Good morning.
- The Guild abstains
Bernie Sanders picked up the endorsement of the Communications Workers of America, a 600,000-member union that traces its roots to phone operators nearly a century ago. It's now a real mix of communications employees, flight attendants, social workers and many more, including the 26,000 members of The NewsGuild. That smaller throng includes journalists at The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Boston Globe, San Jose Mercury News, digital start-up Truthout and the digital operations at many, but not all, big print publications, such as Philly.com.
For those who believe nearly all journalists not on the Fox News payroll must be knee-jerk lefties pushing an agenda, be informed that the Guild heeded a nearly reflexive tradition and abstained in its parent's endorsement vote. While urging members to take active roles in the political process, it underscores "their need to function with full objectivity. We respect and protect that principle." It won't endorse any candidate. But, as union leader Bernie Lunzer (a onetime Minnesota journalist) reminded me last night, a predecessor of his decided to endorse George McGovern in his landslide 1972 loss to President Richard Nixon. "It was the first and last time in our history, and it was a mistake. It upset our journalists who felt their objectivity needed protection."
- Obama goes "off the record" to little avail
The president conceded in an off-the-record chat with columnists that perhaps he appeared too slow to respond to recent terrorist attacks. How do we know he conceded that in an off-the-record chat? Well, one Washington Post columnist who was there fudged attribution to write about the substance of it all, while New York Times reporter Peter Baker, who wasn't there, found out from people who were (but not from two New York Times colleagues who were there), and he correctly didn't feel bound by any restrictions. (The Washington Post) It's a reminder of the daily self-imprisonment of many Washington reporters who readily agree to be manipulated or outright lied to, albeit in "off the record" or "on background" conversations. (The Washington Post) So most of the stuff from the Obama chit-chat with columnists, albeit ultimately self-serving, did get out. The White House surely isn't too upset. Most of what surfaced could just as well been put right on the record to begin with, with their guy emerging as thoughtfully wary of overseas engagements but also self-critical of his own miscues.
- If you doubt that soccer is the world's sport...
Jose Mourinho, one of the most famous coaches, was canned as boss of Chelsea, the London powerhouse that is having a stunningly and unexpectedly bad season. A few hours after I heard the news, I went on the BBC's site to learn: "In the 20 minutes after the news of Mourinho's sacking there were 113,000 tweets sent about it. Between 15:00 GMT - 16:00 GMT, 339,000 tweets were sent and by 18:00, 641,537 posts about Jose Mourinho had been tweeted. The term 'Jose Mourinho' has been trending in cities and countries around the world." It even showed me maps of where. (BBC)
- Raining on "Star Wars" parade
Academic and MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry says the movie series is racist because Darth Vader did bad things as a "black man," though later disclosed to be white when he headed to the good side of things before exiting life as we know it. The backlash includes the argument that she "doesn't take into account that the Imperial Storm Troopers are also evil, and they wear white. Plus, she doesn't even mention Senator Palpatine, the scariest and most evil man in the Star Wars franchise who commits lots of bad deeds and is a wrinkly old white man." (Vox) Somebody should ask Fox Business host Neil Cavuto about this, especially since he did quite the on-air riff Thursday about why people who line up for days for the premiere are nuts and wasting their time.
- Juggling by a George W. Bush daughter
Washington Monthly editor Paul Glastris knows "that there's a lot of flux and experimentation going on in journalism, with 'new business models' and all that. And much of that is necessary given the tough revenue environment news organizations are operating in." But he was still taken aback to see Jenna Bush Hagar, a paid contributor to NBC's "Today," on MSNBC discussing issues related to her work as a paid spokesperson for a propane industry trade group, mostly related to changing school-bus fleets to propane-powered from diesel-powered. "So basically what's going on is that NBC is allowing Bush Hagar to use her journalistic credentials and access to shill for one side in this marketing war. This, folks, is next-generation influence peddling." (Washington Monthly)
- Reid bashes Adelson
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) provided deeply insincere counsel to Republican mogul constituent Sheldon Adelson, whose family belatedly fessed up to buying the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He suggested Adelson get more reporters. "That is a dog of a newspaper." (The Washington Post) Ah, if only his qualitative assessment and personnel recommendation didn't apply so aptly to so many other papers.
- Facebook's Authentic Names policy decried
It mandates that a Facebook user profile be a "commonly known" name. But it was creamed at a "raw and confrontational" public meeting in San Francisco by those who say the policy discriminates against those who may not use their given name, including "drag performers or people who are transgender." (CNN Money) If somebody outs you for not using your given name, you have to show evidence of your chosen name, like some ID. Otherwise, your account goes poof.
- Diversity now fashionable at Vogue
"Vogue magazine has always been deemed the ultimate purveyor of fashion, style and societal trends. And now it wants to be known as the destination for diversity. Come 2016, the high fashion publication, under the direction of Conde Nast's artistic director and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, will begin efforts to expand its reach to be more inclusive. It's one of the first times the fashion bible has outright declared diversity to be en vogue, and it's starting with the January 2016 issue." (Mashable)
- Unavoidably, a predictions item for 2016
This species should be banned by the International Journalism Criminal Court in the Hague (if there were one). But digital smarties predict it's the year podcasting fights the hype and finds if it really earns a place in the media big leagues; "candidates will ignore a lot of the truth-squading except when they can use it to attack their opponents"; the model of relying on "an endless stream of unsubstantial viral debris" will falter; people will still stumble in monetizing mobile as they seek audiences first and search for money later; and there'll be a move to more targeted reporting beats and deeper dives on stories." There's much more crystal-ball gazing here, as befits the season and a fatiguing genre. (NiemanLab)
- Protecting reporters from frostbite
ABC is hosting a Democratic debate in New Hampshire Saturday. Relegating it to a Saturday night assures the Democratic National Committee that its preferred candidate, poll-leading Hillary Clinton, need not worry about people actually watching. Relegating it to St. Anselm's College also explains why ABC sent a memo urging reporters to dress warmly. The filing center is on the college hockey rink. (POLITICO) So bring your laptop, a puck and first-aid kit in case you trip into a goal post while rushing to report that Clinton "sharply took issue with President Obama" on something inconsequential. Have a good weekend.
- Job moves, edited by Benjamin Mullin
Michele Norris is leaving NPR. Previously, she was a host and special correspondent there. (Poynter) | Mary Junck will be executive chairman at Lee Enterprises. She is CEO there. (Poynter) | Kevin Whitelaw will lead Bloomberg's congressional coverage. He is editor of CQ Weekly. Steven T. Dennis will cover the senate for Bloomberg. He was a reporter at Roll Call. (Email) | Job of the day: SF Weekly is looking for an art director. Get your resumes in! (Journalism Jobs)
Send Ben your job moves: bmullin@poynter.org.
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