October 28, 2020

Top stories ■ Former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor reveals he was ‘Anonymous’ author of viral New York Times op-ed (New York Times) / 'I was wrong, however, about one major assertion in my original op-ed' (Miles Taylor) / Flashback: At Homeland Security, I saw firsthand how dangerous Trump is for America (Washington Post) / 2018 op-ed: I am part of the resistance inside the Trump administration (New York Times) ■ Miles Taylor became a CNN contributor earlier this year (Brian Stelter) / On CNN, Anderson Cooper asked Miles Taylor if he was aware of Anonymous’ identity. Taylor responded: ‘I’m not. Look, and that was a parlor game that happened in Washington, D.C. of a lot of folks trying to think of who that might be. I’ve got my own thoughts about who that might be but…’ Cooper interjected: ‘You’re not anonymous?’ Taylor responded: ‘I wear a mask for two things Anderson, Halloweens and pandemics. So no.” (CNN)  ■ Taylor worked at Google, where the company denied he had helped sell Trump's family separation policy (BuzzFeed) ■ After 12 years, arrest in abduction of former Times journalist David Rohde (New York Times) ■ Politico tells employees they should plan to work from home at least through next summer (Washingtonian) ■ ‘We are no longer running unsigned editorials and we are dropping endorsements’ after outrage over Sunday’s (Spokesman-Review) / Why do newspapers still make political endorsements? (Poynter) ■ 5 big takeaways from Dorsey And Zuckerberg’s contentious trip to the Senate (Forbes) / Cantwell tries to refocus hearing on misinformation, local news (Politico) ■ Tucker Carlson ends October with highest ratings in cable news history as all networks draw record numbers (Mediaite) / And the campaign ad windfall winner is ... Fox News (Ad Age) ■ Trump stories are far outpacing Biden stories in attention, a Chartbeat analysis shows (Poynter) / Flashback: Should media worry about ‘Trump fatigue’? We analyzed engagement data to find out (Chartbeat) ■ In campaign’s closing days, disinformation arrives via text message and email (Washington Post) / Right-wing misinformation could gain steam post-election (Axios) ■ City Pages is closing, ending the era of alternative weeklies in Twin Cities (Star Tribune) ■ Check your bias with this quiz: Can you tell a ‘Trump’ fridge from a ‘Biden’ fridge? (New York Times)

The 2020 Virtual Fourth Estate Award Gala will be the first of its kind, historic in the evening’s long tradition of honoring journalists who have made significant contributions to the field. This year’s gala will present the elegant face-to-face experience you expect but from the comfort and safety of your own home.  Ed Yong, the staff writer at The Atlantic who has been shaping our collective understanding of the coronavirus and its impact, will receive the National Press Club Journalism Institute’s 2020 Neil and Susan Sheehan award for investigative journalism. His in-depth analytical writing has explained everything from the mask debate to long-haulers to how the coronavirus has seeped into America’s fault lines, and why the United States has been hit more severely than most other countries. Through 5,000-word features, interviews, Twitter updates, even advice to young journalists, Yong has shown compassion and integrity that best reflects the Sheehans’ work. Join us on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate Yong and Fourth Estate honoree Susan Zirinsky (CBS News President), Aubuchon press freedom honorees Linda Tirado (freelance author and photographer) and Maria Ressa (Rappler CEO). Tickets are available for purchase.

Remind your team that their work matters Reminding your team that their work matters isn’t touchy-feely flattery. It’s an employee incentive that costs you nothing. Meaningfulness can be a metric that’s good for business. And remember: work doesn’t have to be heroic to be meaningful. People bring a sense of purpose to everyday tasks. Let them know you notice and appreciate it.  Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership Click here to read Jill’s previous posts.

Visual social media posts are no longer a nicety — they are a necessity. Not all teams, though, have the resources to devote to designing and creating social media posts that sing.  Learn how to stop skimmers in their scrolls with visually dynamic social media messaging in this program with Beth Francesco, the National Press Club Journalism Institute’s senior director. During this hands-on workshop, participants will practice design fundamentals while creating posts from start to finished product. This session is designed for journalists and communicators who don’t regularly produce graphics but find themselves taking on some of that work right now.  Registration is open for this program, which will be held on Friday, Oct. 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This is a followup to our June program, “Design Hacks: How to create visuals when it’s not usually your job.” You do not have to have attended that program to benefit from this session.

Self-care: Think self-care is ‘too fluffy’ for you? Here’s the business case. Self-care has a “soft” reputation.  Maybe you’ve written it off as too fluffy, time-consuming or simply unnecessary. But research shows many self-care tactics can prevent burn-out, jump-start productivity, alleviate stress and make you a better leader.  Here’s how to make self-care an integral part of your daily routine and an important component to work-life balance. Start with the basics. We all know that diet, exercise and sleep are the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. So focus on these three areas every day. You only need 10 minutes to prepare these nutritious meals or complete these workouts. And here are quick ways to improve your sleep. Use a 7-day challenge to learn what works for you. Self-care is not one-size-fits-all. For some it looks like journaling. For others, it may be a walk outside or silent meditation. Figure out what you enjoy by trying something new for a few minutes each day for one week. Stop making excuses. Yes, you have the time. Taking short breaks during the work day improves focus, so plan them as a reward after deadlines or meetings. Share what works — and what doesn’t work — with others. This can help normalize the importance of self-care while also inspiring new ideas to try. Set boundaries with work. This can help you regain a sense of control over your day and your time. Read on for more self-care tips, or share how you are taking care of yourself right now.

Resources Election 2020 language guide 5 guideposts for thoughtfully covering the voting 13 tips for covering likely election scenarios In the final days of election season, tell (and show) people why they can trust you 38+ tools and resources to improve Zoom, follow the election and to make your autumn a bit easier

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, 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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