News and information to help journalists serve the public and stay safe.

July 14, 2020

TOP STORIES · Vox Media preparing round of layoffs as business fails to improve amid coronavirus pandemic (CNBC) · BuzzFeed’s Peretti on how pandemic squashed 2020 profit hopes (The Information) / Key facts about digital-native news outlets amid staff cuts , revenue losses (Pew) · I went home to Texas to cover coronavirus . Then my family got it. (New York Times) · Journalists in Mexico hit a COVID-19 data wall (Columbia Journalism Review) · 'I haven't taken a picture since March 11th,' says NBA photographer 'itching to get back to work' (Cheddar) · Viola Davis stars in Vanity Fair's first cover shot by a Black photographer (CNN) / Meet Dario Calmese (Newsweek) · Bari Weiss resigns from New York Times , says ‘Twitter has become its ultimate editor’ / Andrew Sullivan leaves New York magazine ; editor-in-chief explains   · Tucker Carlson to take vacation amid staffer controversy (Variety) · Early warning system set up to combat fake news during U.S. presidential election (Variety) · Newsroom or PAC ? Liberal group muddies online information wars (Politico) · Journalist arrested while covering a protest is asking for evidence of a crime (Des Moines Register) · How does E. Alex Jung get such great interviews? ' Comparing it to therapy isn’t too far off ' (New York)

Everyone has an opinion, but not everyone expresses their views with power and impact. Some voices rise and echo, and others never penetrate the noise that surrounds us. Having an important platform — like the New York Times or L.A. Times — can amplify perspectives. In this program from the National Press Club Journalism Institute, L.A. Times editorial page editor  Sewell Chan , L.A. Times columnist  Erika Smith , Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter  Nikole Hannah-Jones , and New York Times Magazine editor-in-chief  Jake Silverstein  will describe:  How to make yourself heard  How to work with an editor or writer to hone a point of view  How to pitch (& catch) a column or opinion piece  Registration is open .

At 400,000 pages and growing, a database of COVID-19 documents bursts with local stories Armed with confidential data, The Kansas City Star last month identified causes and locations of coronavirus outbreaks that state officials had kept under wraps — from the Tyson meatpacking plant near Garden City, Kan., to the keg party west of Topeka. The document came from a trove of records that Columbia University’s Brown Institute for Media Innovation has been collecting through freedom of information requests and recently launched as a shareable document repository called Documenting COVID-19 . The effort is an ideal example of journalistic cooperation and use of shared resources. It comes at a crucial time for news organizations, particularly as local newsrooms face shrinking staffs and finances.   “Collaboration is key to survival,” said Derek Kravitz , the investigative journalist and Columbia adjunct professor heading the project. “Newsrooms don't have the luxury of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on FOI fees (and they shouldn't have to). We see a constructive way forward: to provide a FOI clearinghouse, with easily downloadable formats with annotated context, so that these benefit more than a single newsroom.” We reached out to Kravitz by email to find out how the project got started, how it’s working and what it means for cooperative journalism. When, where and how did you identify the journalistic need for this essential information? Kravitz : In New York, as COVID-19 case and death counts exploded in mid-March, we knew that a full understanding of the pandemic was missing. Public records are a critical component of accountability-focused journalism, and we wanted to provide that resource to large and small newsrooms alike as they rushed to cover this crisis. We've filed more than 600 open-records requests and have posted 57 record sets comprising more than 400,000 pages. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Can you provide some examples of how local news organizations have or can use your documents and data to tell stories that are pertinent to their audiences? Kravitz : The New York Times used a collection of records to explain what was happening at meatpacking plants and the tension between those essential businesses and local health departments tasked with managing COVID-19 outbreaks. The Washington Post took snippets of email threads and data to report on reopening plans and dubious technology that one Atlanta-area county purchased. Local outlets, such as Colorado Public Radio , The Kansas City Star and the Omaha World-Herald , have published stories about confidential outbreak lists and evolving hotspots that weren't documented elsewhere. And there are many more stories to tell . Read on to learn how the team feeds the database and how newsrooms and the public can add to the living archive .

The coronavirus pandemic has forced journalists to collect their stories from afar. Conducting an in-person interview is near impossible. On the telephone or on a video call, the ability to pay attention is crucial. Do you listen, or do you wait to ask? The National Press Club Journalism Institute has invited two of the best interviewers in journalism — Terry Gross and Michael Barbaro — for a discussion about the challenges and opportunities of interviewing now. Marketplace correspondent  Kimberly Adams   will moderate. Registration is open .

Lead with empathy

The more powerful you are, the less you need other people, research shows, which creates emotional distance rather than empathy . Physical distance can also reduce empathy. It’s harder to see the world through someone else’s eyes when you don’t often see their face. Make the extra effort now to ask “How are you doing?” so you can really understand how your team feels and why. Don’t make assumptions about what people need, silence can lead to misunderstandings . Show compassion. And check your idiosyncrasies so that you’re drawing attention to your team’s successes, not creating obstacles to overcome. Advice from  Jill Geisler , Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership

Self-Care: Light, water, action — how plants can boost health A little greenery can go a long way toward self-care.  Caring for houseplants or an outdoor garden can help you practice mindfulness , provide a sense of accomplishment , and even nourish you with much-needed vitamin D when working outdoors. They can even pump up your productivity when placed in your workspace. Worried, though, that plant care might be more stressful than soothing? Here are some tips:  Consider your home or outdoor area’s lighting, which should guide your choices. Some plants thrive tucked away in low light, and others demand center stage in your brightest window. Know what you’re working with before you head to the nursery. Plants tell you what they need. Dropped or crispy leaves? “I need a drink.” Yellowing or thin leaves? “Help, I’m drowning!” (Watering isn’t one-size-fits all.) Slowed growth? Might be time to prune.  Plant care is a skill you learn over time. Learning about the plant’s needs, environmental elements and other factors is part of the joy that comes when a new leaf unfolds.  Plants don’t have to be pricey. Many plant-lovers are open to trading cuttings or sell cuttings via Facebook Marketplace, Etsy or eBay. Investing in one easy-growing plant, like a vining pothos or sansevieria (snake plant), can pay off when you propagate cuttings to make new plants. Remember: Green thumbs come in all shades. Read on for more self-care tips, or share your own .

RESOURCES Report for America opens newsroom applications, expands opportunity to hire more journalists Make design more inclusive: Defeat unconscious bias in visuals (July 22, 2 p.m. EDT) Suffrage and the Press: 100 years of triumph and struggle (August 22, 2 p.m. EDT)

National Press Club news National Press Club and Journalism Institute call for renewal of VOA journalists' visas Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass to discuss police reform legislation at virtual Newsmaker (July 16, 2 p.m. EDT) Watch: NPC Virtual Newsmaker with Dallas Fed President Robert S. Kaplan Interested in becoming a Club member? Learn more.

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, Jim Kuhnhenn, and Julie Moos. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover. Get this from a friend? Subscribe , and view the archives .

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