April 13, 2021

Top stories ■ The Johnson & Johnson vaccine announcement and the limits of journalism (Dan Kennedy / Media Nation) / 'So here’s a question I have re J&J coverage: if a news org hyped a big story about six cases of blood clots, I think they’d probably get accused of alarmism. Obviously, the presence of official guidance *makes this* a story. But how do you treat the sameness of the underlying data?’ (Jon Allsop) / ‘Is it possible that the FDA is going to increase vaccine hesitancy here, rather than lower it? Definitely. Let's say, in three days, they clear J&J totally. Will that get the news coverage the pause did? Will it fully end the fears the public now has? I doubt it.’ (Ezra Klein) / Meet the Boston area TV reporter who has been stuck at home for 13 months (Boston Globe) ■ CNN reporter confronted during Minnesota protests in heated on-air interview: ‘Get away from here’ (Washington Post) / Some local reporters were barred from a news conference after Daunte Wright’s death. (New York Times) / Earlier: The Minnesota journalists of colour changing the way policing is covered in America amid the Derek Chauvin trial (The Independent)  ■ Two books based on '1619 Project' coming out in November (AP) ■ Marlon A. Walker named executive editor of the Clarion Ledger (Clarion Ledger) ■ Reuters names first female editor-in-chief (Mediaite) ■ How this cartoonist fought for her dream to draw for The New Yorker (NBC News) ■ ‘Journalism was not my first career choice in life’: New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman tells her own story (SBU News) ■ CBS News chief nears deal to step down and return to production roots (Wall Street Journal) / Zirinsky's possible successor as CBS News Chief: Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, recently named CBS’ Washington bureau chief (Variety)  ■ Some personal news: A new series on journalism layoffs and the people who left news during the pandemic (Poynter)  ■ How a Catholic photographer penetrated a hidden Hasidic world (Haaretz.com) ■ Today from AP Stylebook: ‘Don't use the term mistress for a woman who is in a long-term sexual relationship with, and is financially supported by, a man who is married to someone else. Instead, use an alternative like companion, friend or lover on first reference and provide additional details later.’ / Flashback: Is 'mistress' a word that has seen its best days? (New York Times)   ■ How do you write an Anthony Bourdain book without Anthony Bourdain? (New York Times) ■ The cherry blossoms are drowning. How can we save them? (Washingtonian)

Award-winning journalist, veteran Marine Corps captain, and Georgetown Law student Austin Tice has been detained in Syria since 2012. Please join the #FreeAustinTice campaign for his safe, swift return by encouraging your Members of Congress to send a letter to President Biden pressing him to make Austin's safe return a top priority.

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Every letter you and your network send to Congress will make a difference for Austin and the Tice family. The deadline for Members to act has been extended to Monday, April 19.

Vaccinations don’t protect against everything Related: What’s the cost of incivility, bullying and all those bad behaviors that aren’t illegal but tear people down or drive them away?  I worry I'm a bad boss. How can I tell for sure? I'm interviewing for a job and people describe my potential boss as 'hard-charging' and 'passionate.' Are these code words and what should they (and other code words) tell me? 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 How to start writing trust language into stories What words we use — and avoid — when covering people and incarceration The complete panel schedule for the 2021 Festival of Books

Making an impression on a potential employer starts long before an email or phone call. By then, your digital footprint has done the talking … don’t let it send someone walking. “Career Connection: Defining your digital footprint” is a weeklong series of hands-on workshops to help you create and maintain the journalism/writing identity you want to showcase to sources, employers, and publishers. The class will meet from noon to 1 p.m. ET daily, from Monday, May 10 to Friday, May 14. Designed to focus on accomplishing practical tasks in short bursts, each daily program will highlight parts of your digital identity — social media channels and your portfolio site/blog. You’ll receive specific instruction and follow along by building and shaping your digital profiles in real time. Tentative daily topics include:  What hiring newsroom managers wish applicants knew Using LinkedIn for journalism Tapping Twitter in your job search How to Rev up your resume Building a telling digital portfolio Registration is open for this program, which includes each of the five classes. Registration is $100/$75 for National Press Club members.

National Press Club news National Press Club scholarship applications due April 15 Southern Poverty Law Center CEO Margaret Huang to address growing hate crimes (April 16, 11 a.m. ET) Virtual Newsmaker: Sen. Joe Manchin & UMWA President Cecil Roberts (April 19, 11 a.m. ET) CNN anchor Don Lemon to discuss book on racism (May 10, 2 p.m. ET) NPC extends journalism contest deadline to May 17 Interested in becoming a Club member? Learn more.

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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