Author: Deborah Potter

Finding your voice

You’ve heard the advice before: Be conversational, sound like a human being, don’t just read–communicate! But where do you start? For Carrie Johnson, NPR’s Justice Department correspondent, it all starts with the script. She had a career in print before…

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Finding a story about race inside the war in Ukraine

Having the right people in the right place can make such a difference in how a story is covered. All the big news organizations are reporting on the war in Ukraine, of course, and by and large doing an excellent…

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Make the most of your first job

When you’re the newest hire in a newsroom, there’s always a lot to learn: Who does what? How do the systems work? Where’s the coffee, again? It can be overwhelming. Your boss wants to get as much as possible out…

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Who are you quoting?

We live in an age of experts–or, at least, self-proclaimed experts. They’re quoted all the time. They’re all over television news. But are they really experts? Not always. Earlier this year, a guest on the cable outlet OAN claimed he…

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Learn how to rebuild trust

The most recent Gallup poll on trust in journalism reflects the damage done over four years of relentless attacks on “mainstream media” by then-President Trump and many Republican office holders. Conducted in September, the survey found that overall just a…

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How photojournalists can stay safe covering a pandemic

Working from home isn’t an option for photojournalists, whose job involves documenting what’s happening in the world. They’re used to facing hazards in the field, from media-hating crowds to natural disasters, but COVID-19 is different. “I have never backed down…

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So you want to teach journalism?

One of the most frequent topics that comes up in my conversations with veteran journalists is whether to consider going into teaching. It’s coming up again now, thanks to newsroom downsizing. But teaching opportunities are drying up too. Many Universities’…

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How to plan a journalism course

You’ve just agreed to teach a semester-long course at a University—something you’ve never done before—and the Dean expects to see your syllabus next week.  Syllabus? If it’s been a while since you were in a classroom, you may find the…

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TV news transformed by pandemic

Taping microphones to light stands. Producing newscasts from home. Doing live shots on an iPad. Local TV journalists across the country are improvising and McGyvering to get the news out to their communities as they cope with the effects of…

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Teaching and working from home

Moodle and margaritas? Blackboard and beer? Journalism teachers may be joking about beverage pairings as they prepare to teach online for a while, but they’re also facing challenges posed by the need for “virtual instruction” due to the coronavirus. Most…

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