Trump’s NABJ appearance highlights the challenges of fighting misinformation in real time
On Wednesday, former President Trump was interviewed by journalists at the National Association of Black Journalists gathering in Chicago. The decision to invite him was controversial from the start, according to the NABJ Monitor, and his appearance didn’t change that after the fact. Trump began by attacking moderator and ABC correspondent Rachel Scott; Kerwin Speight was in the room, and wrote for Poynter, “It immediately felt like a skit from Saturday Night Live that didn’t play out as planned.”
NABJ member Eric Deggans writes for NPR that he supported the decision to invite Trump. Some doubted the wisdom of platforming a politician who has often used his position to demean Black journalists, but Deggans argued that “trying to get Trump to explain himself in front of a group of Black media professionals seems pretty in line” with the NABJ mission of helping Black journalists confront racist ideas and promote more accurate coverage of Black communities.
In CJR, Jelani Cobb writes that issues with this style of forum “is that a journalist’s ability to pose these questions to a figure of Trump’s temperament and mendacity in no way correlates to the likelihood of getting serious answers.” He goes on to argue that Trump got exactly what he wanted — media attention and material to pander to his fanbase.
Trump’s appearance at the NABJ conference brings up questions that journalists have been dealing with for years: whose voices should be highlighted, whether your platform is the right one for those voices, and issues of racism and misogyny that women and journalists of color face every day. Talk to your team about how you should approach platforming people with polarizing views and how your outlet’s values drive coverage using these Trusting News resources. It’s also never too early to plan ahead for how to address misinformation when it comes up in interviews.
News In Focus
Headlines, resources and events aligned with API’s four areas of focus.
Civic Discourse & Democracy
>> Media rebounds on seismic news cycle (Axios)
The unprecedented political news cycle of the last few weeks has been good for news publishers, who have struggled this year. The busy news cycle started when former President Trump was found guilty in May, but picked up even more steam after his debate with President Biden.
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Culture & Inclusion
>> How biases about motherhood impact all women at work (Harvard Business Review)
Studies have found that women of child-bearing age are often held back from career opportunities, even if they don’t have — or plan to have — children, while men are often rewarded for becoming fathers.
>> Join us: Mental health and election reporting
Created specifically for those working within a news organization, this webinar will help journalists assess where they sit on the stress spectrum, understand what is inside and outside of their control and self-prescribe a set of actions for election season to combat their unique blend of burnout. Register for the August 29 webinar.
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Community Engagement & Trust
>> Valor Econômico’s Growth Desk trains journalists to better engage readers (INMA)
Brazilian financial newspaper Valor Econômico launched an initiative focused on helping its 150 journalists transition to a digital model without sacrificing the paper’s legacy of serious journalism. Journalists would join the Growth Desk project for several months and use tools like Google Trends to find stories that would drive traffic.
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Revenue & Resilience
>> Fewer digital news outlets launched last year, according to a new global report (Nieman Lab)
A new survey has found that the number of digital news startups has slowed since 2022 across Europe and the Americas. The report cited economics and political conflicts as the causes.
>> Leveraging partnerships and sponsorships for journalism events (Better News)
Even if your live event strategy isn’t a revenue play, sponsors are crucial to covering costs and supporting long-term sustainability. Brittany Schock, the audience engagement editor at Ohio’s Richland Source, is clear about the goals of her organization’s robust event program: make connections, build trust and foster community.
>> 4 tips for finding alignment with funders to support journalism (Better News)
Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: When seeking sponsors and partners, consider a range of digital products and validate product ideas with audiences first. Through embracing emerging technologies and finding engaging local connections, news organizations can develop new products and secure funding to support them.
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What else you need to know
🇷🇺 US reporter to be freed by Russia in major prisoner swap (Bloomberg)
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Weekend reads
+ There’s a 77% chance you’re gonna see more news betting in your news reading (NiemanLab)
+ Zombie alt-weeklies are stuffed with AI slop about OnlyFans (Wired)
+ Confessions of a journalist: Three decades ago, I wrote a factually correct article that failed to convey the greater truth about who committed a sensational murder. (The Assembly)
+ Inside the secret negotiations to free Evan Gershkovich (The Wall Street Journal)
