Brandon Watts’ Post

I'm reading a lot of end of year/state of media stuff at the moment and can get behind all of this from Charlie Beckett on why media organisations should stop looking for trust in surveys. Instead: "Build a relationship over time where people have expectations that you will deliver relevant, reliable and accessible journalism. That is much more useful than some kind of deferential, instinctive “trust.” Show them your workings, admit and correct your mistakes. Be honest about what you don’t know and listen to what your users say interests them. Try to be diverse, accurate, empathetic, and purposeful. Be constructive as well as critical. Be ethical, moral, and political without being partisan. But don’t run advertising campaigns saying how important journalism is. Don’t advocate for media literacy education on the basis that people are too dumb to realize how great and valuable your work is. First of all, get yourself more literate about technology, your topic, and your public." Via Nieman Journalism Lab https://lnkd.in/dcrhpbbq

Crime journalism is more visible than ever. Views, shares and likes help it to maintain a central place on television, in print publications and across countless digital platforms. A neoliberal model of tabloidism that sprung forth from the late 1970s shaped and reflected a market-focused economic and political social framework and provided opportunities for rapid media expansion over the last 50 or so years. The networked multi-platform and concurrent media ecosystem of hypercriminality that emerged is now a thundering crescendo of image-led news and dynamics of soap opera that characterise neoliberal tabloidism. Journalists produce bloody, ghoulish, skin crawling, sexually titillating and amusing stories to attract attention and by sharing them on, audiences become part of dissemination processes that collapse temporal and geographical boundaries with a click on a screen. They can also publicly debate crime, social causes, media content about it and become part of a cacophonic conversation that demands attention. It is busy and it is noisy. So against this backdrop how can we ensure that the content used to train A.I. systems does not perpetuate old biases but could perhaps be the answer to finally over come them? This is the question on my mind as I prepare for a public lecture on the topic. I'd love to hear some thoughts of others!

#snsinstitutions #snsdesignthinkers #designthinking JOURNALISM Journalism is the practice of gathering, analyzing, and presenting information to the public. Journalists often work for news organizations and report on events, issues, and trends to keep the public informed. It involves research, interviewing, and writing to create accurate and timely news stories. The profession plays a crucial role in maintaining an informed society and holding those in power accountable. ADVANTAGES OF JOURNALISM 1.Information Dissemination: Journalism plays a key role in providing accurate and timely information to the public, keeping them informed about local, national, and international events. 2. Accountability: Journalists hold individuals and institutions accountable by investigating and reporting on issues of public interest, promoting transparency and integrity. 3. Public Awareness: Journalism raises awareness about social issues, promotes public discourse, and contributes to shaping public opinion on various matters. 4. Freedom of the Press: A free and independent press is essential for a democratic society, enabling the public to access diverse perspectives and fostering a well-informed citizenry. 5. Educational Value: News reports often educate the public about complex topics, fostering a better understanding of political, social, and economic issues.

🚨NEW PUBLICATION🚨 This study investigates a key, if understudied, aspect of well-being in journalism: the role of newsroom leaders. Broadly this study of finds journalists attributed effective leadership to a mixture of strong cultural capital (eg respect within the field) and strong symbolic capital (eg journalistic expertise)—and most journalists argued that they had effective leaders. Samuel M. Tham and I have talked for years about the challenges of leadership in a range of fields: academia, advertising, journalism. The key challenge is that leaders are often untrained and granted leadership because of success in other roles. We'd initially gathered data from advertising and journalism for a comparative study and decided that assessment of leadership was different, hence we focus on journalism here first through long-form interviews with US journalists (n=27). I've likened the challenges of leadership to sports expertise: being seen as a great football player and "rewarded" by being given the chance to play basketball. 😅 But the results from this study seem to indicate that this *is* the right approach for journalism, given that journalists most highly-prized a key trait in a leader: whether the leader could do their job. Journalists' high evaluation of leadership did not reflect cushy positions within the field. Far from it! Journalists reflected on the difficult working conditions shared throughout the field. But they (1) did not expect their immediate leadership in journalism could affect changes to their financial situations and (2) recognized the outsized role their leaders played in trying to help them navigate the choppy waters of journalistic field. https://lnkd.in/eKkHfeTD

"Most people (including many journalists) believe there are only two news choices: good or bad. But solutions journalism is, well, both: It covers the problem, but it doesn’t stop there. The same defiance of categorization can be found in service journalism and many creative live journalism events. “Good news” feels nice, but it doesn’t ultimately do much. So I told them, “The opposite of bad news isn’t good news; it’s different news — other creative ways of telling the story and helping people navigate the world. That’s what people crave.” Then I challenged them to think about popularity. Uncovering problems is essential, but over time all those viral stories about the horrors of the world add up. Facing a news cycle saturated in that, people tune out. Those short-term click bursts lead to long-term (and growing) disengagement. Meanwhile, research suggests solutions reporting draws people back more often, for longer times, and leads to more interaction with a news source: all metrics that can help a newsroom survive. Your solutions story, your voter guide and your community gathering might not go viral, but they’re all essential when it comes to building confidence in and connection with your work. And as scale becomes less practical for newsrooms, confidence and connection will be key." https://lnkd.in/eNYkhhwN

Choosing journalism as a profession is a noble and impactful decision for several reasons- Informing the Public: Journalism plays a vital role in disseminating information to the public, helping people stay informed about current events, issues, and developments locally, nationally, and globally. Holding Power Accountable: Journalists have the power to hold governments, corporations, and other institutions accountable for their actions. They act as watchdogs, ensuring transparency and accountability in society. Giving Voice to the Voiceless: Journalists often amplify the voices of marginalized communities, bringing attention to their struggles, triumphs, and perspectives that might otherwise go unnoticed. Shaping Public Discourse: Through their reporting, journalists influence public opinion and shape discourse on important issues, fostering critical thinking and civic engagement. Storytelling: Journalism allows for the art of storytelling, capturing the human experience in all its complexity. Through compelling narratives, journalists can evoke empathy, understanding, and connection among diverse audiences. Promoting Democracy: A free and independent press is essential for a functioning democracy. By providing citizens with accurate and unbiased information, journalists empower individuals to make informed decisions and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Making a Difference: Journalism offers the opportunity to make a real difference in the world by shedding light on injustices, sparking change, and advocating for positive social, political, and environmental reforms. In a world where information is power, journalism remains a crucial profession, offering a platform for truth-seeking, accountability, and social progress. So if you're considering a career in journalism, know that you're choosing a path that can truly make a difference in the world. #ChooseJournalism #PowerOfThePress

The Myth of Objectivity Years ago I trashed a book after writing a thousand pages. The working title was "The Big Lie." It was a treatise on the threat posed by advocacy journalism, particularly in TV news. My argument began with Walter Cronkite's famous extro: "And that's the way it is, (fill in the date, fill in the year.)" For twenty years, Cronkite was America's most famous and admired journalist. From health care and politics to space exploration and the tragedy of the Kennedy assassinations, if Walter Cronkite said it, it must be true. Americans believed that the CBS Evening News was authentic and comprehensive. In truth, it was a narrow-angle 24 minute snapshot presented as if it were a wide ranging look at the world. Americans were lulled into thinking that "the news" as reported was the truth and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately most journalists today believe they are immune from subjectivity and bias. Journalism schools teach the concept of objectivity. Once you become a journalist, you are automatically objective. Forget that personal bias is among our strongest natural tendencies, when you get a journalism badge, you become totally objective and you have a corner on the truth. Confidence in "the news business" shrinks by the hour. Instead of using the Socratic Method (ask questions) reporters make observations. They regularly interpret stories through the lens of personal bias without regard for fairness. Most of them don't even know they're doing it! To make things worse, Americans now search for news that matches their own bias, leading to a preponderance of false narratives and societal unrest. Pick your network, pick your bias. The Myth of Objectivity is a serious problem. I believe journalists should recognize their bias and work to understand and fairly represent opposing points of view in their reporting. And I believe that when Cronkite said "That's the way it is..." he was foreshadowing "The Big Lie." What's your opinion?

Online Trolls, Journalism and the Freedom of Speech: Are the Bullies Taking Over? Claire Wolfe Abstract: This paper explores the legal and ethical challenges faced by journalists in retaining open channels of discourse online. Quantitative and qualitative research involving twenty experienced reporters, twenty new media industry recruits and forty journalism undergraduates assesses the extent to which internet trolls impacted on their work. It found that while the sample was required to have an online presence and to interact with their audiences through social media, they received little guidance in dealing with abuse and threats. A significant number, including the journalism students developing their online presence, felt that hostile experiences had affected their ability to express themselves freely. This has an impact on a journalist’s critical role as a guardian of free speech in a democratic society. Social media adds to the pressures on journalists and raises concerns over the effectiveness of existing complaint mechanisms. A case is made for more support from both educators and the media industry to ensure these freedoms are not eroded. https://lnkd.in/eUP9hDfm

"We need to take some time to reflect on why we think journalism is important and what role it plays in societies. Traditionally, we tend to think about the mission of journalism as informing the public about what is going on in their community, in their country, and across the world; to supply them with the information they need to make informed choices, for example about how they are going to vote in an election. Is that enough? Do we really believe that all journalism should aim to do is provide information to the public? I don’t think so. This belief risks confusing the production of content with mission accomplished. It suggests that the moment information is provided, our job is done. In this context, extreme user-centricity means acknowledging that information has value only if we help people use it to take action and inspire positive change. So how can we rethink, reconnect with, and update our mission? As journalists, we should care about the people we report for, right? Otherwise why bother? The problem is that empathy often is not required to do the journalism we currently produce. The system is not designed to reward empathy as a valuable skill. For that to change, we have to start thinking of journalism as a conversation and as a service based on listening, rather than as a mere exercise of content production." Via International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) https://lnkd.in/di_dwYmE

Despite the challenges journalism continues to face there are still reasons for optimism. Greentarget’s Lisa Seidenberg and Hanaa Tameez, staff writer for the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, discuss in our latest insight piece. From advancements in technology to the growing demand for high-quality content, there are numerous factors driving a positive change for a stronger news industry. Check out the full article to explore the trends that are shaping a brighter future for journalism. #Journalism #AI #CollegeJournalism #FutureOfNews #PublicRelations