Illinois News Bureau: Journalists’ Twitter use shows them talking within smaller bubbles . “Journalists in Washington, D.C., have long been accused of living in a ‘Beltway bubble,’ isolated from the broader public, talking too much to each other. Their interactions on Twitter, however, show them congregating in even smaller ‘microbubbles,’ says a recent study. The journalists within each communicate more among themselves than with journalists outside the group.”
journalism
A lesson in automated journalism: Bring back the humans (NiemanLab)
NiemanLab: A lesson in automated journalism: Bring back the humans. “It’s an important discovery not just for automation in fact-checking, but for similar efforts in other journalistic genres. We’ve found that artificial Intelligence is smart, but it’s not yet smart enough to make final decisions or avoid the robotic repetition that is an unfortunate trait of, um, robots. In the case of Squash, we need humans to make final decisions about which fact-checks to display on the screen. Our voice-to-text and matching algorithms are good — and getting better — but they’re not great. And sometimes they make some really bad matches. Like, comically bad.”
Poynter: How college journalism covered COVID-19
Poynter: How college journalism covered COVID-19. From the About statement on the front page: “This project was borne out of a deep admiration for the tireless work of student journalists. As we at the Duke Chronicle worked to document the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found strength in the fact that, while physically fractured, we were not alone. Thanks to the collaboration of media platforms from all 50 states, this project is a lasting testament to college journalism’s resilience.”
Stars and Stripes: Senate passes defense bill without funding for Stars and Stripes
Stars and Stripes: Senate passes defense bill without funding for Stars and Stripes. “Funding for Stars and Stripes was not included in the Senate’s version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act passed Thursday, setting up deliberations with House members about the future of the news organization. The Senate’s version of the NDAA, which passed 86-14, contains no language reversing the Pentagon’s February request to strip the roughly $15.5 million annual subsidy that the editorially independent news organization receives.”
NiemanLab: With masks and sanitized mics, podcast pros tiptoe back into in-person interviews
NiemanLab: With masks and sanitized mics, podcast pros tiptoe back into in-person interviews. “Welcome to Hot Pod, a newsletter about podcasts. This is issue 267, dated July 21, 2020. Hey everybody, Caroline here — Nick’s taking a break this week, so this edition is largely coming to you from me and some excellent contributors. Let’s get into this one.”
Variety: ABC News Readies ‘American Catastrophe,’ A Look At How America Missed Chances to Fight Coronavirus
Variety: ABC News Readies ‘American Catastrophe,’ A Look At How America Missed Chances to Fight Coronavirus. “ABC News will on Tuesday, July 28, at 9 p.m. unveil a ’20/20′ report that is three months in the making. “American Catastrophe: How Did We Get Here?” will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how the United States missed opportunities, warning signs and chances to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic, and interviews past and current U.S. officials in an attempt to figure out how the nation will proceed.”
Study: Gender inequality increases in media during pandemic (Phys .org)
Phys .org: Study: Gender inequality increases in media during pandemic. “According to the survey of 558 journalists in 52 countries, the COVID-19 crisis had a negative impact on women’s salaries as well as on their work responsibilities, career advancement and private life. As a result, three quarters of the respondents saw their stress level increase while half of the women quizzed acknowledged that their health has been affected, mainly by sleeping problems.”
Covid-19 has ravaged American newsrooms. Here’s why that matters. (NiemanLab)
NiemanLab: Covid-19 has ravaged American newsrooms. Here’s why that matters.. “COVID-19 has ripped through the industry. In the United States alone, over 36,000 journalists have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or had their pay cut. Analysis by Kristen Hare, a reporter at Poynter, shows that more than 200 newsrooms and media groups have been affected by layoffs and other cost-saving measures, including mergers and reduced print runs. Local journalism has been hit particularly hard.”
NiemanLab: Journalists are suffering mental health consequences from covering Covid-19, according to a new survey
NiemanLab: Journalists are suffering mental health consequences from covering Covid-19, according to a new survey. “Early results from a new study on mental health among journalists covering the pandemic were so worrisome that the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism decided to publish the preliminary data.”
NiemanLab: Amid a pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, Facebook users are giving fewer clicks to “soft news”
NiemanLab: Amid a pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, Facebook users are giving fewer clicks to “soft news”. “Coverage of Black Lives Matter protests and the coronavirus pandemic pushed engagement on Facebook to an all-time high this quarter. A new report from NewsWhip, a social media tracking company, shows that the two topics garnered more engagement — likes, shares, the new caring emoji reaction, etc. — on Facebook than all content in the same quarter of 2018.”
Poynter: The tracking of disparity: Here are 5 places to find accurate data on COVID-19’s toll on people of color and the poor
Poynter: The tracking of disparity: Here are 5 places to find accurate data on COVID-19’s toll on people of color and the poor. “The most compelling stories about the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on minorities and the poor combine local voices with hard data that confirms a broader reality. One without the other too often leaves an incomplete picture for readers and viewers who are overwhelmed by the volume of information or for some reason skeptical of the greater risks facing Black and Hispanic residents, and low-income families. But where do journalists find the numbers confirming the disparities in their states and communities, particularly if their news outlets don’t have sophisticated data operations? Here are five places to start.”
CNN: Journalists are demystifying Covid-19 by sharing first-hand accounts on what it’s like to be sick
CNN: Journalists are demystifying Covid-19 by sharing first-hand accounts on what it’s like to be sick. “When New York was the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in the United States, CNN anchors Chris Cuomo, Brooke Baldwin and Richard Quest shared their experiences with the virus on television and social media. Now the American epicenter has moved south, to states like Florida, and that’s where journalists are sharing candid accounts about getting sick.”
Poynter: Here are some digital tools for a more productive — and fun — summer
Poynter: Here are some digital tools for a more productive — and fun — summer. “Welcome! I’m Jeremy Caplan, a guest contributor with some new tools and resources. I’m director of teaching and learning for CUNY’s Newmark Grad School of Journalism in New York City and a former Time Magazine reporter. I explore new stuff and write about the most useful tools I find in a free newsletter called Wonder Tools.”
NiemanLab: Four lessons from a new generation of Instagram editors in local newsrooms
NiemanLab: Four lessons from a new generation of Instagram editors in local newsrooms. “Most — if not all — of the fellows are members of the mobile-first Generation Z. Born after 1996, somewhere around three-quarters of Gen Zers use Instagram and 65 percent check the social media app daily. (Facebook, which owns Instagram, comes in a distant fourth with the same age group.) That makes the platform critical for news organizations that want to reach younger readers. About halfway through the 10-week program, a few of the fellows shared the strategies they’ve seen succeed on the popular video- and photo-sharing platform.”
NiemanLab: Hundreds of hyperpartisan sites are masquerading as local news. This map shows if there’s one near you.
NiemanLab: Hundreds of hyperpartisan sites are masquerading as local news. This map shows if there’s one near you.. “Using previous research and news reports as a guide, we’ve mapped the locations of more than 400 partisan media outlets — often funded and operated by government officials, political candidates, PACs, and political party operatives — and found, somewhat unsurprisingly, that these outlets are emerging most often in swing states, raising a concern about the ability of such organizations to fill community information needs while prioritizing the electoral value of an audience.”
