Thursday, October 10, 2024 |
| In normal times, text-only websites are a niche interest. But a natural disaster is not normal times. By Joshua Benton. |
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| Long before anyone was accused of being “woke,” the Wide Awakes used new news technology to rapidly construct a national movement. By Jon Grinspan. |
What We’re ReadingStorybench / Dan Zedek
How open source investigations have helped reveal the costs of war in Gaza →“[The] efforts have often pierced the fog of war, but also revealed some of the limitations of OSI when presented with conflicting evidence.”The Verge / Umar Shakir
Instagram and Threads moderation is out of control →“Some users complain their accounts are being deleted or restricted for linking to articles with controversial topics. Instagram and Threads boss Adam Mosseri is directly replying to some complaints and said he’s ‘looking into it.'”Vulture / Nicholas Quah
“Good” interviews don’t matter like they used to →“We’ve long arrived at a place where Americans, now polarized beyond recognition, prefer news sources that align with their ideology, if they even consume much news at all. This is, of course, a damning reality for the traditional news business.”Yahoo Sports
Yahoo Sports and The Athletic have teamed up to create a free digital hub that guides fans to women’s sports news and analysis →“The partnership addresses clear, increased demand for women’s sports coverage, particularly across Yahoo Sports platforms. Views of women’s sports articles on Yahoo Sports are up 253% over the last 12 months. In addition, seven of the top 10 most-viewed articles on Yahoo Sports in August were about female athletes.”The Verge / Wes Davis
The Internet Archive is under attack, with a popup claiming a “catastrophic” breach →“Jason Scott, an archivist and software curator of The Internet Archive, said the site was experiencing a DDoS attack, posting on Mastodon that ‘according to their twitter, they’re doing it just to do it. Just because they can. No statement, no idea, no demands.’”Latin American Journalism Review / César López Linares
Citizen journalists are trying to fill a gap in environmental reporting in Trinidad and Tobago →“A lot of countries in the Caribbean don’t have dedicated environmental writers or reporters, or environmental news is still not a mainstream thing,” Cari-Bois coordinator Tyrell Gittens told the Latin American Journalism Review. “We have been trying in some countries to get writers and it has been exceptionally difficult. So, I think there is an opportunity to train writers there because there’s clearly a gap that still needs to be filled.”Press Gazette / Charlotte Tobitt
The Financial Times exceeds £500 million in annual revenue for the first time →“The internal performance report also shows operating profit of £30m, which chief executive John Ridding described as ‘healthy’ and ‘keeping us on track for our medium-term targets and a sustainable operating margin.’ Operating profit was £28.7 million in 2022, meaning 5% annual growth.”Radio Free Europe
Ukrainian news outlet Ukrayinska Pravda says Zelenskiy’s office is trying to exert influence over the publication’s independence →“Ukrayinska Pravda alleged that government officials are hindering its work by blocking interviews, pressuring businesses to withdraw advertising, and initiating ’emotionally-charged communication’ between President Zelenskiy and its journalist, Roman Kravets, during an August press conference.”NPR / Tovia Smith
A bidding war is brewing for Alex Jones’ media empire →“Everything from Infowars’ brand name, production rights, archive library, social media accounts, cameras and microphones, ecommerce site and customer lists to hundreds of domain names are up for grabs, according to auction firms Tranzon Asset Advisors and ThreeSixty Asset Advisors. Assets can be bought by the piece or as a package.”Latin American Journalism Review / Carolina de Assis
In Brazil’s sea of news sites, this seal will certify which show commitment to their audiences →“Brazil has 5,390 active online news sites, according to the most recent edition of the
News Atlas, which maps local journalism in the country. However, it’s not possible to know which are actually committed to their audience and, consequently, to the quality of the information they produce. A new initiative aims to add a layer of verification to the Atlas mapping, certifying Brazilian online news outlets based on transparency and credibility indicators.”Second Rough Draft / Richard J. Tofel
What the New York City Hall scandals can tell us about the state of local news →“I do hope the takeaway of funders, both institutional and individual, from this is to lean in, not away. If a mess like that now unfolding in the nation’s media capital can happen here, it’s proof anew that we need more watchdogs everywhere.”The Associated Press / Eléonore Hughes and Barbara Ortutay
X is back in Brazil after Elon Musk complied with all judicial demands →“Musk’s company ultimately complied with all of de [Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes’] demands. They included blocking certain accounts from the platform, paying outstanding fines and naming a legal representative. Failure to do the latter had triggered the suspension.”Better News / Emily Ristow
What Gen Z journalists want news leaders to know →“I don’t think characterizing younger journalists as ‘disloyal’ is fair — I think that the economic state of the industry makes it harder and harder to have a stable career,” Sonia A. Rao said. “I want stability! But I also want to be paid enough to pay my bills and not go into debt. I think it’s becoming increasingly impossible to have that without jumping around a little bit between jobs.”The Association of Argentine Journalistic Entities
Are digital front pages still relevant? Media outlets are looking to win back readers on their own platforms →“‘When you build your sandcastle on someone else’s beach, it’s their beach at the end of the day; the rules can change and the tide can come in and wash away your work,’ warns Frank Mungeam, director of innovation at the Local Media Association.”Mission Local / Kelly Waldron
Mission Local distributed 20,000 Spanish- and Chinese-language election guides →The 24-page newspaper guide collects the local news site’s coverage on the mayor’s race, supervisor races, and campaign finance coverage. “We left copies at libraries, cafes and restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, senior centers, San Francisco State University and City College — we even braved the Fell Street DMV waiting room.”The New Yorker / Kyle Chayka
Taylor Lorenz’s plan to dance on legacy media’s grave →“Lorenz has long been a vocal critic of traditional journalism’s slowness to embrace digital channels such as YouTube and TikTok that increasingly dominate young audiences’ attention. Her path through legacy media institutions was wandering and marked by public scrutiny.”
Nieman Lab / Fuego
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