November 2, 2020

Top stories ■ Tests show genetic signature of coronavirus that infected New York Times journalists, and possibly President Trump (New York Times) / This photographer spent months documenting Congress and D.C. politics in the age of COVID (Washington Post) ■ Journalist arrested in North Carolina at protest (News & Observer) / NYPD arrested journalist at protest then said they never arrested ‘credentialed members of the press’ (Law and Crime)  ■ Covering the campaign trail when there is no trail (Harper’s Bazaar) / All campaign news is local: The real strategy behind the Trump and Biden visits to your town (Washington Post) ■ What to expect from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on Election Day (New York Times) / TV networks stress patience in calling election with world’s most impatient candidate (Vanity Fair) / Networks pledge caution for an Election Night like no other (New York Times) / The trouble with election projections (New Yorker) / Exit polls can be misleading — especially this year (Fivethirtyeight) / Exit polls 2020: What they are and how they'll work in a pandemic (CNN) / Election Day will be the media’s D-Day. The skill we need most is the one we’ve never mastered. (Washington Post)  ■ Show your work: AP plans to explain vote calling to public (AP) / What The Post’s election results will look like (Washington Post) / How ABC is preparing for Election Night (ABC News) / NBC News Decision Desk: How we call races on Election Night 2020 (NBC) / Needle update: What to expect on Election Night (New York Times) / Twitter names 7 outlets to call election results (Axios) ■ The election work diary of a reporter with 2.5 million subscribers (New York Times) ■ Q&A with newsman Chris Wallace: Moderating a debate with(out) masks, bias in the news and Trump’s daddy issues (Washington Post) ■ Front pages from the last 100 years of U.S. presidential elections (Poynter) / The Washington Post’s front page from every presidential election since 1880 (Washington Post) ■ It’s the end of an era for the media, with top news execs including Marty Baron expected to resign, no matter who wins the election (New York Times) / Another Trump term could be a fatal blow to press freedom (Washington Post)  ■ Houston chef kicks off fundraising series for Austin Tice (Community Impact) / Austin Tice complicates Trump's record of bringing hostages home (The Intercept) ■ 'When terrible things happen, our numbers go up': How NYT Cooking is approaching the pandemic, politics and inclusion (Digiday) ■ The Atlantic gave Ruth Shalit a ‘second chance’ 25 years after a media scandal. It ended with a bitter retraction (Washington Post) / Washington Post writer who debunked Atlantic story says 'fencing injuries' tipped him off (The Wrap) / 'We are sharing with our readers what we have learned so you may understand how we came to this decision.’ (The Atlantic)  ■ Johnny Depp loses libel case over 'wife beater' claim (BBC) ■ An ocean separated this photographer-surfer and schoolteacher. A surfboard connected them. See: 2020 has a happy story after all (Sports Illustrated)

How the Big Story brings out our best Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership You’re busy working on election coverage, so I’ll keep this brief.  Knowing what others need is the secret to great teamwork during big stories and breaking news. That’s why we: Communicate with clarity and speed. Stay focused on what matters. Double check our work, our gear, and our assumptions. Set aside petty differences in service of the story. Remember the value of calm in the storm. Make our default setting “How can I help?” In the first big leadership seminar I led after 9/11, when the experience was still fresh in peoples’ minds and hearts, one news manager had a question for all of us. Why is it that newsroom staffs come together so well in moments like that? How can we achieve that level of cooperation and care the rest of the time?  Big stories bring out the best in us. Great leaders teach us why it matters — and make sure “the best in us” becomes a way of life.  Now get back to your election duties. I’ll be reading, watching, listening — and cheering for you. Click here to read Jill’s previous posts.

The 2020 Virtual Fourth Estate Award Gala will be the first of its kind, historic in the evening’s long tradition of honoring journalists who have made significant contributions to the field. This year’s gala will present the elegant face-to-face experience you expect but from the comfort and safety of your own home.  Each year, the esteemed Fourth Estate Award honors the person whom the NPC Board of Governors decides has achieved distinction for a lifetime of contributions to American journalism. The 2020 honoree is Susan Zirinsky, President and Senior Executive Producer of CBS News. Zirinsky ascended to this position on March 1, 2019 and within nine months she oversaw an overhaul of the news division. An acclaimed journalist and highly respected senior executive producer at CBS News, Zirinsky began her career in the CBS News Washington bureau two weeks after the Watergate break-in. Over the next four decades she produced a wide variety of award-winning documentaries and programs, and she covered a range of historic stories, from the Gulf War to the student uprising in Tiananmen Square, from the White House for 10 years to the 9/11 attacks, and from the Paris terrorist attacks to the mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla. School. Join us on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate Zirinsky and Aubuchon press freedom honorees Linda Tirado (freelance author and photographer) and Maria Ressa (CEO of Rappler), and Neil and Susan Sheehan award for investigative journalism honoree Ed Yong (staff writer at the Atlantic). Tickets are available for purchase.

Self-care: Election Day jitters? How to prep for tomorrow’s stress Feeling anxious about Election Day? We have you covered. A little planning can help you inject moments of self-care throughout the day. Staying off social media isn’t a real option for most journalists on Election Day. Mute or unfollow friends or family known to share misleading or incorrect information, at least for this week. Working remotely means the time-honored tradition of Election Night pizza in the newsroom may need modification. May we suggest pre-ordering your dinner – pizza or otherwise – to have it delivered? Also, keep healthy snacks – think nuts or fruit – nearby. (Who are we kidding? Keep that leftover Halloween candy on deck.) Avoid constantly refreshing results. Instead, agree with yourself (and your editor, if you’re working) on a cycle – every 20 minutes, for example. Take numerous short breaks. Set a timer to go off at least once an hour, and step away from your laptop and tv for at least five minutes. Do something active – head outside for a walk around the block, do some squats or pushups, or even pace around your home (yes, that counts). Stay hydrated. Whether you’re tethered to your screen or out in the field, drink plenty of water to stave off headaches, stay focused, and control stress reactions. Things will seem out of control with the unique circumstances of reporting this general election. Practice these breathing exercises to center yourself when things start to spin. Read on for more self-care tips, or share how you are taking care of yourself right now.

Resources Apply for a 2021 LEDE Fellowship from the Solutions Journalism Network  How to make fair, accurate information stand out on social media during election week How are our information ecosystems holding up? A post-election check-in (Nov. 5, 1 p.m. ET)

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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