<ref>Useful Idiots, ''[https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/useful-idiots-taibbi-podcast-krystal-ball-saagar-enjeti-2020-election-1084201/ Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti on Election Day 2020 and the Future of Both Parties]'', October 30, 2020</ref>


Climate and energy reporters Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin were recognized with [[SEAL_Awards#Environmental_Journalism_Awards|SEAL Awards]] for environmental journalism in 2022 and 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sealawards.com/twelve-journalists-recognized-as-2022-seal-environmental-journalism-award-winners/ | title=Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners | website=[[SEAL Awards]] | date=2023-02-08 |access-date=2023-12-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://sealawards.com/twelve-journalists-recognized-as-2023-seal-environmental-journalism-award-winners/ | title=Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2023 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners | website=[[SEAL Awards]] | date=2023-12-12 |access-date=2023-12-19}}</ref>
== Controversies ==
In 2017, The Hill hired [[John Solomon (political commentator)|John Solomon]].<ref name="CNN 2019">{{cite web|last1=Stelter|first1=Brian|last2=Darcy|first2=Oliver|date=January 18, 2019|title=Jimmy Finkelstein, the owner of The Hill, has flown under the radar. But he's played a key role in the Ukraine scandal|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/media/jimmy-finkelstein-the-hill-ukraine/index.html|access-date=November 19, 2019|website=[[CNN Business]]}}</ref> Solomon inserted material from advertisers into journalistic copy, leading to protests from ''The Hill''{{-'}}s publisher, who subsequently left the paper.<ref name="propublica-2019">{{Cite news|authors=Jake Pearson, Mike Spies, J. David McSwane|date=2019-10-25|title=How a Veteran Reporter Worked with Giuliani's Associates to Launch the Ukraine Conspiracy|work=ProPublica|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/how-a-veteran-reporter-worked-with-giuliani-associates-to-launch-the-ukraine-conspiracy|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> Eventually Solomon was [[rebranded]] as an opinion contributor.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Erik Wemple|date=2018-05-14|title=The Hill's John Solomon moves to new spot as 'opinion contributor'|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2018/05/14/the-hills-john-solomon-moves-to-new-spot-as-opinion-contributor/|access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref> In March 2018 he published an interview and series of columns that promoted [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] regarding Ukraine.<ref name="propublica-2019" />


==Staff==
In January 2019, [[WarnerMedia]]'s [[CNN]] reported that Finkelstein was interfering in the [[editorial independence]] of the paper in an inappropriate way to minimize criticism of U.S. President [[Donald Trump]]. It reported that staff were "in revolt" over Finkelstein's ownership style.<ref name="CNN 2019" />
===Masthead===
*Joe Ruffolo, General Manager<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-02-24 |title=Nexstar Names Joe Ruffolo Senior Vice President and General Manager for The Hill and NewsNation Digital |url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-names-joe-ruffolo-svp-gm-for-the-hill-and-newsnation-digital/ |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Bob Cusack, Editor-in-Chief<ref>{{cite news |title=Birthday of the Day: Bob Cusack, editor-in-chief of ''The Hill'' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/04/playbook-birthday-bob-cusack-391158 |work=Politico |date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806085407/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/04/playbook-birthday-bob-cusack-391158 |archive-date=August 6, 2020}}</ref>


===Past===
In September 2019, Solomon left The Hill.{{Why|date=February 2021}}<ref name="CNN 2019" />
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

*[[James Carville]]
In June 2020, ''Politico'' reported that Finkelstein's wife, Pamela Gross, was involved in getting then-First Lady [[Melania Trump]] acclimated to living and working in the White House.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Publisher's wife played undisclosed role for Melania Trump|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/30/publishers-wife-played-undisclosed-role-for-melania-trump-345053|website=POLITICO}}</ref> Gross's unpaid arrangement was not disclosed in the several dozen articles ''The Hill'' published about the First Lady while Gross was advising her from August 2017 to February 2018, nor were more than a select few ''Hill'' employees informed that their boss' wife was an [[East Wing]] adviser.{{CN|date=March 2021}}
*[[Ron Christie]]
*[[Judd Gregg]]
*[[David Keene]]
*[[Josh Marshall]]
*[[Dick Morris]]
*[[A. B. Stoddard]]
*[[Byron York]]
*[[John Solomon (political commentator)|John Solomon]]
*[[Michael Hayden (general)|Gen. Michael Hayden (ret.)]] (former NSA and CIA director)
{{div col end}}


==References==
==References==
Line 121: Line 95:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{Official website}}
{{commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
* {{Youtube|c=UCPWXiRWZ29zrxPFIQT7eHSA}}


{{White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Seating Chart}}
{{White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room seating chart}}
{{United States Congress}}
{{USCongress}}
{{NXST TV}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{coord|38.903161|-77.037443|region:US-DC|display=title|name=The Hill newspaper}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, The}}
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[[Category:Political mass media in the United States]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:American political websites]]
[[Category:American political websites]]
[[Category:The Hill (newspaper) journalists| 01]]
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[[Category:Newspapers published in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Political mass media in the United States]]
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Latest revision as of 14:42, 15 May 2024

The Hill
TypeDaily newspaper (when Congress is in session)
FormatCompact
Owner(s)Nexstar Media Group
Founder(s)
EditorBob Cusack
Managing editorIan Swanson[1]
Photo editorGreg Nash
FoundedSeptember 1, 1994; 29 years ago (1994-09-01)
LanguageAmerican English
Headquarters1625 K St., NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C., 20006 U.S.
38°54′11″N 77°02′15″W / 38.90306°N 77.03750°W / 38.90306; -77.03750 (The Hill newspaper)
CityWashington, D.C.
CountryUnited States
Circulation24,000 print (as of December 2012)[2][3]
ISSN1521-1568
OCLC number31153202
Websitethehill.com

The Hill is an American newspaper and digital media company based in Washington, D.C., that was founded in 1994.[4][2]

Focusing on politics, policy, business and international relations, The Hill's coverage includes the U.S. Congress, the presidency and executive branch, and election campaigns.[5] Its stated output is "nonpartisan reporting on the inner workings of Government and the nexus of politics and business".[6]

The company's primary outlet is TheHill.com. The Hill is additionally distributed in print for free around Washington, D.C., and distributed to all congressional offices. It has been owned by Nexstar Media Group since 2021.

History[edit]

Founding and early years[edit]

The company was founded as a newspaper in 1994 by Democratic power broker and New York businessman Jerry Finkelstein,[7] and Martin Tolchin, a former correspondent for The New York Times. New York Representative Gary L. Ackerman was also a major shareholder.[4] The name of the publication alludes to "Capitol Hill" as a synecdoche for the United States Congress and government generally.[8]

In 2012, James A. Finkelstein assumed control of the organization.[9][1][2]

Digital distribution and print circulation[edit]

In 2016, The New York Times reported that The Hill was "proceeding with ambitious expansion plans" to become a national brand publication, and its website traffic increased 126% over the prior year, and was above Politico's traffic for the period.[10]

Following the 2016 US presidential election, The Street reported that The Hill saw the largest increase in online political readership among political news sites, with an increase of 780%. CNN and Politico saw smaller increases over the period,[11] making The Hill "the fastest-growing political news site".[12] In 2017, The Hill was also cited by Twitter as one of the top 10 "most-tweeted" news sources.[13] A 2017 study by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University found that The Hill was the second most-shared source among supporters of Donald Trump on Twitter during the election, behind Breitbart News.[14][15]

In 2017, The Hill hired John Solomon as executive vice president of digital video.[16] Solomon inserted material from advertisers into journalistic copy, leading to protests from The Hill's publisher.[17] In March 2018, he worked closely with associates of Rudy Giuliani, the personal lawyer of U.S. President Donald Trump, to promote the spurious Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory.[17] In May 2018, Solomon's role was changed to opinion contributor, although he was allowed to keep his original title.[18] In September 2019, he left The Hill.[16] A February 2020 internal review by The Hill concluded that there were multiple flaws in Solomon's 14 columns about Ukraine and the Bidens, including omitting important details and failing to disclose that the sources used by Solomon were his own attorneys Victoria Toensing and Joseph diGenova—both close associates of Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.[19][20]

Katie Halper, a former free-lancer with Rising, was terminated on September 28, 2022. The Intercept reported that she had recorded a "Radar" monologue that described Israel as an "apartheid" state.[21]

As of 2018, The Hill was the second most-viewed US political news website and the third-most tweeted U.S. news source.[22]

In January 2019, CNN claimed Finkelstein interfered in the editorial independence of the paper by "keeping a watchful eye on the newspaper's coverage to ensure it is not too critical" of President Trump.[16]

In 2019, The Hill was ranked second among all US news sites for political readership, second to CNN, and ahead of Capitol Hill competitors such as Politico.[23]

In 2020, it was again ranked second for online politics readership across all news sites, behind only CNN. It remained ahead of Politico, Fox News, NBCNews.com and MSNBC TV.[24]

Vending box for The Hill on K Street.

As of 2020, the newspaper claims to have more than 22,000 print readers.[2] The Hill is distributed for free in newspaper boxes around the U.S. Capitol building, and mailed directly to all congressional offices.

As of 2020, The Hill's YouTube channel had 1,100,000 subscribers, ahead of Politico, Axios, and Bloomberg Politics. In October 2020, The Hill's YouTube channel averaged over 1.5 million daily video views and more than 10 million per week; in September 2020 it received over 340 million video views.[25]

In 2021, The Hill was acquired by Nexstar Media Group for $130 million.[9][26]

Features and editions[edit]

The Hill TV[edit]

In June 2018, The Hill launched Hill.TV, a digital news channel. Four years later, the channel expanded to a 24 by 7 FAST streaming service and was rebranded as The Hill TV.[27] It is distributed by Haystack, LG, LocalNow, Plex, Roku, and Vizio. Programming includes Rising, a morning news program hosted by Briahna Joy Gray and Robby Soave four days a week (initially by Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton.)[28][29] In May 2021, long-time hosts Ball and Saagar Enjeti announced they were departing in order to release their own independent project, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar.[28][30]

Notable stories and awards[edit]

The National Press Club's annual Sandy Hume Memorial Award is named after staffer Sandy Hume, in recognition of his 1997 reporting in The Hill of an attempted Republican coup against then-speaker Newt Gingrich.[31]

Climate and energy reporters Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin were recognized with SEAL Awards for environmental journalism in 2022 and 2023.[32][33]

Staff[edit]

Masthead[edit]

  • Joe Ruffolo, General Manager[34]
  • Bob Cusack, Editor-in-Chief[35]

Past[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Yingling, Jennifer (2014-07-28). "The Hill names Bob Cusack Editor in Chief". The Hill. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  2. ^ a b c d "Who we are". The Hill. 7 February 2007. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  3. ^ "The Hill: 'An investment in the arts is an investment in economic growth'". Americans for the Arts Action Fund. February 2015. Archived from the original on June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Glaberson, William (25 May 1994). "New paper to vie for readers on Capitol Hill". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014.
  5. ^ Joyella, Mark. "New and Old Political Media Are Battling for Dominance in the Century's Wildest Election". AdWeek. K Street, NW, Washington D.C. ISSN 0199-2864. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  6. ^ "Contact Us". The Hill. July 18, 2018 [First published August 5, 2009]. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  7. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (November 28, 2012). "Jerry Finkelstein, New York Power Broker, Dies at 96". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 29, 2012.
  8. ^ Mundy, Alicia (December 2, 1996). "The In-Your-Face Race" (PDF). Mediaweek. Vol. 6, no. 46. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Smith, Ben; Robertson, Katie (August 20, 2021). "The Hill Is Sold to a TV Giant". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Fandos, Nicholas (2016-05-14). "Capitol Hill Newspapers, Once a Protected Class, Redefine Themselves (Published 2016)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  11. ^ Doctor, Ken (28 June 2017). "Washington Post, New York Times are big winners of election wars". TheStreet. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  12. ^ Communicator, Capitol (2017-03-02). ""The Hill" Has Record Web Traffic in January". Capitol Communicator. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  13. ^ Lejeune, Tristan (2017-12-05). "The Hill named one of 2017's top 10 tweeted news outlets by Twitter". TheHill. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  14. ^ Blake, Aaron (August 22, 2017). "Analysis | Trump backers' alarming reliance on hoax and conspiracy theory websites, in 1 chart". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  15. ^ Faris, Robert; Roberts, Hal; Etling, Bruce (August 8, 2017). Partisanship, Propaganda, and Disinformation: Online Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. Berkman Center for Internet & Society. p. 72. OCLC 1048396744.
  16. ^ a b c Stelter, Brian; Darcy, Oliver (2019-01-18). "Jimmy Finkelstein, the owner of The Hill, has flown under the radar. But he's played a key role in the Ukraine scandal". CNN Business. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
  17. ^ a b Pearson, Jake; Spies, Mike; McSwane, J. David (2019-10-25). "How a Veteran Reporter Worked with Giuliani's Associates to Launch the Ukraine Conspiracy". ProPublica. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  18. ^ Erik Wemple (2018-05-14). "The Hill's John Solomon moves to new spot as 'opinion contributor'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  19. ^ "John Solomon columns on Ukraine ripped in newspaper's internal investigation for conflicts and distortions". The Washington Post. 2020. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020.
  20. ^ "Six degrees of Rudy: Giuliani's web tangles three Trump controversies". NBC News. November 30, 2019.
  21. ^ Grim, Ryan (2022-09-29). "Hill TV Censors Segment on Rashida Tlaib's Description of Israel as "Apartheid Government," Bars Reporter". The Intercept. First Look Media. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30.
  22. ^ "'NowThis,' 'The Hill' Among Top 10 Most Tweeted News Outlets". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  23. ^ "CNN Digital Breaks Records, Sees Biggest Audience in History in 2019". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Best Summer on Record For CNN Digital". Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  25. ^ "The Hill's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats". socialblade.com.
  26. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (August 20, 2021). "Nexstar Media Buys Political News Hub, The Hill, For $130 Million". Deadline.
  27. ^ "Nexstar Digital Launches The Hill TV Streaming Channel on Plex". Nexstar Media Group, Inc. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  28. ^ a b Cockburn (2021-06-01). "The fall of Rising". The Spectator. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  29. ^ "Buck Sexton helps launch Hill.tv with debut of new daily morning show "Rising with Krystal & Buck"". Premiere Networks. 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  30. ^ Berkowitz, Joe (2021-06-12). "Why 'Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar' became the number-one political podcast in a week". Fast Company. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  31. ^ "National Press Club Journalism Awards". National Press Club.
  32. ^ "Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners". SEAL Awards. 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  33. ^ "Twelve Journalists Recognized as 2023 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award Winners". SEAL Awards. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  34. ^ "Nexstar Names Joe Ruffolo Senior Vice President and General Manager for The Hill and NewsNation Digital". Nexstar Media Group, Inc. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  35. ^ "Birthday of the Day: Bob Cusack, editor-in-chief of The Hill". Politico. August 4, 2020. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Hill (newspaper).
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