News and information that journalists need to serve the public and stay safe.
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Join us on
Friday, April 17
to explore writing about personal loss in a time of collective grief.
Keith Woods
, NPR’s chief diversity officer, and
Tom Huang
, The Dallas Morning News assistant managing editor for journalism initiatives, will discuss their experiences with
“Grieving together, alone”
and take questions from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
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Daniel Levitt planned to launch
a new journalism job board
in the fall. Instead, he debuted it last week — at a time when newsrooms are cutting, furloughing and reducing pay for thousands of journalists. “Why wait, when hundreds of journalists and students are being laid off or having their internships canceled right now?,” the London-based journalist said by e-mail. Levitt, who is himself starting a new job that will be announced in a few weeks, is the founder of
Inside The Newsroom
, a podcast and newsletter combining text, audio and data visualizations.
There are 500 media positions listed on the site, all newly listed since February, from the Associated Press to the Wausau Daily Herald to YouTube. The range shows “journalism today exists in ways it didn't 15 years ago. YouTube's rise [as] a news source is nothing short of spectacular, but with all of its power comes questionable decisions to limit the spread of fake information. Now more than ever does the world need trained journalists in these positions,” Levitt said. We asked Levitt a few questions by e-mail. These are his responses.
With several websites that list journalism job openings, but none that shows them at a glance so clearly, what prompted you to pull them together this way?
Levitt
: The answer is in the question. There are so many job websites out there that it's hard to know where to even start when applying for jobs. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are almost certainly thousands of jobs I have [not] found yet, and that is part of the challenge. Each time I find a new group of jobs is like finding 10 bucks in your coat pocket.
Read on
to learn about Levitt’s first job and how Inside the Newsroom got started.
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Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago
Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership
The journalism students sent me their questions in advance. Most were variations of these:
“What advice can you give us in applying for jobs at a time like this? Are employers even looking to hire? Do you recommend we continue applying for positions?”
As I prepared to talk with a class of graduating seniors, I thought about the boilerplate lessons I always share with our
Loyola School of Communication
students: how to craft winning resumes, which work samples to submit and what hiring managers are looking for.
But this conversation was different. This class of muliti-media storytellers just had their worlds upended by COVID-19.
They were sent home from school but must keep learning about work that’s better done up close and personal. They’re no longer in control rooms and studios with state-of-the-art tools. They’re not right there in an office or classroom with professors who can look over their shoulder at a script or an edit on a work in progress.
They’re doing their best from a distance, thanks to adaptable professors like my colleague
Lee Hood
, whose class I visited via Zoom.
They are marking the days until their commencement ceremony, in whatever form it might take. As they do, they see reports of newspapers folding, newsroom salaries cut, and journalists enduring
furloughs and layoffs
.
I can’t sugar-coat things. It’s rough out there.
But it’s not impossible, especially for those who can work on any - or every - platform. Many broadcast outlets, for example, are on the lookout for MMJs and producers for their on-air and digital offerings. Those that have put hiring on “pause” hope to resume it.
So I met the students at the corner of optimism and realism and gave them advice, which I share with all graduating seniors who are stepping into the storm.
Read on
for Jill’s advice to graduating seniors
.
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Class of 2020: Journalism needs you
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The next cohort of journalists will graduate next month into a challenging news environment, made more complicated by widespread work-from-home newsrooms that are shrinking faster than ever. Journalism needs the next generation’s optimistic energy, enthusiastic problem-solving, and innovative ideas. So, let’s meet the class of 2020.
Inspired by
Jill Geisler’s column
advising these graduates on how to stand out, we’re extending this invitation:
tell us about yourselves
. We will begin featuring the class of 2020 in this newsletter, to infuse our work with their spirit and to introduce them to managers and leaders in newsrooms across the U.S. and around the world. If you are a member of the class of 2020 or know someone who is, please spread the word and help us spotlight these rising stars.
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Self-Care:
10-minute chair yoga for journalists
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Kimina Lyall
knows journalists can get locked in — mentally and physically — when working on major stories. As the deputy director for the
Dart Center for Journalism
, Asia Pacific, she and the Dart Center team have
created resources
to help journalists cope with and better cover the pandemic.
But Lyall wanted to give something more, and combined a longtime passion — yoga — with her longtime profession in an 11-minute video called “
Chair yoga for journalists, reporters, editors, managers and all media practitioners
.” It’s part of a series she has planned. “Next up will be ‘smiling shoulders,’ which is designed to help those of us who are hunched over computers, or carrying heavy camera gear and the like, loosen up our shoulders,” she said.
We reached out to Lyall, who works out of Australia, to learn more.
What inspired you to make and share this video specific to journalists?
Lyall
:
I'm very passionate about yoga. It was part of my long journey back from post-traumatic stress disorder, which I experienced as a result of my work as a journalist. But I also am a teacher trainer, and I figured it would give me an opportunity to practice teaching in a safe environment. … I know how easy it is as a journalist to get "locked into position" while focused on deadline, so I wanted to say, “Hey, you! I've got something you can do from your chair.”
Aside from your yoga practice, how are you practicing self-care?
Lyall
:
I am in lock down in Australia, like most other people around the world. In addition to yoga each day, I meditate, walk my dog (luckily I live near the beach so I have a lovely walk) and connect with friends and family daily. I also turn off all screens after the evening news bulletin and read a book!
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This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, Jim Kuhnhenn, 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 civic engagement. Support our important work with a tax-deductible contribution today.
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