{{Short description|American political newspaper and website}} {{distinguish|The Hill Times}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Hill | image = The Hill (2020-01-15).svg | type = Daily newspaper (when Congress is in session) | format = Compact | owners = Nexstar Media Group | founder = {{ubl|Jerry Finkelstein|Martin Tolchin}} | editor = Bill Sammon | chief_editor = | associate_editor = | managing_editor = 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> | photo_editor = Greg Nash | founded = {{start date and age|1994|9|01}} | 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 = English | publishing_city = Washington, D.C. | publishing_country = United States | circulation = 24,000 print | 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 |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 --> | oclc = 31153202 | website = {{URL|https://thehill.com}} }}
'''''The Hill''''', formed in 1994, is an American newspaper and digital media company based in Washington, D.C.<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> 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, among other topics.<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> ''The Hill'' describes itself as centrist and nonpartisan,<ref name="Bradley 2025">{{Cite web |last=Bradley |first=Sydney |title=The Hill is sold for $130 million to local news powerhouse Nexstar |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-hill-sold-for-130-million-local-news-powerhouse-nexstar-2021-8 |access-date=2025-10-28 |publisher=Business Insider }}</ref> although editorial changes since 2012 under James Finkelstein have seen stories edited to be less critical of Trump.<ref name="CNN 2019" />
The company's primary outlet is ''TheHill.com''. It is additionally distributed in print for free around the Washington, D.C., area, and distributed to all congressional offices. It has been owned by Nexstar Media Group since 2021. In 2020, ''The Hill'' was ranked second for online politics readership across all news sites, behind only CNN, remaining ahead of ''Politico'', Fox News, NBCNews.com, and MSNBC. As of October 2025, ''The Hill'' attracts about 42 million monthly website visits.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gazette |first=Press |date=2025-10-10 |title=Top 50 news websites in the US in September: BBC and NBC News among big winners |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/media_metrics/most-popular-websites-news-us-monthly-3/ |access-date=2025-10-28 |website=Press Gazette }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Alexander |date=2025-09-19 |title=Why The Hill credits growing engagement for its social traffic bump |url=https://digiday.com/media/why-the-hill-credits-growing-engagement-for-its-social-traffic-bump/ |access-date=2025-10-28 |website=Digiday }}</ref>
==History== ===Founding and early years=== The company was formed as a newspaper in 1994 by 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.worldradiohistory.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 |url-status=live |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">{{cite web |date=7 February 2007 |title=Who we are |url=https://thehill.com/contact/about-us |access-date=23 February 2020 |work=The Hill}}</ref>
===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 U.S. 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,<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 |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=2024-11-02 |website=Capitol Communicator}}</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 |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 2017, ''The Hill'' hired 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" />
{{As of|2018}}, ''The Hill'' was the second most-viewed U.S. political news website and the third-most 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>
In January 2019, CNN reported that current and former staff said 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" />
In 2019, ''The Hill'' was ranked second among all U.S. 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/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217034954/http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2019/12/16/cnn-digital-breaks-records-sees-biggest-audience-in-history-in-2019/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref>
[[File:The Hill vending box DC.jpg|thumb|Vending box for ''The Hill'' on K Street]]
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.<ref name=":2">{{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/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925110744/https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2020/08/17/2020-best-summer-record-cnn-digital-traffic-ratings/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |access-date=2021-03-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{as of|2020|post=,}} 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|2020|post=,}} ''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) |url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UCPWXiRWZ29zrxPFIQT7eHSA |website= Social Blade}}</ref>
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>
In 2022, ''The Hill'' was accused of censorship after firing Katie Halper for a segment supporting Rashida Tlaib's labeling of Israel as an "apartheid government".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grim |first=Ryan |date=2022-09-30 |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/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=The Intercept |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, Briahna Joy Gray was fired after appearing to roll her eyes while discussing the allegations of sexual violence against Israeli hostages during an interview with the sister of an Israeli who was abducted by Hamas in the October 7 attacks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-07 |title=Briahna Joy Gray Fired As Co-Host of The Hill's 'Rising': 'A Clear Pattern of Suppressing Speech' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/media/briahna-joy-gray-fired-as-co-host-of-the-hills-rising-a-clear-pattern-of-suppressing-speech/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Mediaite |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Levine |first1=Jon |last2=Reilly |first2=Patrick |date=2024-06-06 |title=Briahna Joy Gray fired from The Hill days after rolling her eyes at sister of Oct. 7 hostage during interview |url=https://nypost.com/2024/06/06/media/briahna-joy-gray-fired-from-the-hill-days-after-rolling-her-eyes-at-sister-of-oct-7-victim-during-interview/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Between September 2024 and September 2025, ''The Hill''’s overall social media traffic increased by 20 percent, with the newspaper noting increased political engagement and more frequent video posting by its reporters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Alexander |date=2025-09-19 |title=Why The Hill credits growing engagement for its social traffic bump |url=https://digiday.com/media/why-the-hill-credits-growing-engagement-for-its-social-traffic-bump/ |access-date=2025-10-28 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Features and editions==
===''The Hill TV''=== In June 2018, ''The Hill'' launched Hill.TV, a digital news channel. Four years later, the channel expanded to a 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 |publisher=Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |language=en-US}}</ref> It is distributed by Haystack, LG, Amazon Fire and Prime, Samsung, Roku, and Vizio. Programming includes ''Rising'', a morning news program hosted by 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 |archive-date=June 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601161619/https://spectator.us/topic/rising-hill-krystal-ball-saagar-enjeti/ |url-status=dead }}</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/buck-sexton-helps-launch-hilltv-debut-new-daily-morning-show-rising-krystal-buck |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>{{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>
=== NewsNation === Since Nexstar's acquisition of ''The Hill'', branded programming has appeared on Nexstar's cable news channel, NewsNation. Starting on April 24, 2023, ''The Hill'' appears as a weekday afternoon program on NewsNation, moderated by Leland Vittert and with panel discussion featuring Chris Stirewalt, George Will, Johanna Maska, Niall Stanage, or other rotating panelists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alex |date=2023-03-06 |title=NewsNation's Political Ensemble Program The Hill To Debut on Monday, April 24th |url=https://www.nexstar.tv/newsnations-the-hill-to-debut-on-monday-april-24/ |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> NewsNation's chief Washington correspondent, Blake Burman, took over moderation duties in August 2023 and Mick Mulvaney and Sean Spicer joined the list of rotating panelists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mastrangelo |first=Dominick |date=2023-08-31 |title=NewsNation names Blake Burman full-time host of 'The Hill' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4181377-newsnation-blake-burman-the-hill/ |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> ''The Hill'' also airs on SiriusXM immediately following its live broadcast.
On March 3, 2024, ''The Hill Sunday'' launched. Hosted by Stirewalt, it is a Sunday morning talk show focusing on Washington politics.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 28, 2024 |title=NewsNation's Chris Stirewalt Hopes to Crack Sunday-Talk Market |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/newsnation-chris-stirewalt-the-hill-sunday-tv-news-1235925164/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228154123/https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/newsnation-chris-stirewalt-the-hill-sunday-tv-news-1235925164/ |archive-date=February 28, 2024}}</ref> On April 7, 2024, the show was offered to The CW network stations and local stations owned by Nexstar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wheeling Native Chris Stirewalt To Anchor NewsNation Sunday Show |url=https://www.theintelligencer.net/znewsletter-sunday/2024/03/wheeling-native-chris-stirewalt-to-anchor-newsnation-sunday-show-2/ |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=theintelligencer.net |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== 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/club/national-press-club-journalism-awards |website=National Press Club |access-date=2024-11-02}}</ref>
Climate and energy reporters Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin were recognized with 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>
==Staff== ===Masthead=== *Joe Ruffolo, general manager <ref> {{Cite press release |title=Nexstar Names Joe Ruffolo Senior Vice President and General Manager for The Hill and NewsNation Digital |date=February 24, 2023 |publisher=Nexstar |url=https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-names-joe-ruffolo-svp-gm-for-the-hill-and-newsnation-digital/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224180149/https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-names-joe-ruffolo-svp-gm-for-the-hill-and-newsnation-digital/ |archive-date=February 24, 2023}}</ref> *Bob Cusack, editor-in-chief <ref> {{cite news |date=August 4, 2020 |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 |url-status=live |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 |work=Politico}}</ref>
===Past=== {{div col|colwidth=15em}} *James Carville *Ron Christie *Judd Gregg *Gen. Michael Hayden (ret.) (former NSA and CIA director) *David Keene *Josh Marshall *Dick Morris *John Solomon *A. B. Stoddard *Byron York {{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Official website}}
{{White House James S. Brady Press Briefing Room seating chart}} {{United States Congress}} {{NXST TV}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, The}} Category:1995 establishments in Washington, D.C. Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions Category:American political websites Category:Legislative branch of the United States government Category:Newspapers published in Washington, D.C. Category:Political mass media in the United States Category:Newspapers established in 1995 01 Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United States