Vulture capitalists and the demise of newspapers: Jack Shafer writes that plundering newspaper owners are “acting on the fact that more value can be extracted by sucking the marrow than by investing more deeply or sell.”
“It’s a truth universally acknowledged by those who don’t let sentiment cloud their thinking that the newspaper’s time will soon pass — except for rare titles like the New York Times and a few others that can attract national audiences,” he writes.
Crazy media poll answers kill public trust: Davide W. Moore explores CBS News poll on investigation into Trump administration ties to Russia.
“Apart from the confusing wording of the initial question, the poll results suffer from not measuring how strongly people feel about the issue,” writes Moore. “It’s highly unlikely that 95 percent of the public has thought carefully about the issues involved in the investigation, yet that is what the poll results suggest.”
Regaining reader trust: Philip Eil says don’t assume people understand journalism, explain it. Five steps to regain trust.
“One of the many lessons of the Trump era is that press freedom and audience trust aren’t limitless natural resources,” he writes.
More AP style book changes: Merrill Perlman writes that AP announced a new chapter on surveys and polling, prefers “sexual misconduct” to “sexual harassment” and advises cautions when using terms like “victim” or “survivors.” Language is quirky.
Monitor Daily digital newsletter hits goal: Laura Hazard Owen notes the Christian Science Monitor reaches goal of 10,000 paying email newsletter subscribers in the first year.
The next step is a metered paywall. Christian Science Monitor aims to produce journalism worthy of support.
Trump porn stifles news gathering: Nicholas Kristof writes that the national nonstop focus on Trump takes attention away from major issues like drug overdoses and shorter life expectancy.
“The biggest Trump scandals aren’t those unfolding in Washington, but those devastating the lives of the poor and vulnerable in distant American towns,” he writes.
Putting ISIS sources at risk: Belkis Wille writes that news organizations “should not interview captured or suspected ISIS members who are in no position to consent freely.”
They “may face legal and physical risks, including torture, by cooperating with journalists — no matter how enticing the story.”
AP’s changing style: Merrill Perlman points to a change in the definition of “collision.”
AP no longer requires that two bodies must be in motion for a “collision” to happen. The old style, writes Perlman, “was more honor’d in the breach than in the observance…”
World Press Freedom Day: Brian Stelter reports that dozens of news organizations join forces to promote high-quality journalism.
“It’s unusual to see media companies encouraging people to check out rival brands,” says Stelter. “The New York Times, in a print ad on Tuesday, is recommending its arch-rival The Wall Street Journal.” The move encourages the public to seek other sources of news.
Muckraking in Africa: Andrea Gurwitt writes about what American journalists can learn from African journalists.
“American journalists should study African journalism so that Americans can understand their own future,” a source tells Gurwitt. Some of the bravest African reporters devoted their lives to hard-hitting stories while working more or less on their own.
