March 17, 2021

How to report responsibly on the Atlanta shootings and anti-Asian hate crimes The Asian American Journalists Association today released guidance for journalists covering Tuesday’s deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area spas. Six of those killed were identified as Asian, and seven were women. Robert Aaron Long, who is white, was charged on Wednesday with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault in connection with the shootings. As journalists cover this story, along with growing anti-Asian hate crimes across the country, AAJA shares this advice: Avoid language that adds to the hypersexualization of Asian women.  Seek out diverse sources. AAJA Studio includes a list of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) researchers, experts and thought leaders.  Provide context to your reporting that places these shootings against the backdrop of anti-Asian attacks, which have been fueled by xenophobic rhetoric from political leaders. Recognize the complex history of anti-Asian racism and invisibility. Support your AAPI colleagues. AAJA put together a list of mental health resources for journalists experiencing grief and trauma.  Doris Truong, director of training and diversity for the Poynter Institute, also recommends that every journalist should ask themselves these three questions: Are we parroting other news organizations because we think that gives us cover? Are we quoting the police because we think that protects us? Are we getting as many sides of the story as we can even as the story evolves? At a news conference about the shooting, Capt. Jay Baker said, “Yesterday was a really bad day for” Long, “and this is what he did,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Investigators have also said “it’s too early to call the shootings hate crimes.” According to the AJC, the suspect “ ‘gave no indicators that this was racially motivated,’ Cherokee Sheriff Frank Reynolds said Wednesday. ‘We asked him that specifically and the answer was no.’ ” Reminder: Six of those killed were identified as Asian, and seven were women, amid growing anti-Asian hate crimes across the country. Related:  ■ ‘Every news org has a responsibility to pair "the SUSPECT claims the killings were not racially motivated" with the context of the actual crime and the massive increase in racial violence against Asian Americans. Don't let that quote from authorities stand alone.’ (Steve Mullis)  ■ ‘Race and racism can play a role in an incident even if the people involved say they do not — or even genuinely believe they did not — and also the term "racially-motivated" is largely meaningless’ (Wesley Lowery)   ■ ‘Police departments need to think MUCH more carefully about who they send out to do televised press conferences on the back side of violent crimes, especially violent hate crimes.’ (Michele Norris)  ■ ‘I want to know their names, who and what they loved, the people they had waiting for them at home, everything they hoped for. I want to know the fabric of their days and the contexts of their lives.’ (Kat Chow)  ■ How Hollywood is complicit in the violence against Asians in America (Variety)  ■ Attacks against Asian Americans are on the rise. Here's what you can do (CNN)

Other top stories ■ Biden administration limits what Border Patrol can share with media about migrant surge at border (NBC News) / 'Jen Psaki says she will talk with the White House team that traveled to the Texas border last weekend about publicly releasing some of the photos they brought back to show to the president. Media hasn't been allowed inside to tour the facilities and see the conditions.’ (Kevin Liptak)  ■ Biden defends inaction against Saudi Crown Prince in killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (NBC San Diego) / Opinion: Biden can do more to protect journalists (Houston Chronicle)  ■ Fox Corp. defers office reopening date to ‘no earlier than Sept. 7’ (Variety)  ■ Kristen Bell targets spread of misinformation on SXSW virtual panel: ‘I try to pause before sharing … We need to start asking at the dinner table: 'Did your uncle from Long Beach post that? Or did an expert from the CDC post it?' (Hollywood Reporter)   ■ A Pittsburgh journalist helps discover a missing piece of research on the health impacts of fracking (PGH City Paper)  ■ Watch as NatGeo photographer keeps shooting while covered in bugs (DIY Photographer)  ■ NPPA transitions News Photographer magazine to new format (NPPA)  ■ Award-winning journalist killed in LA hit-and-run crash (NBC Los Angeles)

Today’s journalists need to check more than their facts. In this cut-and-paste digital world, journalists also need to check their rights. Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute for an overview of copyright perils and solutions, presented by three lawyers with the Media & Entertainment Law Group from the Washington, D.C. office of Ballard Spahr LLP: Chuck Tobin, Alia Smith and Mara Gassmann. Participants will leave the program with:  Best practices for the “fair use” of unlicensed work Tips to calibrate how much is too much when quoting or using someone else’s work  Ways to quickly determine rights to an image and how to license it, even via social media Registration is now open for this program, which will take place online from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The program is free to attend; donations will support the Institute’s programs.

How do you decide who’s a high performer? Organizations show their values when they promote people and praise their work publicly. Whose work are you promoting? Do they look like you or overwork like you? Be clear about the criteria for a “high performer” so that it is inclusive and aligns with your core values: quality, collaboration, and a strong ethical compass.  Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago, Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership Click here to read Jill’s previous posts.

Resources Sunshine Week events Freelancing guide and editorial contacts  Local news 2021: How newsrooms can rebound post-pandemic

Will the use of artificial intelligence save journalism, be the end of news as we know it, or live somewhere in between? Francesco Marconi, who has led the development of the Associated Press and Wall Street Journal’s use of AI in journalism, offers a practical perspective on the potential of these technologies.  Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute and the National Press Club’s communicators team for a program featuring Marconi, who will explain how journalists and communication professionals can avoid pitfalls while taking advantage of the possibilities AI provides to develop new ways of telling stories and connecting with audiences. Registration is now open for this program, which will take place online from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 26, 2021. The program is free to attend; donations will support the Institute’s programs.

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. Get this from a friend? Subscribe, and view the archives.

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