The Latest: Washington Post reporter sues paper; Dying journalist’s ‘last rewrite’; Managing time

July 22, 2021

■ Washington Post reporter sues paper and former editor Marty Baron , alleging discrimination after she publicly disclosed sexual assault (CNN) / Felicia Sonmez is “asking for $2 million in damages , or an amount ‘to be determined by the jury.’ “ (New York Times) / Read the lawsuit (D.C. Superior Court Clerk)

■ Biden encouraged by Fox News hosts telling people to get vaccinated: ‘They’ve had an altar call , some of those guys’ (Mediaite) / No, Fox News' COVID PSA isn't new - but their vaccine finder is (The Wrap)

■ Atlanta news anchor contracts COVID despite being vaccinated (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

■ How COVID-19 compounded journalism's mental health crisis (Global Investigative Journalism Network)

■ ‘I just learned I only have months to live . This is what I want to say. I’ve been a journalist for more than 60 years. So after doctors delivered the news, I sat down to do what came naturally, if painfully: Write this story.’ (Boston Globe)

■ AP political reporter pulls out all the punches to fight a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer (South Carolina Public Radio)

■ NPR confuses ESPN correspondents in story about Maria Taylor (New York Post) / ’Because of an error in an AP caption , this post previously featured an image of ESPN reporter Kimberley Martin instead of Maria Taylor. We apologize for the error.’ (NPR) / ’Dear media world, #MariaTaylor is not the only black woman at ESPN !’ (Alex Flanagan)

■ What the reporter who broke the Jeffrey Epstein story had in common with his victims (Slate)

■ Ford Foundation donates $1 million to expand investigative team at The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune and The Advocate (NOLA.com)

■ Burner phones, fake sources and ‘evil twin’ attacks: journalism in the surveillance age ; ‘When I heard my number was on a leaked data list, I wasn’t surprised. Reporters have never been more vulnerable' (The Guardian)

■ Journalists say they feel constantly watched after Pegasus spyware revelations (VOA)

■ 'A true watchdog reporter ': Lois Boyles, longtime Phoenix Gazette journalist, dies at 93 (azcentral)

■ How the women who created 'The Daily Show' were 'erased' from its legacy (L.A. Times) / The 7 guests that explain why ‘The Daily Show’ became a place to make news (L.A. Times) / 'The Daily Show' at 25: The creators look back (New York Times)

■ The story of a distressed dog called ‘Newsroom’ had a happy end (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)

Many Americans lacked access to affordable housing before the coronavirus pandemic, a challenge that has disproportionately affected communities of color whether as renters or would-be home buyers. Now, the situation is reaching crisis levels across the country, with millions of renters at risk of losing their housing when a federal moratorium on evictions expires this summer.

The intersection of housing with systemic racism is a coverage area in serious need of deep, nuanced journalism. Registration is open for a program on how to cover these issues, which will take place tomorrow, July 23 at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Participants will learn:

How to navigate the obstacles & opportunities in a community-centered approach to journalism about housing & where we live
How to select the housing stories that will have the strongest impact; How to balance the short-term with the long narrative arcs
Whose voices are authoritative with the audiences for housing stories

The Institute is offering this program at no cost thanks to a generous grant from the Gannett Foundation.

Customize your time management

The demands are never-ending in a 24/7 newsroom with more ambition than resources, so how do you manage your time for maximum impact? Consider: What can only you do? Focus on those priorities, and start coaching others so they can learn to master them too. Who is ready for that stretch assignment that helps them grow and lightens your load? Now’s the time to offer it. And if your energy and attention are best when you get started early in the morning, try to avoid extending your workday into late evening, when it will take you longer to get things done. Know your preferences and work with them, not against them.

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

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

Education reporters have witnessed and documented the pandemic’s enormous effects on students, parents, teachers, administrators, and their communities. With so many voices – and quickly changing policies going into the next academic year – how can an education reporter lift the voices of those most impacted?

In “Think Outside The Classroom: How to diversify education sources and the stories we tell,” a distinguished panel of veteran education reporters and editors will share their techniques for finding and shaping stories driven by the voices of those underrepresented in education coverage, including families of color, students with disabilities, rural residents, families experiencing homelessness, and others facing circumstances that impact their learning.

Registration is open for this virtual discussion, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021.

Participants will learn how to:

Move from authority-driven sourcing and framing to community-driven sourcing and framing
Avoid tokenism and stereotypes: Listen for and represent the truth between the extremes of success and despair in underrepresented communities
Cover dailies and in-depth stories with sensitivity, respect, and completeness

The Institute is offering this program at no cost thanks to a generous grant from the Gannett Foundation.

Resources

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.

SUPPORT THE INSTITUTE

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. NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

If you value this newsletter, consider supporting The Latest with a tax-deductible, recurring gift to the Institute: Even $5 a month will help fund the technology and time it takes to provide this important service.