The Latest: ESPN’s emotional coverage of shooting; NY Magazine writer victim of scam; More media layoffs

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February 15, 2024

Top stories

ESPN stepped up with strong and emotional coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade shooting (Poynter) / KKFI radio show co-host and local DJ killed (Daily Beast) / KY3 news photographer witnesses shooting at Chiefs parade (KY3.com)

No more downsizing? Gannett is hiring locally at all levels (Editor & Publisher)

The Intercept lays off 15 staffers , including the nonprofit investigative site's editor-in-chief (The Wrap)

CNN to slash budgets, star salaries as Mark Thompson digs in (The Wrap)

NowThis Union says nearly 50 percent of its members were laid off this morning (Ben Mullin) / ‘Hi I just got laid off from my job at NowThis. I’m locked out of my email and my computer ... I worked there for 6+ years as a senior writer... I need a job’ (PJ Evans)

How a financial-advice columnist fell for an Amazon scam call and handed over $50,000 (The Cut)

Arena Group says it is still in talks with Sports Illustrated owner (Wall Street Journal)

‘Fox Corp is the lead investor in a new news aggregation product called Hedgehog’ (Brian Stelter)

Can new media models save journalism in Michigan ? (Crain's Detroit Business)

New York Times’ business media reporter Jeremy Peters has moved to the paper’s national desk to cover culture and politics (New York Times) / Ralph Nader, turning 90, emails journalists with ideas, criticism (Washington Post)

Associated Press gives select nonprofit local newsrooms access to its election results (Associated Press) / ICYMI: Why does everyone trust the Associated Press for calling races? (Poynter)

Meta cuts funding for fact-checking on WhatsApp as elections loom (The Information) / Chinese influence campaign pushes disunity before U.S. election , study says (New York Times)

The 5 biggest sports media storylines of the NFL offseason (Awful Announcing)

Press Freedom

Fate of Americans (Evan Gershkovich and others) detained in Russia can only be resolved ‘in silence,’ Kremlin says (Wall Street Journal)

In 2023, over 70% of journalists killed were Palestinian , new report says (Voice of America)

New York police arrest, charge journalist Reed Dunlea during protest against Israel (Committee to Protect Journalists)

Rethinking audience feedback

“Instead of asking if readers liked the piece, build your feedback strategy around asking what the journalism helped them do . Your measure of success should revolve around whether or not you helped a reader make a real decision in their life.”

-- Owen Berg, journalist and graphic designer, excerpt from How to meet readers where they are (when where they are is offline) (Nieman Journalism Lab)

Journalists & Work: Separating your career from your identity. Virtual program on Friday, Feb. 16, at 12 p.m. ET

TOMORROW: Webinar on separating your career from your self-worth

For many of us, journalism is not just a job; it is a calling. And the high intensity nature of the work of a journalist often means that our job becomes a central part of our identity.

Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute at noon ET on Friday, Feb. 16, for a conversation with a journalist and a psychologist on managing your career in a time of media turmoil.

Speakers:

Dr. Janna Koretz, psychologist and the founder of Azimuth
Kate Woodsome, journalist and filmmaker

Deadline approaching for 3 National Press Club scholarships 🎓

The first round of deadlines for three 2024 National Press Club scholarships is Sunday, Feb. 18. Funding is available for high school, college, and graduate students:

The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo is a $5,000 scholarship awarded to a high school senior. The award can be renewed for up to three years at $5,000 per year. (Deadline: Feb. 18)

The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $5,000 to support a high school senior who wishes to pursue a career in journalism. (Deadline: Feb. 18)

The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship, supports diversity within broadcast journalism. The scholarship is $5,000 per year awarded to a college or graduate student who demonstrates a commitment to a career in broadcast journalism. The award can be renewed up to three years. (Deadline: Feb. 18)

The Lewis Scholarship provides housing and a monthly stipend to support college student journalists of color with newsroom internships in Washington, D.C. (Deadline: April 7)

The Dennis and Shirley Feldman Fellowship recognizes a journalism graduate student with a one-time stipend of $5,000. (Deadline: April 14)

Please share with a student journalist in your life. Learn more here.

National Press Club news

Resources

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Bara Vaida, and Holly Butcher Grant. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover.

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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 a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest. The Institute's tax ID number is 52-1750908.