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Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Canceling subscriptions to the Washington Post won't influence the newsroom

Following the recent criticism of Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos for killing an endorsement editorial of Kamala Harris, a Facebook friend recently asked me if I feel that the reporting quality has declined,

I responded with the following two (edited) messages:

Jon:

I don't think Bezos has had much impact on the reporting quality of the Washington Post. I do not believe the reporting work of the Washington Post newsroom deserves broad criticism or skepticism based on his ownership. Canceling subscriptions to the Washington Post won't influence the newsroom.

The ownership of a newspaper or broadcast station likely has some impact on how it covers particular topics or events. However, newsrooms are generally independent of their owners, the advertising departments, and the editorial pages.

Just as individual reporters try to keep a skeptical distance from their usual sources of information, they try to keep a distance from their media ownership. Of course, some reporters and their editors are less competent than most reporters and editors at respecting that distance. I base my statement here on my training and experience as a journalist and my professional experience working with journalists.

My cancellation of my WA Post subscription months ago had nothing to do with Bezos. As I noted in an earlier post, I subscribed to The Guardian, based in the UK, because I wanted a more international approach to the news—less U.S.-oriented. I dropped my WA Post subscription because I already subscribed to the NY Times and other U.S. news media.

Also, most daily newspapers don't depend on paid subscriptions for most of their revenue. Advertising pays their bills and earns their profit. But subscriptions matter to advertisers. More subscribers means more potential ad viewers. And vice versa.

Jon:

I'd like to add that the traditional news industry is changing for the worse in providing news coverage. For the past 40-50 years, corporate chains have been buying local newspapers and broadcast stations.

And the growth of the internet has not helped; it's weakened the strength and resources of traditional news media. Fewer people are subscribing because they often can get news free on their web browsers. Past and potential advertisers know that -- and fewer of them are advertising, thus reducing the revenue and resources of the news media.

As the years have gone by, fewer and fewer of these corporate owners have a significant traditional, institutional interest in providing high-quality journalism. Their purchases have been for financial reasons—not to benefit news coverage but to make a profit. Hedge fund managers are less concerned about supporting the social, civic, and democratic needs of the communities and states the media serve.

Thus, they will cut reporting staff and resources, reduce coverage of government and community issues, and focus more on controversy and "car accidents" rather than problem-solving (if the reporting doesn't hurt their bottom lines). This hurts weekly/community newspapers, but larger daily papers are also affected. Because of this trend, there are now fewer weekly and daily newspapers.

I most recently noticed this trend when Donna and I stayed a week on south Whidbey Island in August. The south Whidbey Record, where I worked as editor in the early '70s, now has fewer pages, fewer advertisements, and probably fewer subscribers -- despite a growing population. And there's now no local newspaper office.

This industry trend is horrifying to me ... and should be horrifying to everyone who cares about the value of the "free press," free speech, and democracy itself.

Independent, alternative, nonprofit, internet-based (ironically) news media can replace some of the lost news coverage. And I'm hopeful and supportive of that trend. But, I remain concerned that they may not have the resources needed to replace all that is lost by the closure and weakening of traditional news media.


Saturday, May 28, 2022

Leonard Pitts Jr.: Sen. Bill Cassidy still doesn’t know what hit him

Leonard Pitts Jr. concludes this column:

Language — spoken language especially — has a way of making naked the implicit biases and unspoken assumptions of its users. That’s what happened here.

In a few poorly considered words, Cassidy managed to otherize women he says he means to support. Small wonder race is frequently an argument, but seldom a conversation. What’s most frustrating here, you see, is not that the senator gave offense.

It’s that he has no idea why.

https://triblive.com/opinion/leonard-pitts-jr-sen-bill-cassidy-still-doesnt-know-what-hit-him/

Sunday, February 6, 2022

Persuasive Writing Strategies and Tips, with Examples | Grammarly Blog

Matt Ellis writes at Grammarly:

"Aside from standard writing skills, a persuasive essay author can also draw on personal experience, logical arguments, an appeal to emotion, and compelling speech to influence readers.

"Persuasive writing relies on different techniques and strategies than other written works: In a persuasive essay, it’s not enough to simply inform; you also have to convince the reader that your way of thinking is best. 

"So to help you get started, this guide explains all the basics and provides persuasive writing examples. ..."

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Before you rage against critical race theory, it might be helpful to know what it is

Marcus Harrison Green writes in The Seattle Times​:

"For the record, critical race theory originated as a field of academic study from 1970s legal scholarship, led by Derrick Bell, that described how racism influences the gears of our nation’s legal, education, health care, and other social systems. 

"The theoretical framework is most often encountered in the halls of higher education, and — fun fact — can count both Mexican and Asian Americans as founders. 

"What it is not, on its own, is the embrace and implementation of a culturally inclusive, responsive and adaptive curriculum. 

"That would be found in things like expanded ethnic studies courses, and diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings such as those required of all Washington state school district staff by Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5044, signed into law in April. 

"I can see why detractors in the five states with laws already on the books banning CRT in public schools — or in the 36 states that have either moved or are moving in that direction — could be confused. Inclusive education, cultural competency, non-Eurocentric education — all sound like euphemisms for 'anti-white racism' to the willfully incurious, I suppose. ..."

Continued at the link below:

The Language of Anti-Racism | YES! Magazine

"Whether you’re a seasoned racial justice activist in the front lines of every protest or someone who’s in the beginning steps of racial literacy, we can all take time to evaluate the terminology we use when talking about race. 

"In Stay Woke: A People’s Guide to Making All Black Lives Matter, authors Candis Watts Smith, an associate professor at Penn State University, and Tehama Lopez Bunyasi, an assistant professor at George Mason University, provide a glossary of racial justice terms to help advocates understand the double edge some of these words can present.

"Watts Smith said the inspiration for the glossary came from her own students. She noticed two groups of students in her classes. Those wanting not to be racist, but lacking the knowledge to take steps in the right direction, and those she referred to as 'woker than thou.' These were students who knew the lingo, but weren’t necessarily using words in a nuanced way. ...

"Here are some of the words listed in their glossary. These words fall under categories of tools of liberation—words that enhance the lives of others—and tools of oppression—ideas used to exploit or shame people based on race. 

"No matter what level racial justice advocate you are, Watts Smith and Lopez Bunyasi say education is vital when staying woke. ..."

Continued at the link below:
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