June 6, 2022

Top stories

■ The Washington Post suspends reporter David Weigel over sexist retweet (CNN) / Washington Post editor admonishes staff to 'treat each other with respect and kindness' as numerous messy feuds play out on Twitter. It doesn't work. (Mediaite) / 'Tension at WaPo remains high today. Video technician Breanna Muir, who was misidentified in a tweet from a colleague as "Breanna Taylor," sent the following note to the entire newsroom this morning, replying all to Sally Buzbee's Sunday memo.' (Oliver Darcy) 


■ Jan. 6 committee enlists ex-ABC News exec James Goldston for hearing (Axios) / ‘People must pay attention. People must watch’: The Jan. 6 committee is trying to make the most of its prime-time TV slot (Vanity Fair) / Meadows got texts from journalists Jim Acosta, Jonathan Karl on Jan. 6 (The Hill) 


■ CNN enters the post-Jeff Zucker era. 'So far, the Licht Doctrine is a change from the Zucker days: less hype, more nuance and a redoubled effort to reach viewers of all stripes.' (New York Times) 


■ Can journalists and grieving communities coexist in tragedy? (AP) / ‘It feels so wrong to talk about the trauma of journalists covering Uvalde given the families who lost everything, but, man. The Statesman, like so many other Texas newsrooms, has a lot of Latino/Hispanic journalists. Many of us were sent to Uvalde because of this. It hits hard.’ (Nicole Foy) / 'Many people have rightfully criticized the intensity of reporters on the scene of mass shootings like Uvalde and need to avoid adding more trauma for survivors. But the father of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver calls on journalists to keep up with/maintain urgency' (Carrie Brown) / ‘I’ve never reported from a tragedy of this magnitude where elected and vital community leaders have gone to such lengths to hide from the public. More importantly, I’m not convinced that the vast majority of #Uvalde residents are bothered by it.’ (Ed Lavandera) / ‘Newsroom trainings, check ins, therapy dogs and pizza parties are great. But sometimes what journalists need more than anything, especially after covering a catastrophic event, is more money and time off.’ (Elvia Limón) 


■ Would showing graphic images of mass shootings spur action to stop them? (New Yorker) / 'The greatest protest photos of all time were taken 33 years ago today. On June 5, 1989, six (not four) photographers captured a lone protester facing down a column of tanks near #TiananmenSquare.' (Patrick Witty) / Opinion: It's been 50 years. I am not 'Napalm Girl' anymore. (New York Times) 


■ From Cornell to prison, "Corrections in Ink" details journalist's life in and after 'the system' (The Ithaca Voice)


■ My family got Covid. So why did we test negative? 'As a science journalist, I’ve read dozens of research papers about Covid-19, and I’ve interviewed so many virologists, infectious disease physicians and immunologists over the past two years that I’ve lost count. But nothing prepared me for what happened after my 7-year-old daughter tested positive for Covid-19 nearly two weeks ago.' (New York Times) 


■ Media unions seek to protect members' access to abortion through health care plans (Poynter) 


■ 'The original “Top Gun” was based on a 1983 article in California magazine. On Monday, the author’s heirs sued Paramount Pictures, claiming that the studio is profiting wildly from the sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick,” even though it no longer holds the copyright to the magazine story.' (Variety)


■ 50 years after Watergate, Woodward and Bernstein see lessons for today's journalists (CNN) / Read Woodward & Bernstein’s new forward to the 50th anniversary edition of ‘All the President’s Men’: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein thought Richard Nixon defined corruption. Then came Donald Trump. (Washington Post)


Press freedom


■ British journalist, Brazilian expert missing in the Amazon (AP via ABC News) 


■ Two Reuters journalists injured, driver killed in eastern Ukraine (VOA) 


■ Exclusive: Russia warns US media in Moscow they risk losing their accreditation - sources (Reuters)

Correction: Friday’s newsletter included a story about journalist Danny Fenster that was attributed to the wrong source. The story was published by the Detroit News. We regret the error.

“It’s crucial that journalists reporting on guns get the details right, down to the type and style of firearm involved. When news outlets make mistakes, audiences can view their work as sloppy or, worse, as an effort to mislead. Regardless, when the news media get facts wrong, audiences — especially gun owners — might not trust the information they provide.”


-- Denise-Marie Ordway, The Journalist’s Resource, “7 things journalists should know about guns

Don’t just praise ‘Swiss Army knife’ staffers — promote them

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Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago and Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership


As the times and technology have changed, we expect a lot more of newsroom staff. We look for people who are adept at reporting, writing, editing, visuals, audio, planning, and presenting. Not everyone has that full suite of skills. Some are stronger at only a few but are so strong they get noticed. Their “superpower” makes them a star player — a prime candidate for promotion.


Meanwhile, their “Swiss Army knife” colleagues get appreciation — and that may be it.

That’s what I’ve heard recently from managers in my leadership classes. They fear their dependability doesn’t lead to promotability. While they are praised in their evaluations for “getting things done,” it doesn’t necessarily lead to advancement.


Here are some things to ask yourself, to ensure your “go-to” people aren’t held back:


  • Do you find yourself saying, “I’d have to hire two people to replace her if I promoted her?” If so, she deserves the promotion.
  • Do dependable, multitasking staffers ever get a chance to shine on big, portfolio-boosting projects where the light shines on one of their many skills? If not, give them a shot.
  • Do you take a closer look at Swiss Army knife staffers’ array of skills to learn which they love most and which could lead to promotions? If not, do that analysis.
  • Do you talk about multi-skilled team members as workhorses — or as leaders? How you describe them to others — and to them — frames their identity in your organization.


One more important question: Do you put a high value on people who aggressively push for promotions? What if industrious staffers don’t know your secret code for being considered? What if they’re introverts or were brought up to avoid bragging or self-promotion? Change the code.


Get more career advice: Read Jill's columns | Watch Manager's Minute videos

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Congratulations to NPCJI Deputy Executive Director Beth Francesco on becoming a 2022-23 Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellow!


As a fellow, Beth will create a digital fundraising toolkit for small, local newsrooms seeking to explore philanthropy as a revenue source.


Learn more about Beth’s project and the other fellows here.

Resources

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.

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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 a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.