The Latest: Journalist escapes house arrest; Washington Post exit; Star ratings

October 3, 2022

■ ‘So after nine years, I'm being let go by the Washington Post . This is disappointing but not surprising. In recent years, the Opinion leadership has made it increasingly difficult to do the reporting & in-depth analysis I was hired to do -- in favor of short, hot takes.’ (Radley Balko)

■ N.J. reporters taking bribes ? McQueeny's shocking claim (POLITICO)

■ Media employees face no consequences for ignoring return-to-office requests — yet (Digiday) / ‘A bit of sad media news: Per an email to staff this morning, Bloomberg is ending its free lunch program for employees. The company notes that it will "continue to have snacks and treats," and plans to roll out "more wholesome and exciting offerings" in the near future.’ (Max Tani)

■ Why our food critic is dropping star ratings from his restaurant reviews (Washington Post) / 'I’ve always hated the stars. Not because some readers just skip the review and check out the rating, but because what the star rating conveys is so muddled.' (Washingtonian)

■ Mystery solved: ‘Dateline’ finds path from TV to podcast stardom (New York Times)

■ How Nina Totenberg handled the ‘volcano’ set off by covering Anita Hill’s sexual harassment charges (Current)

Press freedom

■ Fox's Jeanine Pirro is back in the hot seat in $1.6 billion election defamation case (NPR)

■ Murders of journalists in Mexico threaten free press (Time) / In covering violence in Tijuana, Mexico, the city's journalists give voice to a community demanding change (VOA News)

■ Turkey must give me the evidence it has about the murder of my husband , Jamal Khashoggi (The Guardian)

“Picture a slot machine with three reels: subject, angle, and audience. You can develop a brand new story just by spinning one of those. Change the subject: Who else is doing this? Change the angle: What else does the subject do? How could they do it differently? Change the audience: What would another type of reader (younger, older, urban, expert, layperson etc.) want to know? You can hit a dead end but this is also how you can produce multiple stories based on one lead.”

-- Jacob Granger, senior reporter at Journalism.co.uk, “Here is how to find new story ideas”

When a great employee leaves for a new job…

... Wish the person every success; celebrate.

... Help the staff process; be realistic about the loss and optimistic about the team’s future.

... Assume your team members are reflecting on their own status and potential; connect with them and let them know their value.

Jill Geisler is the Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago and Freedom Forum Fellow.

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

Event: Workplace Integrity: Do You Qualify as an Ally? (Especially Now)

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.