We will begin with a very brief discussion of WGBH News’ decision not to hire Mish Michaels as a science reporter following complaints that Michaels holds unscientific views about vaccine safety and climate change. If you get a chance, please read this Boston Globe article on Michaels.
Category: Class Updates
A fascinating ethical dilemma
We will open with the sad tale of Jose Ayala, who was victimized by his brother, Eduardo, after Eduardo told police he was Jose following a recent arrest. Eduardo Ayala was charged with stealing two guitars and breaking into a house.
The arrest was first (and falsely) reported on the Springfield Police Department Facebook page, and was then picked up by several media outlets — including MassLive.com, which followed up by publishing a story on the hazards of police reporting in the age of social media.
Thanks to James Pindell for his insights into Trump and the media
Many thanks to Boston Globe political reporter James Pindell for his insights into President Trump and the media. If you are not reading Pindell, you should. Just click here to sign up for his “Ground Game” newsletter.
The basics of AP style
This slideshow will tell you nearly everything you need to know about AP style. I thought I would post it after reading your book reviews. Some of you may be accustomed to magazine (or Chicago) style, which would lead you to italicize the title of a book: The Elements of Journalism. In fact, AP style does not use italics for anything, so “The Elements of Journalism” would be correct. Some of you didn’t use anything at all — you wrote The Elements of Journalism, which I know from my years of writing a column for The Guardian is considered correct in Britain, but not in the U.S.
The print version of the AP Stylebook now requires heavy machinery to transport, but not to worry. You will rarely go wrong if you follow the rules in this slideshow. We do use AP style in the School of Journalism, so it’s a good idea to try to master the basics.
Trump and the media
Discussion points from Wednesday night’s class. In order to watch the “Beat the Press” segment again, click here. In order to watch Howard Kurtz’s “Media Buzz” again, click here.
David Frum on Trump and the media
David Frum, a speechwriter for President George W. Bush, has emerged as a leader among conservatives who were opposed to Donald Trump during the presidential campaign and who remain opposed. He has an article in the new edition of The Atlantic headlined “How to Build an Autocracy.”
I am assigning an excerpt from the article about Trump and the media, and I ask you to read it before class on Wednesday. Please search for “At a rally in Grand Rapids,” which will take you to the beginning of the section in which Frum discusses the press. The section ends with “to assert power over truth itself.”
The entire essay is well worth your time, although the brief excerpt I’ve cited is all that I am requiring you to read.
Boston Globe political reporter James Pindell to speak on Wednesday
This Wednesday we will greet our first guest speaker of the semester: James Pindell, who covers politics for The Boston Globe. Pindell has been reporting on the New Hampshire primary for years, and as such has a unique perspective on President Trump, whose relationship with the media is the topic of our class this week, as well as an ongoing theme every week.
Please come prepared with questions for Pindell. You should read this interview he did with the Nieman Journalism Lab earlier this year on his multi-platform coverage of the New Hampshire primary. And read his column, “Ground Game,” which you can find in the Politics section of BostonGlobe.com. (Cast your eyes to the right once you get there.) You can also sign up for the newsletter version of “Ground Game.”
Perspectives on Journalism Ethics 