Possible End for Adams' Digressive Tuesday Sessions?
Mayor Eric Adams Shifts Press Conference Format Following Legal Issues
New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a new initiative in October 2023, dubbed "off-topic Tuesdays," to provide a dedicated opportunity for reporters to ask him questions unrelated to specific announcements. Initially, these sessions featured several senior administration officials, aiming to reduce mixed messaging and foster broader interaction with the press.
The origins of off-topic Tuesdays were tied to Adams’ desire for clearer communication, as opposed to the fragmented and extensive press encounters seen with previous mayors such as Bill de Blasio. De Blasio had limited off-topic questions to once a week starting in 2017 and moved to virtual briefings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, starting in October 2024, off-topic Tuesdays saw a reduction in administration presence and became sessions where Adams appeared alone, partly influenced by the fallout from his federal bribery and fraud indictment (later dropped). The format shifted due to these legal and political pressures amidst a challenging reelection environment.
By June 2025, the off-topic Tuesdays practice ceased without an official announcement, with Adams opting instead to take questions informally after scheduled announcements or events. The discontinuation was not publicly confirmed, and no clear indication was given whether the practice would resume.
Current press conference practices involve Adams fielding questions following specific announcements, rather than holding dedicated off-topic sessions. This change marks a return to a more event-driven press interaction style rather than a designated slot for free-topic questioning.
In summary:
- Launch: October 2023, weekly off-topic Q&A sessions
- Initial format: Adams + senior officials with large binders for data
- Reason for launch: Avoid confusion, clear messaging
- Changes over time: After legal issues, Adams appeared alone (Oct 2024)
- Discontinuation: Ceased without fanfare by June 2025
- Current practice: Questions after announcements/events, no dedicated off-topic Tuesday
The evolution reflects challenges faced by Adams’ administration, shifting political pressures, and a move towards limiting open, unscripted press interactions.
Following the discontinuation of off-topic Tuesdays, Adams maintained a busy schedule of appearances on local TV news broadcasts, cable news shows, radio programs, and podcasts in July 2023. The Adams administration aims to provide as much information as possible to New Yorkers through town halls, interviews, and press conferences.
On some occasions, Adams took as many as five off-topic questions during the off-topic Tuesdays. For instance, at the off-topic Tuesday availability on June 17, 2023, Adams responded to at least 20 questions. However, more often, he took only two or three off-topic questions.
It's worth noting that Daily News reporter Chris Sommerfeldt was admonished by the mayor for calling out questions during a press conference in June 2023. Sommerfeldt was later allowed to attend the press conferences again, but no off-topic press conference has been held in City Hall since then.
- Amidst the discontinuation of off-topic Tuesdays and the absence of dedicated sessions for free-topic questioning, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has continued to engage with the press by appearing on local TV news broadcasts, cable news shows, radio programs, and podcasts.
- As war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice issues continue to unfold, the changing press conference format in New York City reflects a shift towards limited open, unscripted press interactions, with Adams mainly taking questions after scheduled announcements or events.
