Filed under: Government/Legal,Autonomous,Electric,Future,Hybrid,Military,Specialty
Continue reading Air Force's Agility Prime project seeks a mil-spec flying car
Air Force's Agility Prime project seeks a mil-spec flying car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Government/Legal,Autonomous,Electric,Future,Hybrid,Military,Specialty
Continue reading Can automatic car washes damage your car?
Can automatic car washes damage your car? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Aftermarket,Ford,Coupe,Military
Continue reading National Museum of the U.S. Air Force welcomes the Ford Mustang X-1 home
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force welcomes the Ford Mustang X-1 home originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Design/Style,Chevrolet,Hatchback,Budget
Continue reading 2020 Chevrolet Spark gets a dark Special Edition
2020 Chevrolet Spark gets a dark Special Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Continue reading Brabus 800 Adventure XLP is all the Xtra you could want
Brabus 800 Adventure XLP is all the Xtra you could want originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Green,Motorsports,Electric,Racing
W Series champion Jamie Chadwick is setting her sights on a dream scenario of driving a Formula One car before the end of the year now she has secured precious superlicence points in Asia. The 21-year-old Briton, winner of the inaugural all-female series last year, finished fourth in the Asian F3 championship at the weekend to bank 10 points towards the 40 needed to race in F1. With 15 more up for grabs in W Series this year, Chadwick could reach the 25 needed to take part in Friday practice
Continue reading Jamie Chadwick racks up first superlicense points to race in F1
Jamie Chadwick racks up first superlicense points to race in F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Plants/Manufacturing,Buick,Cadillac,Chevrolet,GM,Crossover,SUV,Luxury,sedan
General Motors is adding 1,200 jobs at two Michigan factories to build midsize SUVs and two new luxury sedans. GM said Friday that its Lansing Delta Township plant will get a third shift and 800 more workers to build the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave SUVs, which have three rows of seats. The Lansing Grand River plant will get a second shift and 400 more workers to build two new Cadillac sedans, the CT4 and CT5.
Continue reading GM to add 1,200 workers at 2 Michigan factories
GM to add 1,200 workers at 2 Michigan factories originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Feb 2020 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rocker Billy Idol is the face of an anti-idling campaign launched Thursday in New York City. “Billy never idles, so why should you?” the '80s MTV star growls in a public service announcement intended to shame New Yorkers into shutting the engine off. “If you're not driving, shut your damn engine off!” Idol says in the public service announcement.
Continue reading A rebel yells about pollution: Billy Idol stars in New York anti-idling ads
A rebel yells about pollution: Billy Idol stars in New York anti-idling ads originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Harley-Davidson CEO Matthew Levatich is leaving the struggling motorcycle maker. The Milwaukee company announced Friday that Levatich will leave his post and seat on Harley's board of directors. Board member Jochen Zeitz will become acting president and CEO while a board search committee is formed and Harley hires an outside search firm to fill the job.
Continue reading Harley-Davidson CEO to leave struggling motorcycle company
Harley-Davidson CEO to leave struggling motorcycle company originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Reviews,BMW,First Drives,Crossover,SUV,Luxury,Performance
Continue reading 2020 BMW X5 M and X6 M First Drive | Greed and speed
2020 BMW X5 M and X6 M First Drive | Greed and speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Etc.,Weird Car News,Videos
Continue reading Stolen hearse with body inside involved in L.A. police chase
Stolen hearse with body inside involved in L.A. police chase originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Reviews,Podcasts,Cadillac,Chevrolet,Subaru,Crossover,SUV,Luxury,Performance,sedan
Also, RIP Chevy Impala
Continue reading Cadillac CT5-V, XT6 and more power to the Subarus | Autoblog Podcast #616
Cadillac CT5-V, XT6 and more power to the Subarus | Autoblog Podcast #616 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Earnings/Financials,Government/Legal,Green,Audi,Volkswagen,Emissions
Volkswagen Group said its full-year operating profit rose 22% to 16.9 billion euros ($18.5 bln) thanks to strong sales of higher-margin cars and lower diesel charges, defying an industry downturn that has cut the earnings of rivals. Volkswagen is in the midst of ramping up sales of sports utility vehicles, which command better profits than ordinary cars, to 40% of passenger car sales from below 25% in 2018, while diesel related fines and settlements fell to 2.3 billion euros, down from 3.2 bill
Continue reading VW proposes 35% dividend increase, settles class action emissions lawsuit
VW proposes 35% dividend increase, settles class action emissions lawsuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Design/Style,Auctions,Coupe,Classics
Continue reading This AMC Pacer X actually looks badass, and it's up for auction
This AMC Pacer X actually looks badass, and it's up for auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Government/Legal,Green,Dodge,Car Buying,Emissions,Minivan/Van,SUV
Continue reading Dodge Grand Caravan, Journey no longer available in the California emissions states
Dodge Grand Caravan, Journey no longer available in the California emissions states originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Continue reading Jeep will unveil the next-generation Grand Cherokee in 2020
Jeep will unveil the next-generation Grand Cherokee in 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsOFF THE TOP
You might have heard: With its merger approved, the new Gannett readies the cost-cutting knife (Nieman Lab)
But did you know: On a rough day for American newspapers, investors aren’t buying Gannett’s story and Tribune’s not done chopping (Nieman Lab)
Gannett, now America’s largest newspaper chain by far, announced in its quarterly earnings report on Thursday that revenues are down about 10% and print advertising is down 18% from a year ago. In the earnings call, CEO Mike Reed was challenged by an investor who was skeptical that Gannett can turn itself around. “I just don’t believe where the stock is trading,” the investor said. Meanwhile, layoffs at Gannett continued Thursday, with 29 employees laid off across 17 newspapers so far. And at Tribune Publishing, Alden Global Capital, which now owns about a third of Tribune stock, is continuing forcing cost-cutting measures. At the Chicago Tribune this week, the positions of publisher and managing editor were eliminated and the editor-in-chief was made part-time.
+ Noted: Google News Initiative launches $6 million innovation fund to help diversify media (Google); Meet the 2020 Lenfest Next Generation Fund award winners (Lenfest Institute); North Carolina Local News Lab Fund deepens investment in local news and information with $270,000 in new grants, new funding, a new hire and new ways of working (North Carolina Community Foundation); Newlab and The Boston Globe team up to launch AI tools startup Applied XLabs (TechCrunch)
API UPDATE
In this week’s edition of ‘Factually’
That Bloomberg video, how politicians are weaponizing concern over Russian election interference, and bots are taking over climate discussion on Twitter. Factually is a weekly newsletter produced by API and the Poynter Institute that covers fact-checking and misinformation.
TRY THIS AT HOME
How do I…? Guides for writing, reporting, funding and more (Poynter)
Poynter’s Kristen Hare has rounded up helpful resources on topics like starting your own newsroom, finding funding, holding events, monetizing newsletters and choosing a new content management system.
+ Three ways to tap into the “news-nerd” community, and get help with your data project (Open News)
OFFSHORE
Coronavirus weakens China’s powerful propaganda machine (New York Times)
Beijing is leaning heavily on state media to fill “smartphones and airwaves with images and tales of unity and sacrifice” during the country’s struggle with coronavirus, writes Li Yuan. But the reaction from citizens has been overwhelmingly critical. Young people especially have taken to social media to challenge the credibility of state media reporting. “The backlash may suggest new attitudes among the young generation toward the state,” writes Yuan. While older generations still turn to state media for news, young people are increasingly getting their information from firsthand accounts on social media — and it’s not lining up with the government narrative.
OFFBEAT
Politicians are turning to influencers, just like brands are (eMarketer)
In the struggle to reach young voters (or non-voters, who tend to be young), politicians — most notably Mike Bloomberg — are turning to social media influencers. “Partnering with influencers in an attempt to mobilize the youth is a safe bet for candidates,” writes Jasmine Enberg. Young adults are “more likely than other age groups to consider influencers trustworthy and take action based on their recommendations.” Using influencers to get their message across also helps candidates sidestep new political advertising rules that have gone into effect on the major platforms.
UP FOR DEBATE
An argument for newspaper endorsements (Media, Disrupted)
It’s safe to say that readers aren’t looking to their local newspaper anymore to help them decide who to vote for for president. But what about down-ballot candidates? “I tried to research down-ballot candidates without using editorials,” writes John L. Robinson. It was difficult: “Straight news coverage tended to deal primarily with biographical information and bland quotes on positions. Candidate websites were almost all general policy positions that everyone could agree on.” Editorials, he argues, are still important tools for helping readers decide how to vote for candidates for state and local office.
+ Earlier: Why the Dallas Morning News won’t recommend a candidate for president in 2020 (Dallas Morning News); The Arizona Republic announced this week that it’s ending all candidate endorsements (Arizona Republic)
+ Should opinion journalists say who they’re voting for? (Poynter)
SHAREABLE
Playwrights embedded in Dallas newsroom reflect the messiness of journalism in their new drama (Dallas Morning News)
Playwrights Janielle Kastner and Brigham Mosley had interviewed and shadowed Dallas Morning News reporters for months, carefully crafting a “really beautiful, clean play” about why journalism matters. Then came layoffs at the Morning News. That triggered a complete rewrite of the play — and a deeper understanding of the challenges that come with working in local news. “That’s when we started having more complicated conversations about representation in the newsroom, and the ways in which [community members] felt like their newspaper failed them,” says Kastner. “We walked back into the newsroom with an increased awareness of this mission that is also a business that resulted in these layoffs.”
FOR THE WEEKEND
+ Maybe publisher cooperation is a path forward for news, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of public media (Nieman Lab)
+ The one way Bernie Sanders is the new Trump (hint: the mainstream media has not been taking him seriously) (Columbia Journalism Review)
+ “Please disregard, vote for Bernie”: Inside Bloomberg’s paid social media army (Los Angeles Times)
The post Need to Know: Feb. 28, 2020 appeared first on American Press Institute.
Filed under: Spy Photos,Ford,SUV,Future,Off-Road
Continue reading 2021 Ford Bronco spied alongside Jeep Wrangler
2021 Ford Bronco spied alongside Jeep Wrangler originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Green,Spy Photos,Ferrari,Coupe,Hybrid,Performance
Continue reading Hybrid Ferrari prototype suggests another electrified model besides SF90
Hybrid Ferrari prototype suggests another electrified model besides SF90 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Aftermarket,Design/Style
Continue reading Lowered widebody 2020 Corvette C8 is just a matter of time
Lowered widebody 2020 Corvette C8 is just a matter of time originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Aftermarket,Jeep,SUV,Off-Road,Specialty,Performance,Supercars
2019 Hennessey Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk HPE1000 First Drive | Sounds like war, goes like hell originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Reviews,Hyundai,New Car Reviews,Crossover,Budget
Continue reading 2020 Hyundai Venue SEL Drivers' Notes |
2020 Hyundai Venue SEL Drivers' Notes | originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Misc,Video,Affiliate Posts,Videos,Original Video
Continue reading SnoShark is one of the most popular ice scrapers on the market, but is it any good?
SnoShark is one of the most popular ice scrapers on the market, but is it any good? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Porsche,Performance
Continue reading Porsche Ice Experience in Finland — doing crazy things in high-dollar Porsches
Porsche Ice Experience in Finland — doing crazy things in high-dollar Porsches originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Aston Martin,Automotive History,Coupe,Concept Cars,Luxury,Performance,Classics,Videos
Continue reading Aston Martin Bulldog gets another chance to wedge its way past 200 mph
Aston Martin Bulldog gets another chance to wedge its way past 200 mph originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Geneva Motor Show
Carmakers were scrambling to reorganise press conferences and vehicle presentations after Swiss authorities forced the cancellation of the Geneva car show on Friday in an effort to contain the coronavirus. More than 160 exhibitors were scheduled to show off their cars and services at the 90th Geneva Motor Show, which was due to start on Monday and last until March 15. BMW and Mercedes-Benz said they would use live-streaming to present the BMW Concept i4 and a revamped Mer
Geneva Motor Show coronavirus cancellation forces automakers to rethink car launches originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Plants/Manufacturing,Hyundai,Crossover,SUV
Hyundai Motor shut down a factory in South Korea on Friday after a worker tested positive for the new coronavirus, disrupting production of popular models such as Palisade sport utility vehicle. The closing dealt a fresh setback to Hyundai Motor, which has gradually resumed production at local plants hit by a Chinese parts shortage in the wake of the virus outbreak. South Korea has the most infected people outside China, affecting companies like Samsung and Hyundai.
Continue reading Hyundai halts work at SUV factory after autoworker tests positive for coronavirus
Hyundai halts work at SUV factory after autoworker tests positive for coronavirus originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Design/Style,Porsche,Electric,Luxury,Performance,sedan
Continue reading Porsche Taycan wears SportDesign Package Carbon from Exclusive Manufaktur
Porsche Taycan wears SportDesign Package Carbon from Exclusive Manufaktur originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Continue reading 2020 Geneva Motor Show canceled by Swiss government over coronavirus fears
2020 Geneva Motor Show canceled by Swiss government over coronavirus fears originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Green
CATL , China's top electric vehicle battery maker, said it aims to raise up to 20 billion yuan ($2.85 billion) in a private placement of shares to fund its battery projects and boost working capital. The fundraising will help CATL to expand its battery-making capacity in Fujian, Jiangsu and Sichuan, as well as an energy storage research project, the company said in a filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange late Wednesday. In a separate filing on Wednesday, the battery maker said it pl
Continue reading China's CATL aims to raise $2.85 billion for EV battery projects
China's CATL aims to raise $2.85 billion for EV battery projects originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Feb 2020 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports,Racing,Performance
Continue reading KTM X-Bow GTX arrives suited for GT2 racing
KTM X-Bow GTX arrives suited for GT2 racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Aftermarket,Ford,Truck,Off-Road,Performance
Continue reading 2020 Ford F-150 Hennessey Venom 775 becomes tuner's most powerful F-150 offering
2020 Ford F-150 Hennessey Venom 775 becomes tuner's most powerful F-150 offering originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Spy Photos,SUV,Future,Off-Road
Continue reading Ford 'Baby Bronco' prototype spied wearing new duds, brawnier tires
Ford 'Baby Bronco' prototype spied wearing new duds, brawnier tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Plants/Manufacturing,Chevrolet,sedan
The Chevrolet Impala has officially been discontinued for the third time. Take a walk with us down memory lane as we explore the model's history.
Continue reading The Chevrolet Impala through the years: 1958–2020
The Chevrolet Impala through the years: 1958–2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Affiliate Posts,Videos,Original Video
We're playing F1 2019 today.
Continue reading Autoblog is Live: Playing Overpass
Autoblog is Live: Playing Overpass originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Weird Car News
Continue reading ‘Mishap’ leaves dump trailer standing on end after truck strikes overpass
‘Mishap’ leaves dump trailer standing on end after truck strikes overpass originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Green,Etc.,Geneva Motor Show,BMW,Electric
Continue reading Microlino bubble car-inspired EV reboots at Geneva auto show
Microlino bubble car-inspired EV reboots at Geneva auto show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Feb 2020 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsOFF THE TOP
You might have heard: The information demands on the modern digital journalist are overwhelming and leading to burnout (Nieman Lab)
But did you know: News consumers are also overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information (Pew Research Center)
News fatigue is a global problem that has persisted for years, and the most recent survey gauging the issue shows that it’s not getting any better. In a survey of American adults by the Pew Research Center, 66% said they are “worn out” by the amount of news coverage, while just 32% said they like the amount of news they are getting. News fatigue is more widespread among the least engaged political news consumers, showing that it’s a short hop from news fatigue to news avoidance.
+ Noted: Another Pew survey found that most Americans agree that journalists should serve as watchdogs, although Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say journalists go too far in their watchdog role (Pew Research Center); The Arizona Republic is the latest newspaper to end the practice of endorsing political candidates (Arizona Republic); Tampa Bay Times announces temporary pay cut for full-time staff (Tampa Bay Times); Five arrested, accused of targeting journalists as part of neo-Nazi Atomwaffen group (Washington Post)
API UPDATE
How to boost your donations by turning your homepage into a giving portal (Better News)
Here’s a guide to convince those in charge that you need to turn your homepage into a donation destination during your fundraising campaign. This story is part of a series on Better News that showcases innovative and experimental ideas that emerge from Table Stakes, the newsroom training program; and shares replicable tactics that benefit the news industry as a whole.
TRY THIS AT HOME
Ways to incorporate engagement into everyday reporting (Medium, Mariana Dale)
KPCC/LAist recently redesigned its early childhood education beat to focus on telling stories with and for parents and caregivers of children ages 0-5. Reporter Mariana Dale weaves some basic methods into her daily work to reflect that approach. She asks people about their information needs — “What’s an issue that isn’t getting enough attention? What do you wish you knew more about? How do you find information about early childhood?” She also spends about 20 minutes a week maintaining a spreadsheet on her sources. It helps her follow up with sources after a story is published to share how their information was used (or why it wasn’t).
+ An easy way to stay on top of local subreddits that are based on your stories or relevant to your beat (h/t to Poynter’s Try This! newsletter for this find) (Twitter, @forrestmilburn)
OFFSHORE
No email. No WhatsApp. No internet. This is now normal life in Kashmir. (BuzzFeed News)
Since August 5, Indian authorities have kept the people of Kashmir in a digital blackout, restricting most internet access. At 205 days and counting, it’s the longest-running internet shutdown in any democracy so far. Newspapers in the region have been hit especially hard, and many have stopped publishing or have started leaning heavily on government press releases. “We’re not doing journalism anymore,” says Sajjad Haider, editor-in-chief of the Kashmir Observer, one of the region’s largest publications. “We’re putting out trash. We’re afraid of our readers. If they had a choice, they would stop reading Kashmiri newspapers.”
OFFBEAT
Monetizing password sharing: what publishers can learn from Netflix (Twipe)
Password sharing has been a long-standing challenge for subscription-based companies; one that many simply shrug their shoulders at. One study found that 76% of publishers do not take any special steps to stop subscribers from sharing their log-in info. Doing so can introduce friction in the log-in process for subscribers, which may discourage them from renewing. But there are some ways to monetize password sharing that are worth experimenting with: asking subscribers to pay extra for the ability to access content on multiple devices at the same time (like Netflix does), and designing incentives for subscribers to share “bonus subscriptions” with one or two other users.
UP FOR DEBATE
ABC News hands James O’Keefe’s ‘Project Veritas’ a victory (Washington Post)
ABC News suspended veteran correspondent David Wright this week after Wright was caught on tape giving his opinion on the presidential race and Disney (ABC’s owner). Wright was secretly filmed by Project Veritas, a group that targets members of the mainstream media in what founder James O’Keefe says is an effort to expose their bias. Wright was recorded at a bar, when he was not working. “The ABC News statement cites concern about the ‘appearance of bias’ stemming from the Project Veritas sting,” writes Erik Wemple. “What bias? Must the Erik Wemple Blog lecture the suits at ABC News that having an opinion about politics is not the same as having a bias? …If ABC News has any concerns about Wright’s alleged bias — even the appearance of such — then it should present the evidence.”
+ “This suspension is patently absurd. Newsrooms continue to give in to bad faith efforts.” (Twitter, @SopanDeb)
+ Media, political elites who didn’t see Trump in 2016 are blowing it again with Bernie Sanders (Philadelphia Inquirer)
+ Knight Media Forum panel that includes the Trump campaign’s chief digital officer is getting blowback from attendees (Twitter, @MollydeAguiar)
SHAREABLE
‘The Google doomsday clock is ticking’ (Digiday)
As Google winds down data gathering from third-party cookies, publishers are getting more direct requests from advertisers for their user data. “This is good news for publishers that have scale, targeting and the wish to work more closely with agencies and advertisers,” writes Lucinda Southern. “However, more direct relationships between publishers and advertisers also throw up questions about user consent, adding time pressures when time is of the essence since Google announced it’s phasing out third-party cookies by 2022.” Publishers are scrambling to clean up their first-party data, making sure it’s compliant and valuable for advertisers. “Clients and agencies have huge amounts of money to spend and we don’t want to see that going elsewhere,” said Bedir Aydemir, head of audience and data at News UK.
+ Related: “Cookie apocalypse” forces profound changes in online advertising (Financial Times)
The post Need to Know: Feb. 27, 2020 appeared first on American Press Institute.
U.S. presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg’s recent campaign video portraying other Democratic candidates as dazed and confused in response to a question he posed during last week’s Las Vegas debate generated considerable discussion in the misinformation and media worlds.
The video wasn’t a fake, exactly, but it was edited in a misleading way. The imagery in the footage wasn’t doctored, but it was a deceptive composite. Sound effects gave it a comic effect, but it didn’t quite feel like parody either.
“Is it political spin or disinformation?” asked Vox.
During the debate, Bloomberg declared that he was the only one on the stage who has started a business, and asked the others if that was fair. The video then pasted together puzzled facial expressions of the candidates from other moments in the debate to make it seem like they were stumped. Crickets were added as background noise.
As The Washington Post’s Fact Checker noted, the video stretched what was in reality a brief moment into 22 seconds, making it appear as if the other candidates were stunned by Bloomberg’s question.
To its credit, The Post saw this kind of thing coming last year when it put together its guide to manipulated video. The guide offers a nomenclature for manipulations so that whenever one of these videos appears, viewers can use the appropriate terminology to identify it. These are important distinctions for fact-checkers, journalists and others who are trying to explain to audiences exactly how they’re being manipulated. And because video is getting easier to edit, we can expect to see more of these simple manipulations in the future.
In fact, we already are. The infamous slowed-down video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from last year was one example. More recently there was another mashup that showed Pelosi tearing up President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address at key moments in the speech. She did rip up her paper copy, but at the end, not in response to the passages shown in the video.
In awarding the Bloomberg video four Pinocchios for deceptive editing, The Post Fact Checker noted the likelihood of more to come, suggesting its judgment was partly pre-emptive.
“We’re taking a tough line on manipulated campaign videos before viewers are flooded with so many fakes that they have trouble knowing what is true,” wrote The Post’s Glenn Kessler. “The Bloomberg campaign should label this as a parody or else take the video down.”
The Bloomberg campaign did tell another Post reporter that the video was meant to be humorous, saying “there were obviously no crickets on the debate stage.”
To date, much of the debate over these video manipulations has focused on how social media platforms should respond to them. Twitter and Facebook appear divided, The Verge reported. But while the platforms try to figure out how to react to what’s already out there, campaigns with money and digital savvy are pushing into new territory, creating more ways to expand the boundaries of acceptability in political advertising.
— Susan Benkelman, API
U.S. intelligence officials worry that the two parties are distorting and weaponizing concerns about Russian election interference so much that the public will not have a full appreciation of the actual threat, NBC News reported.
\It’s been almost two months since the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in China officially announced the first death caused by the 2019 coronavirus, and the world still doesn’t know who or what is responsible for this lethal disease. So there is plenty of room for falsehoods to grow.
One of many conspiracy theories surrounding the virus involves Charles Lieber, chair of Harvard University’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Coincidentally, Lieber was arrested in January on charges of misleading federal authorities about funds he allegedly received from Wuhan University of Technology and his connections to a Chinese government-sponsored recruitment program.
A gigantic conspiracy theory followed, making him responsible for the new coronavirus – as a bioweapon developed in a lab. Last week, the fact-checker Snopes debunked the theory, concluding there is no evidence that Lieber has any known connection to the outbreak of coronavirus.
What we liked: Fact-checkers can play an important role protecting reputations and even lives. Lieber is suffering online harassment and threats based on this conspiracy theory. On Twitter, it is easy to find people suggesting he “should be injected with his own coronavirus,” for example.
— Cristina Tardáguila, IFCN
In Turkey, the fact-checker Teyit developed a project to debunk an anti-vaccination bestseller. Now this effort will receive extra funding from the IFCN.
The New York Times took a deep dive into news literacy among members of Generation Z.
Experts from different health organizations met at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Saturday to discuss ways to better communicate scientific facts. Cristina listed six tips she heard at the meeting.
The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch put together a guide for readers on election disinformation. It includes a handy glossary.
Facebook announced that it would spend $2 million to support social science research on misinformation and polarization related to social communication technologies. Quartz’s take: “Facebook threw some petty cash at misinformation research.”
Facebook is clashing with election officials in at least five states over getting accurate information about voting, USA Today reported.
That’s it for this week! Feel free to send feedback and suggestions to factually@poynter.org.
The post Factually: What exactly was that Bloomberg video? appeared first on American Press Institute.
