It’s Friday, December 2nd.
As Twitter continues to collapse following Elon Musk’s takeover (both its internal mechanisms and external social capital), many are testing the waters at similar platforms. But if users’ major concerns rest with privacy, access, and problematic ownership, they may want to reconsider jumping ship to Post News, an alternative launched just last month.
Post has banked initial investment on the “if you build it they will come” model. And while it might attract attention now, hasty construction means that the platform has launched without key systems in place including accessibility tools, sufficient moderation protocols, and a fully-functioning search engine.
Even the site’s welcome post, which initially claimed that users would not be targeted because of their “net worth” before it was removed following criticism, raises flags about the platform’s intended audience and goals.
Post won’t even clear the conscience of users who simply want to flip the bird at Musk. As some have noted, one of the site’s initial investors and current shareholders is Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) — the venture capital firm that contributed hundreds of millions towards Musk’s acquisition.
In response to concerns about involvement with Marc Andreessen, the a16z cofounder with a history of online harassment, Post’s founder Noam Bardin said the organization “is separated from the people involved with Twitter.”
Post is not necessarily the most nefarious Twitter alternative to gain traction over the past few months, but its issues suggest that those waiting for a morally pure equivalent may be waiting a long time.
— Holly Rosewood and Curtis Yee
RESULTS
A Bit More Media
Q&A: Reimagining Immigration News. To highlight the ways news media covers — or doesn’t cover — immigration across the United States, Define American researched and released a report on North Carolina’s journalism landscape. Last week, we spoke with Liz Robbins and Jose Antonio Vargas about their findings.
Lots of layoffs. This week, workers at CNN, Gannett, and the Washington Post were laid off. And a hiring freeze at NPR follows one announced by ABC News last month. A community aid network to support laid off Gannett employees has been established. Other opportunities for solidarity can be submitted at [email protected]
The Athletic is doubling women’s sports coverage. Axios reports that the newsroom will start with more reporting on professional basketball and soccer. According to a statement from the New York Times (the Athletic’s parent company), the initiative will allow the outlet to be ready for the “more female, diverse and multi-faceted” future of sports.
Guidance from the Trans Journalists Association. In response to the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado, the Trans Journalists Association is reminding journalists to prioritize sensitivity and accuracy in their coverage. TJA urges reporters not to print quotes that misgender or deadname a source and to ask for sources’ names and pronouns, among other advice.
Journalism educators have a “moral obligation.” Where exclusive leadership and threats to democracy stifle the future of journalism, high school and college journalism instructors can offer a path forward, writes Rafael Lorente for Poynter. “We need to broaden how we think, who and how we teach, what we cover, and our view of what constitutes journalism.”
NPA launches Resource Library. In partnership with the Google News Initiative, the News Product Alliance has released the initial version of its Resource Library. A group of experts have curated more than 200 free resources, including community engagement guides and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.
How to cover elections. The 2022 midterms are over, and journalists have room to improve before 2024 — especially when it comes to explanations. To start, FiveThirtyEight’s Maggie Koerthsuggests avoiding assumptions about voters and instead thinking more critically about popular data points and hasty hot takes.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Stay Up To Date
4 days until … Building Relationships with Journalists: For Activists and Organizers.
This conversation is moderated by Lewis Raven Wallace, Abolition Journalism Fellow at Interrupting Criminalization, and sponsored by MLK 50: Justice Through Journalism.
5 days until … Creating a Self-Care Plan that Works. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists hosts this members-only webinar. Cheryl Aguilar of the Hope Center for Wellness leads the session.
7 days until … applications close for the 2023 Total Newsroom Training. The two-day program from the Investigative Reporters and Editors is designed to help small and medium sized newsrooms.
What else should we feature? You tell us. Send an email to [email protected].
A Few More Resources
Looking for a job? Here are a few places to look: INN | ONA | JournalismJobs.com | 10 Jobs and a Dog | NABJ | AAJA | NAHJ | NLGJA | @WritersofColor | MEO Jobs | Freelance Journalist Rates | Source Jobs | Opportunities of the Week ($)
How about a style guide? Trans Journalist Association | Diversity Style Guide | Tribal Nations Media Guide | NABJ Style Guide | Disability Language Style Guide | AAJA Guide to Covering Asian Pacific America | NAHJ Cultural Competence Handbook | SPJ Race & Gender Hotline | AMEJA Media Resource Guide | The Press in Prison
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