Monthly Archives: September 2016

Reaction To The Commander In Chief Discussion

As journalism divides between those who think reports and anchors should “fact-check” candidates when they make clearly false statements or repeat stump speech lines proven not true, international media like Reuters had plenty to say about Matt Lauer’s performance at the Commander In Chief presentation last night.

This is very much an ongoing discussion in journalism, particularly broadcast journalism. Some, like Chris Wallace, who will moderate one of the Presidential debates, say it’s not their job to point out untruths. Others, including a growing number of journalism ethics watchdogs, say it is.

Perhaps this should be a discussion in every broadcast newsroom: do you allow a candidate during an interview to say things which are untrue or grossly inaccurate without challenging the assertion?

Posted by Tim Morrissey

 

Wisconsin Connection To Continuing Fox News Shakeup

Greta Van Susteren is out at Fox News, as the shakeup continues, with news today that former FNC Anchor Gretchen Carlson will settle her sexual harassment lawsuit against former boss Roger Ailes for $20 million.

Van Susteren was born in Appleton and is a graduate of Appleton Xavier High School and the University of Wisconsin – Madison. She got her law degree at Georgetown.  She was a staunch defender of Ailes as accusations of sexual harassment came out in the last month.

Van Susteren is the daughter of the late Outagamie County Judge Urban P. Van Susteren, who, among other things, was a close friend and supporter of disgraced former Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy.

Posted by Tim Morrissey

A Print Executive’s Take On Investigative Reporting

“…with each passing year, the internet news culture demands ever more speed and rewards triviality and snark, not the kind of patience and nuance that is fundamental to investigative reporting.” So says Paul Fanlund, veteran Wisconsin print journalist, in his column today. Agree or not, it’s interesting reading. Here’s a link.

Posted by Tim Morrissey

A Reminder From Your WBA President and CEO

The Sensemaking Summit:

Saturday, October 1 – 9:30AM – 1:30 PM

Madison Marriott West

  
 
 

The Poynter Sensemaking Summit

 

As a journalist, you are bombarded by press releases, studies and political announcements. You need help sorting through what is real, what is noise and what is flat-out deception.

 

The Poynter Institute is offering a half-day workshop to help you ask key questions that will make your reporting more reliable and make your journalism stand out from others who just report what they hear at a news conference.

 

Al Tompkins, Senior Faculty, Poynter Institute and Elissa Yancey, Director Special Projects McMicken College of Arts and Sciences – University of Cincinnati will be our featured speakers.

 

Al & Elissa will:

 

Ø  Help you sort through promises and claims about some of the hottest topics in this political year including immigration, climate change and gun control.

Ø  Discover the money trail behind candidates to see who is supporting them including front groups for major businesses and industries.

Ø  Show you how political commercials manipulate the truth by using out-of-context facts, emotional music and patriotic images.

Ø  Show you how to look critically at online and social media posts to determine if they are real.

Ø  Help you to make sense of polling. Learn what questions to ask about the poll before you report the results.

Ø  Show you how all sources are not created equal and how your choice of sources will make your stories stronger and more accurate.

Ø  Teach you how to find the hidden metadata on digital online images to detect if they have been altered.

Ø  Show you how to verify and decode the science behind “scientific” studies.

Ø  Teach you they key questions you should ask about every study BEFORE you report the study’s claims.

Ø  Help you see the difference between correlation and causation.

Ø  Share the four KEY questions every journalist should ask on every assignment.

 

Workshop Information
 

  PLEASE NOTE: while the training and food are free (Morning Refreshments & Lunch Included), a   $25.00 donation to the WBA Foundation would be greatly appreciated.

 

To register for The Sensemaking Summit, Saturday, October 1 – 9:30AM – 1:30 PM (registration opens at 9:00 a.m.) at the Madison   Marriott West, visit www.wi-broadcasters.org