The New York criminal trial of former President Donald Trump is well underway, and recent testimony has shined a spotlight on an often-maligned practice of journalism: “catch-and-kill.” The practice, while having been used for years, has seen a resurgence in the headlines after testimony in the Trump trial by David Pecker, the former publisher of the tabloid magazine the National Enquirer.
While generally looked down upon by reporters at major news organizations, catch-and-kill journalism — and the overall practice of paying sources for stories — remains commonplace in the tabloid world. How does this practice work, why is it controversial and why is it at the heart of the Trump trial?
What is catch-and-kill journalism?
Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What are some notable examples of catch-and-kill?
What does the Trump trial have to do with catch-and-kill?
Explore More
To continue reading this article…
Create a free account
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
register for free
Already have an account? Sign in
Subscribe to The Week
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Subscribe & Save
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.