August 6, 2021

Top stories

■ Politico owner 'Robert Allbritton just emailed staff detailing his opposition to unionization, saying he hopes employees "will conclude after studying this question that a union is not in the publication’s interests, our reader’s interests, or in the interests of individual employees. … There certainly are historical examples or where unions have protected employees from exploitation… My strong view is that those classic circumstances do not remotely exist at POLITICO" ' (Max Tani) / ‘My own thoughts on this issue are not nuanced and are as follows: I think my colleagues at Politico should support unionization because a union is a normal thing to have at your job. The big bosses have contracts, and so should you.’ (Matt Pearce) ■ White House to require journalists to confirm vaccination status (The Hill) / Read the memo to White House correspondents from the WHCA (Paul Farhi) / 'WHCA says 99.6% of White House journalists who responded to a survey said they were fully vaccinated by late June.' (Jennifer Epstein) / Read the memo to media about vaccination from the White House press office (Oliver Darcy) ■ HBO's Watergate series 'White House Plumbers' halted after on-set altercation (The Wrap) / 'Fallout' tells the story of the journalist who exposed the 'Hiroshima cover-up’ (Fresh Air)  / ‘At a time when some of our country's leaders are attempting to suppress underrepresented narratives in America's schools, it is even more vital for pop culture to embrace visionary stories from our past.’ (Hollywood Reporter)  ■ 'Am I Ghislaine Maxwell?': Probe reveals Cuomo aide's heated call with journalists (New York Post) ■ ACLU calls on DOJ to enact permanent protections for journalists covering protests (The Hill) ■ ‘I think that one of his stated aims was to kill the paper. To kill me. To kill other people by name. And you know he failed at that. And that’s important.' (CPJ) ■ ’My brother is one of millions who won't get the COVID-19 vaccine. I asked why. Here are his reasons, my responses,’ writes USA Today editor in chief (USA Today) ■ Is the Washington Post reporter who sued the paper ‘behaving like an asshole’ or speaking out against a ‘system that treats women fundamentally differently’? (Julia Ioffe)  ■ The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue’s models are diverse. Their poses are not. (Washington Post) ■ Virtual work is making you talk like a business robot. Here’s how to ‘circle back’ to being human. (Washington Post) / Sincerely, leaders of color: Let’s talk about hurtful corporate speak (OpenNews Source) Press freedom ■ Exiled Irani journalist needs short-term assistance after recent arrival in U.S. (National Press Club)  ■ Afghan Taliban kill head of government media department (Associated Press) / Threats to the press as the US withdraws from Afghanistan (Columbia Journalism Review) ■ Sign this petition to help free Austin Tice, who was taken in Syria nearly 9 years ago while covering the conflict for McClatchy, the Washington Post (Change.org)

"Words have ALL the power! Verbal and written communication are the cornerstones of society. We’ve seen how words heal, unite, and promote understanding. Conversely, we’ve seen how words can be weaponized and bent to create distrust and spread misinformation." -- Alicia Chantal, copy editor, proofreader, and writer, in recent #ACESchat

Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute and the National Association of Science Writers and learn how to:  Detect deep bias in numbers before they use them Surface hidden traps and avoid them Accurately represent the people and lives reflected in the data Registration is open for this program, which will take place on Wednesday, August 11 at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Value your team as people, not just producers

We are more than the sum total of our skills and successes, and great managers recognize their team members as whole people with whole lives. Ask each member of your team how they’re doing and listen closely. Remember the names of their dogs and partners and kids. Do more than say you care. Show you care. Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership Get more career advice: Read Jill's columns | Watch Manager's Minute videos

Education is said to be the great equalizer — but not all education coverage is created equal. Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute and learn how to:  Move from authority-driven sourcing and framing to community-driven sourcing and framing Avoid tokenism and stereotypes: Listen for and represent the truth between the extremes of success and despair in underrepresented communities Cover dailies and in-depth stories with sensitivity, respect, and completeness Registration is open for this discussion, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021.

Resources Complicating the Narratives toolkit  5 ideas for boosting your Solutions coverage Tip sheets and explainers to help journalists understand research, studies, and polls

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.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

SUPPORT THE INSTITUTE The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club. If you value this newsletter, consider supporting The Latest with a tax-deductible, recurring gift to the Institute: Even $5 a month will help fund the technology and time it takes to provide this important service.