We’re deep in the middle of the Iowa State Fair, the unofficial start of the next election cycle, and a time when all of us out here in the Midwest are preparing for our short time in the country’s limited attention span. Candidates descend and with them, reporters who are tasked with getting the heartbeat of the “heartland,” one of the many clichés that have been used over … [Read more...] about Opinion: Dear MSM: Some tips for covering the Midwest during the 2020 elections (Hint: Flyover is an F-word)
News and Opinion
Mental hazards of reporting not just a danger for war correspondents
After covering shootings several days in a row, Chicago freelancer Evan Moore had to report from a press conference that featured mothers of gun violence victims. It was almost Memorial Day in 2016, and the mothers, now anti-violence advocates, were urging people to stop the violence ahead of what historically has been a very violent weekend in Chicago, a sort of kickoff to the … [Read more...] about Mental hazards of reporting not just a danger for war correspondents
Rodney Davis volunteer poses as student journalist in opponent’s press conference
A top Republican campaign operative supporting Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., posed as a reporter for a college newspaper during a press conference earlier this month in an attempt to embarrass Davis’ Democratic opponent. Miranda Lintzenich, the editor-in-chief at The Alestle - SIU Edwardsville’s student newspaper, said she was concerned when she learned the Davis volunteer … [Read more...] about Rodney Davis volunteer poses as student journalist in opponent’s press conference
Trump is winning his war on truth
In the third year of President Donald J. Trump’s war on the truth, Trump is winning. When the truth loses, so does democracy and the First Amendment. Consider the past several weeks: During seven hours of congressional hearings in July, a by-the-book special counsel verified episodes showing “substantial” evidence of obstruction of justice by Trump and added the … [Read more...] about Trump is winning his war on truth
News Analysis: Health care podcast helps listeners navigate complex medical system
With discourse around health care becoming increasingly polarized, Dan Weissmann’s podcast, An Arm and a Leg, offers an insight and understanding into the complex system. But more than that, it serves as a guide for how to create narrative news podcasts. Weissmann is both a traditional print reporter as well as a radio reporter. He has produced audio stories for … [Read more...] about News Analysis: Health care podcast helps listeners navigate complex medical system