The Latest: New Cuomo revelations & CNN response; ‘A divided Politico’; How managers’ messages miss the mark

November 29, 2021

■ CNN host Chris Cuomo used his media sources to find out info on brother Andrew's accusers, records show (CNBC) / ‘Chris Cuomo acknowledged that he reached out to sources, including journalists, to see if other women were going to come forward with allegations against Andrew — though not at anyone's direction.’ (Jeremy Barr) / ‘Trust me’: Chris Cuomo played outsize role in ex-gov. Cuomo’s defense (New York Times) / ‘And this is why @CNN should have conducted an internal investigation of all @chriscuomo actions vis-a-vis his brother's scandals. That should have happened months ago.’ (Erik Wemple) / ‘A CNN rep says "we will be having conversations and seeking additional clarity" about the Chris Cuomo revelations ’ (Brian Stelter)

■ Inside a divided Politico , Playbook drama, 'woke police' fears, and union fights; 'Politico founder Robert Allbritton has privately voiced concerns about the content and editorial direction of Playbook, according to two people who’ve heard his critical remarks.' (Daily Beast)

■ Local news outlets could reap $1.7 billion in Build Back Better aid (New York Times)

■ Lee Enterprises enacts poison pill to guard against Alden takeover (WSJ) / ‘We joined @LeeEntNews’ other unionized newsrooms in sending this letter to the board of directors today. We are glad to see Lee taking actions to prevent a hostile takeover by Alden, but the offer is still on the table.’ (Casper News Guild) / The vulture is hungry again: Alden Global Capital wants to buy a few hundred more newspapers (Nieman Lab)

■ We’re a small Arkansas newspaper. Why is the state making us sign a pledge about Israel ? (New York Times)

■ Jack Dorsey resigns as Twitter CEO (CNBC) / Read Jack Dorsey's resignation email to staff that he posted to Twitter: 'This was my decision and I own it ' (The Wrap)

■ TV reporter apologizes to Adele for not listening to new album prior to interview (Today)

■ Former ABC13 reporter competes in Miss USA pageant (ABC 13 News)

■ Who owns a recipe ? A plagiarism claim has cookbook authors asking. (New York Times)

■ Word of the year: Merriam-Webster says 'vaccine' is the 2021 top word (Washington Post) / 'The word “vaccine” saw a 601% increase in lookups this year over last; had continual spikes of attention through the year; was about much more than medicine in 2021. “Vaccine” is our 2021 #WordOfTheYear.’ (Merriam-Webster)

Press freedom

■ Press leaders call on Egypt to release Al Jazeera journalist (NPC/NPCJI)

■ Opinion: Please, Justin Bieber, don’t perform for the regime that killed my fiance, journalist Jamal Khashoggi (Washington Post)

■ Freed journalist Danny Fenster celebrates personal Hanukkah miracle (Jerusalem Post)

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"My instinct was always to meet the audience where they were, speak to them in their language, and show respect for their problems –no matter what they were. But most of all help them solve those problems in ways that felt approachable and collaborative so we could build a deep, lasting, mutually beneficial relationship."

-- Phoebe Gavin, journalist and career coach, via OpenNews

Managers: Here’s why your messages fall flat, create fear, or confuse people

Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity at Loyola University Chicago and Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership

Today’s leadership lesson is a quick read with a quick communication tip. To ensure that your messages have the impact you’d like, make certain to apply the power of “here’s why.”

Some examples:

Positive feedback. “Great job” is nice. “Great job... and here’s why…” with specific details, makes it more likely your praise will be remembered and the good work repeated.
Email invitations. If your email says, “Could we talk tomorrow at 10am?” your employee may fear there’s something terrible lurking. You might think such fear is irrational, but it is more common than you know. Be sure to add the “here’s why” to keep someone from needless anxiety.
CC’ing people. Our inboxes are awash in correspondence that copies us but leaves us wondering why. Don’t assume people know why you’re looping them in. Your intent can’t be misconstrued if you simply offer a “here’s why.” For example, “I’m cc’ing Julie because this could affect her budget” shows you’re being intentionally, rather than indiscriminately, inclusive.
Status inquiries: Your one-line correspondence asking a staffer “Where do we stand on the project?” can come across as “Why isn’t it done yet?” when that’s not your intent at all. Your “here’s why” may be curiosity or the need to include information about the project in a report or at a meeting. Share the “why.”

Remember, leaders, because you have power, your words carry great weight. So do the gaps in your communication, which people can fill with their worst fears. Your team members benefit from specificity in your feedback and clarity about your intentions. You’ll get credit for being a good communicator. And that’s why I wrote this column for you.

Get more career advice: Read Jill's columns | Watch Manager's Minute videos

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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.

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