It was a busy week in the media world. Journalist Steven Sotloff was beheaded by an ISIS captor, making him the second American reporter killed by the militant group in as many weeks. The Washington Post named its first new publisher of the Jeff Bezos era. And CJR published its September/October print issue.
Culled from CJR’s own stories, plus the frequently updated “Must-reads from around the Web,” our staff recommendations for the best pieces of journalism (and other miscellany) on the internet, here are your can’t-miss must-reads of the past week:
Do you know Elise Andrew? (CJR) – Writer Alexis Sobel Fitts introduces you to the creator of the “I Fucking Love Science” Facebook page, which has garnered more than 18 million “Likes” on the social network. Andrew, Fitts writes, is media’s first truly self-made brand, as she never benefited from a mainstream media platform. The piece fomented a torrent of discussion on Twitter and in CJR’s comments section, including criticism to which Fitts responds here.
The CIA’s mop-up man: L.A. Times reporter cleared stories with agency before publication (The Intercept) – After obtaining hundreds of pages of emails between reporters and CIA flacks through a Freedom of Information Act request, The Intercept highlights a seemingly cozy relationship between a former Los Angeles Times reporter and the agency’s press handlers. On the one hand, the story justifies The Intercept’s oft-repeated claims of reporter-source incest in Washington. On the other, a certain amount of give and take between both parties is essential, especially in the broad realm of national security reporting.
How misinformation goes viral: a Truthy story (CJR) – What began as a short story on an Indiana University project one recent Monday grew, within days, to a viral Twitter meme that earned two, 4-minute segments on Fox News. The initial reporting was shoddy. But that didn’t stop online audiences from sharing it tens of thousands of times. The ironic part? The Indiana University researchers in question study, in part, how untruths spread on Twitter — a study in online misinformation became a study in online misinformation.
The newsonomics of the Washington Post and New York Times network wars (Nieman Lab) – The Post‘s partner program gives local newspaper subscribers access to its content, aiming to extend the Post‘s reach around the country. The initiative has sparked talk of a rekindled rivalry with the Times, which has long strived for national and global audiences. Ken Doctor writes, “It’s asymmetrical warfare, with divergent tactics that may seem like a hodgepodge now but will take shape and form over time.”
OTM goes inside Washington (On the Media) – The WNYC program takes listeners inside the Beltway, spotlighting the social habits, reporting pitfalls, and growing discontent among the Washington press corps. Look no further for a one-stop primer on journalism in the nation’s capital.
David Uberti is a writer in New York. He was previously a media reporter for Gizmodo Media Group and a staff writer for CJR. Follow him on Twitter @DavidUberti.
