OFF THE TOP
You might have heard: Margaret Sullivan called this Election Day “media’s D-Day” (The Washington Post)
But did you know: Margaret Sullivan says ‘the media and pollsters blew it again’ (The Washington Post)
While it was long predicted that the result of the presidential election may not be known on Election Day, Margaret Sullivan at The Washington Post says after watching election night coverage, she’s convinced that public opinion polls and media outlets failed to properly cover the election. Polling averages showed Joe Biden to win handily, but that lead didn’t last long. And the media, she writes, failed to adequately convey President Trump’s newfound success with Latinos. Most importantly, she writes, it seems that the president’s campaign against the media has succeeded, citing a voter who said that all the critical coverage of Trump was merely media spin.
+ Related: As President Trump ramped up accusations of voter fraud and irregularities with mail-in voting, local reporters around the country carefully covered specific concerns while reassuring readers about the integrity of the election process (Columbia Journalism Review)
+ Noted: Gannett posts revenue decline but tops 1 million digital subscriptions in third quarter (USA Today)
API UPDATE
From the Trusting News team: Thank you for your service (Trusting News)
With the election finally upon us, Trusting News thanks local journalists for the work you do serve your community and encourage democracy. Director Joy Mayer encourages journalists to email or tweet the team if you could use support in deciding how to explain, defend or tell a story about your journalism and the public service you’re providing, and send examples of your successes with transparency and engagement strategies. Sign up for weekly Trust Tips here, and learn more about the Trusting News project — including how your newsroom can get free coaching — here.
+ How to handle reports of candidates declaring victory — or conceding — with care
TRY THIS AT HOME
BuzzFeed launches another running list, this time of false and misleading information about the election (BuzzFeed News)
Beginning at 8 a.m. on Election Day, BuzzFeed News began compiling a list of “unverified, misleading, and fake claims” that the site was able to debunk. BuzzFeed has used “running lists” before, to cover false claims about Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis, early coronavirus hoaxes, and hurricane rumors. The landing page offers a centralized location to verify online rumors, with a note to particularly watch out for videos or images that are old or out of context, misleading statistics on voter fraud and allegations of foreign interference. Each claim listed is labeled unverified, misleading or false.
OFFSHORE
India’s government is spending ever more on media ads. Who benefits? (Newslaundry)
Government spending on ads has become a major source of revenue for news outlets in India, especially during this year’s economic downturn. But these ads, bought by both local and federal governments, are often used to wield power. Government ads have been on the rise in India since 2004, but have hit new highs during Narenda Modi’s government in the past five years. Newslaundry breaks down the numbers and wonders whether the rise in spending on ads, which it says are often “self-congratulatory, vanity campaigns rather than genuine efforts to educate people about public schemes,” are a reasonable use of taxpayer money.
+ Front pages outside the U.S. on Election Day: “America votes, the world waits” (Poynter)
OFFBEAT
Talking about mental health with your employees — without overstepping (Harvard Business Review)
The wave of mental health issues plaguing people around the world during the COVID-19 crisis has been called a “second pandemic,” but it can be difficult for many to discuss, especially at work. For managers, talking about mental health is delicate but crucial to making employees feel safe and confident. One way to approach the topic is to talk more holistically about health, share your own feelings on the subject and make clear that your goal is to provide support. Don’t try to “fix” someone’s problems, but ask open-ended questions and let colleagues and employees tell you what kind of support they need. Most of all, make clear that you’re really listening by devoting your full attention to these conversations.
UP FOR DEBATE
News about the news dominated the election (Axios)
In this year’s election cycle, the news media itself has become a major story. References to misinformation and disinformation skyrocketed in the weeks leading up to the election, while articles about media bias and censorship rose from September to October. Part of this was due to President Trump’s rhetoric, who targeted the media heavily during his campaign, and other Republicans, who made claims of bias and censorship of conservatives by social media platforms. At times, like after the New York Post ran its story about Hunter Biden’s laptop, stories about the media drew a huge traffic surge online, possibly overshadowing news about policy issues that are more important to voters.
SHAREABLE
Youth-focused news is on the rise during the pandemic (Axios)
With the pandemic keeping both parents and students at home, kid-oriented news is becoming a lucrative product. The Week Junior, which launched in March, now has 75,000 subscribers, and the weekly current affairs magazine is being used by parents and teachers alike. NowThis News, The New York Times and Time for Kids have expanded their output for children, while NBC has launched a kids broadcast of the Nightly News and Nickelodeon has hired a former 60 Minutes producer to lead its news division for kids.
The post Need to Know: November 4, 2020 appeared first on American Press Institute.
from American Press Institute https://ift.tt/3jWqxeF