diff --git a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
index 125d766190..709af4bea2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
+++ b/src/calibre/web/feeds/news.py
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ class BasicNewsRecipe(Recipe):
         from calibre.ebooks.conversion.config import load_defaults
         recs = load_defaults('mobi_output')
         font_path = recs.get('masthead_font')
-        default-font = P('fonts/liberation/LiberationSerif-Bold.ttf')
+        default_font = P('fonts/liberation/LiberationSerif-Bold.ttf')
         if not font_path or not os.access(font_path, os.R_OK):
             font_path = default_font