News and information to help journalists serve the public and stay safe.
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Explore how truth-telling in tough times creates community, with syndicated columnist and author
Connie Schultz
, and journalist and author
Jon Mooallem
.
They will discuss their experiences in “
Resilience and Community
,” from 11:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, April 29, on Zoom.
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Coronavirus coverage started earning international headlines at the beginning of 2020. We were curious to see how the coverage evolved over time and how news sources worldwide reported on COVID-19 milestones.
Were these events the lead story or buried below the fold? How long did it take before pandemic headlines dominated the front page?
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Readers of the
Lexington Herald Leader
opened their Sunday paper this weekend to a full page ad saluting the news organization for its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was a wonderful message for our staff to see on Sunday morning,” editor and general manager
Peter Baniak
said in an email.
Signed by 20 civic leaders and business owners, the ad expressed appreciation to the paper’s staff “for their commitment to covering COVID-19 and its impact in our community.”
Signers were a cross-section of political and community leadership, including
Kelly Craft
, a top Republican fundraiser and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and
Ben Self
, the chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party.
Lindy Karns
, who was campaign treasurer for Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s campaign and is a long-time friend of Craft’s, initiated the ad effort after seeing a Herald Leader request for readers to subscribe to the paper.
“I am an old timey newspaper reader; grew up reading two newspapers every day,” she said in an email. “My husband and I subscribe to the print and online editions of the paper. The Lexington Herald Leader has done a yeoman’s job of trying to keep the community informed both about COVID 19 news as well as about businesses, charities and other community events, and doing it without charge.”
“I started thinking about other ways we could support the reporters and others, and I thought of this ad,” she said. “I reached out to other community spirited people I knew that day, and in a very short time, and a few phone calls, was able to collect enough folks to pay for an ad, thanking the HL and its staff.”
“I may not agree with everything the Herald Leader says, but I do believe it critical to have a local newspaper,” she added. “And those folks are knocking themselves out.”
At the newspaper, Baniak has conducted a series of town halls for the community in partnership with CivicLex, a non-partisan organization devoted to expanding democratic participation.
“We already know through measures like digital readership and engagement and emails and social media and Letters to the Editor that the community has been turning to us and really connecting with our coverage throughout the last few months,” he said. “But to see the appreciation expressed in that way, signed by that group, means a lot.”
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The National Press Club Journalism Institute is spotlighting
the next generation of journalists
, students graduating from college or Master’s programs this spring into
a challenging job market
, in hopes they’ll meet future bosses and colleagues here, who will reach out and support them in building journalism’s future together.
Name
: Brandon Ruiz-Peña
School
: University of Houston-Clear Lake
Location
: Houston, Texas
Resume
: Editor-in-Chief, The Signal
Awards
: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Winner 2020
What's been your best moment in journalism?
One of my favorite projects has been an
annual 10 Most Fascinating People list
which features members of the university community. I pitched the idea three years ago and we have done it ever since. After spending all year putting out stories that can range from good to bad news, or even critiques via editorials, this list allows us to end the year on some good news. It spotlights persons and teams who have put in the work and achieved something – big or small – that's inspiring. I've also been able to interview those spotlighted to further tell their story beyond the achievements.
What's the wackiest story you've worked on?
One of the oddest stories I've worked on was a satire piece revolving around the 2016 election year. Our university has the hawk as the official mascot, but previously an unofficial one was named Blockie – a block-shaped person with sunglasses. Additionally, that year, a chicken was residing at the apartment complex next to campus. No one was sure how it ended up there beyond it possibly belonging to someone. Long story short, I was tasked with writing the piece using the
hawk, block and chicken as candidates running to become the official UHCL mascot
. It was fun to write and be creative, and the headline got me an award from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
Read
Brandon’s full profile
, including what he’s learned from student media and what he hopes to accomplish as a journalist.
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Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago
Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership
We’d like to think we’re very good employees. (Especially when it’s time for annual evaluations, right?)
But none of us is perfect. We all have idiosyncrasies. They’re not career killers like dishonesty or gross incompetence. Instead, they’re quirks – the kind of habits our co-workers cope with and work around, especially when we have plenty of other redeeming qualities.
At least that’s how it works in normal times. But right now, when teams are operating under excessive stress, let’s not add to it. Whatever we can do to amp up our strengths and tamp down our idiosyncrasies is a genuine gift to our colleagues.
Think about it:
- If you’re forgetful and tend to double-book yourself, pledge to keep better notes and calendars.
- If you hate meetings but your remote teammates are hungry for connection, support having more huddles.
- If you’re long-winded, edit thyself.
- If you’re terse, upgrade your messages to telegraph a little empathy.
- If you’re a workaholic, don’t expect others to emulate your 24/7 toiling.
- If you’re all-business, get to know the partners, kids and pets that populate your employees’ home offices.
- If you tend to be impatient, lighten up.
- If you’re a little sarcastic, take the edge off, on behalf of those who might hear only the “tough” in your tough love.
And if you’re not sure whether others think you have any idiosyncrasies because no one’s ever told you, now’s a good time to find out. (Imagine how important that is if you’re the boss!)
I’m not talking about a quantitative analysis of your quirks. A simple question will do: “Is there anything you need more of – or less of – from me?”
The answers can help you tweak some behaviors and – who knows? – might set you on the road to becoming that almost-perfect employee for these clearly imperfect times.
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When feeling overwhelmed, the advice usually goes: Take one thing at a time.
But it’s really tempting to use listening time on a video call to type up a quick email you’ve been meaning to send, or to fold the laundry while on a webinar.
The
myth of multitasking
has a long history coupled with the push for constant productivity. Now that WFH is spurring back-to-back meetings and forcing more communication than before, it’s not a surprise that we’re trying to double up on tasks and create time. (Hint: You cannot create time.)
Here are some reasons you should take things one at a time:
How have you modified your daily routine to avoid multitasking?
Share your advice
— it could help a fellow journalist.
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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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