Journalism

Trained reporters play a critical role in identifying news events through following social media. When reporters have both professional training and experience with the organizers and actors on social media they can not only anticipate important news events, but they can also contextualize them for followers and authenticate the raw footage and real-time reporting. Even when considering the crisis of trust and generalized suspicion, it is important to distinguish the nuances.

President Donald Trump doubled down on blaming the media for the nation’s incivility, as suspicious packages sent by a suspected serial bomber continued to target President Trump’s outspoken critics. “A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News,” the president said. “It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description.

More than 200 journalists condemned President Donald Trump’s “sustained pattern” of attacks on the free press in an open letter, describing his behavior as “un-American and utterly unlawful and unseemly for the President of the United States and leader of the free world." “Trump’s condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press — which includes labeling any reportage he doesn’t like as ‘fake news’ and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events,” said the letter, which as of the morning of Oct 25

The Washington Post announced plans to expand its technology coverage, adding 11 new positions for reporters, editors and videographers. The initiative will mean significant growth for The Post’s San Francisco (CA) bureau, where two technology reporters and one editor are now based. The bureau also will now house a video studio. Positions also will be added in Seattle (WA) and Washington (DC).

A series of bombs in manila envelopes with similar address labels were sent to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other prominent Democrats, setting off a nationwide manhunt for the terrorist behind what officials believe was a targeted attack. President Donald trump condemed political violence and called for a more civil political discourse.

Research I helped conduct has found that the fundamental driver of disinformation in American politics from 2015-2018 has not been Russia, but Fox News and the insular right-wing media ecosystem it anchors. All the Russians did was jump on the right-wing propaganda bandwagon: Their efforts were small in scope, relative to homegrown media efforts. And what propaganda victories the Russians achieved occurred only when the right-wing media machine picked up stories and, often, embellished them.

The murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, has focused the world’s attention on the kingdom’s intimidation campaign against influential voices raising questions about the darker side of the crown prince. The young royal has tightened his grip on the kingdom while presenting himself in Western capitals as the man to reform the hidebound Saudi state. Saudi operatives have mobilized to harass critics on Twitter, a wildly popular platform for news in the kingdom since the Arab Spring uprisings began in 2010.

President Donald Trump's frequent threats and hostile acts directed toward journalists and the media are not only offensive and unbecoming of a democratic leader; they are also illegal. Although the president can launch verbal tirades against the press, he cannot use the powers of his office to suppress or punish speech he doesn’t like. When President Trump proposes government retribution against news outlets and reporters, his statements cross the line.

If Democrats take back the House in November 2019 could have more minority representatives in Congress than it's had in its 230-year history. And Congress would finally start to look more like the country it represents. But while voters across the country are increasingly choosing to elect candidates who look like them, the media covering Congress are still lagging far behind with regard to diversity: 83% of the workforce at US daily print and online media outlets is white, and 87% of leadership positions are occupied by white reporters and editors.

President Donald Trump attacked the Associated Press over a headline it had on a story about comments he made on the midterm elections, saying the headline "was very different from my quote and meaning in the story." The headline on the AP story from Oct 16 reads, "Trump tells AP he won't accept blame if GOP loses House." The president took issue with that language in a tweet. "AP headline was very different from my quote and meaning in the story. They just can’t help themselves.