Hussman inspires Seaton papers to adopt core values statement
The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colo., and other newspapers owned by Seaton Publishing will soon be adopting their own set of Core Values, inspired by the column that Walter Hussman Jr., ran recently in the Wall Street Journal.
Jay Seaton, publisher of The Daily Sentinel, said their statement of values won't be a verbatim copy of the WEHCO Media statement, but – in many respects – will be a strong reflection of the values the WEHCO papers hold.
MOREStudy: Journalists need help covering misinformation
In a new study conducted by the Institute for the Future, a California-based nonprofit think tank, researchers found more than 80 percent of journalists admitted to falling for false information online. The data was based on a survey of 1,018 journalists at regional and national publications in the United States.
Perhaps more concerning: Only 14.9 percent of journalists surveyed said they had been trained on how to best report on misinformation.
MOREJournalists, political leaders agree on blueprint to rebuild public trust in institutions
Journalists, elected officials and government communicators committed to concrete steps aimed at increasing trust and civility in public life following two days of intensive conversations at the National Press Club.
Hosted by the club's nonprofit Journalism Institute and facilitated by the National Institute of Civil Discourse, the "Dialogue in a Divided Democracy" brought together more than 60 people – news media leaders and the people they cover – for face-to-face conversations about the challenges facing key American institutions. PEN America and the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership partnered in the event.
In this article, read about the steps participants agreed to take.
MOREAP to fact-check video, Spanish-language content on Facebook
The Associated Press is expanding its robust efforts to debunk false and misleading information, including in video and Spanish-language content appearing on Facebook.
With a focus on Spanish-language text, photos and video seen by a U.S. audience, AP will debunk misinformation and publish corresponding fact checks in Spanish. AP is the first fact-checker in Facebook's program to focus on content consumed by Spanish speakers in the U.S.
MOREA Trusting News analysis: What news consumers say they trust
Fundamentally, news consumers trust journalism that they find to be balanced, in-depth, honest and reputable.
Those qualities appeared over and over in an analysis of 81 in-depth interviews our newsroom partners conducted with members of their communities. And when asked directly about what defines quality journalism, they were at the top of the list.
MOREPhiladelphia publisher: Failure is not an option; tell your story!
Newspapers are all about storytelling and, yet, "with the crisis that we face as an industry, we don't do a great job of telling our very, very compelling story," Terry Egger, publisher and CEO of Philadelphia Media Network, told attendees at the Mega-Conference last week.
In his keynote address to 700 industry executives in Las Vegas, Egger called on newspapers across the country to establish conversations with local community and business leaders about the important role that newspapers play.
As an industry, he said we have suffered a lot of self-inflicted wounds. "We wish we had do-overs," he said, "but we don't. What we do have, though, is a compelling story that needs to be told."
MOREReport for America announces initiative to place local reporters in California newsrooms
Building on the success of its first year, Report for America is launching an initiative to address the proliferation of news deserts in California with the goal of placing 10 reporters into local newsrooms in 2019 and 20 in 2020.
News deserts are spreading in the state – leaving millions of Californians without basic information and accountability reporting. Since 2004, 73 newspapers have closed in the state, according to a report released by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Report for America currently has 13 reporters in Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, New Mexico, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. In 2019, they will place 28 reporters nationwide, with a goal of 1,000 reporters by 2023. The program pays for half of each reporter's salary and the remainder is covered by the local newsroom and local donors.
MOREMcClatchy president and CEO describes independent press as patriotic not political
In a speech Oct. 15 to students at University of the South, McClatchy President and CEO Craig Forman criticized the term "fake news" and championed the importance of local news. He also described a free press as one that shines light in dark corners and sometimes makes people uncomfortable.
MOREMore Americans trust the media than they did last year and the majority trust local news
There's good news for journalists: three-quarters of Americans trust their local TV news and local newspapers. Trust is also on the rise for all types of news, despite increased attacks on the credibility of the American press by President Donald Trump and others.
These findings come from The Poynter Institute's second Media Trust Survey. The research found 54 percent of Americans have "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of trust and confidence in the media, a five-point increase from Poynter's first Media Trust Survey published in December 2017.
MORECan journalists counteract hatred toward the press? It starts with explaining what we do.
The murder of five employees of an Annapolis, Md., newspaper by a reader nursing a years-long grudge over a story on his criminal conviction for harassing a woman was a horrifying, extreme example of a harsh reality editors everywhere face every day: Some people get really, really angry about the news and it's a daily slog to defuse that rage and educate the public on the vital role of the press in a free society.
After the horrific attack at the Capital Gazette, it's more important than ever that we take every opportunity – in our stories, on our "about" tabs on homepages, and in encounters with the public – to explain our mission: Who we are, what we do, why it matters.
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We have a new website:
www.newspapers.org
America's Newspapers – the association formed from the merger of the Inland Press Association and Southern Newspaper Publishers Association – was ceremonially launched October 6 at its inaugural annual meeting in Chicago.
Dean Ridings will be its chief executive officer, effective Nov. 11.
America's Newspapers unites two of the oldest press associations to form one of the industry's largest advocates for newspapers and the many benefits to their communities, civil life, freedom of expression and democracy.
"Newspaper journalism provides a voice for the voiceless, challenges elected officials, shines a light on government, calls for change when change is needed, and exposes corruption and injustice," said Chris Reen, the president and publisher of The Gazette in Colorado Springs who will serve as the first president of America's Newspapers.
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New association launches today;
SNPA-Inland merger is complete
A new association formed by the consolidation of SNPA and the Inland Press Association was officially launched today. The name of the new association will be announced on Oct. 6 at the association's first annual meeting in Chicago.
Edward VanHorn, SNPA's executive director, said that the merger unites two of the country's oldest press associations into a progressive new organization that will use its bigger and more powerful voice to be an unapologetic advocate for newspapers.
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