tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4 2012-02-09T06:53:38Z Columbia Journalism Review: Strong Press, Strong Democracy Movable Type 4.34-en tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29792 2012-02-09T06:53:09Z 2012-02-09T06:53:38Z

By Ryan Chittum I like this Nieman Journalism Lab piece on how Salon hopped off the hamster wheel and saw site traffic increase dramatically. Salon's traffic jumped 40 percent even though it posted a third less than it had a year earlier. Adrienne LaFrance talks to Salon editor Kerry Lauerman: “I remember we had aggregated a Charlie Sheen story, and I... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29790 2012-02-08T20:14:03Z 2012-02-08T20:14:34Z

A review of Richard Seaver’s The Tender Hour of Twilight

By Phil Campbell The Tender Hour of Twilight | By Richard Seaver | Farrar, Straus, and Giroux | 480 pages, $35.00 An engaging memoir about the history of the publishing industry sounds about as plausible as a successful magazine about plumbing; people normally just want to read the books that get published, not the vulgar details of how these books made their way... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29789 2012-02-08T19:37:43Z 2012-02-08T19:41:31Z

A little more homework needed on Social Security, please

By Trudy Lieberman A recent CBS MoneyWatch piece titled “Social Insecurity” was one of those breezy, glib stories that seemed to telegraph important stuff, especially to the younger set, but actually typified the kind of shallow, incomplete coverage of Social Security we’ve seen in the last two years. That kind of reportage does a disservice to audiences and leaves them with... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29788 2012-02-08T17:47:47Z 2012-02-08T18:33:03Z

Why lifestyle pieces need context

By Ben Adler I grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, so a headline on The New Yorker's homepage Monday, declaring "Park Slope is Dead," piqued my interest. Alas, the story contained no new information, only inaccurate riffing on something I already knew about: that Southpaw—a live-music club around the corner from my parents' house, where it replaced a 99 cent store in 2002—had... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29787 2012-02-08T17:00:52Z 2012-02-08T18:25:01Z

Politicians, economy more influential than media coverage, study says

By Curtis Brainard The media influence public opinion about climate change, but not as much as national politicians and the state of the economy do, according to a new analysis of eight years of polling data. Over time, activists have pointed their fingers in many directions while trying to explain society’s failure to address the threat of climate change. Scientists, policymakers, captains of... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29786 2012-02-08T16:31:51Z 2012-02-08T16:39:02Z

A trove of stories from the Facebook IPO

By Steven Brill In his weekly “Stories I’d Like to See” column, journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill spotlights topics that, in his opinion, have received insufficient media attention. This article was originally published on Reuters.com. Facebook’s landmark IPO filing suggests lots of meaty stories. Among them: 1. Facebook, third parties and data security: Embedded in the typically long recitation of “risk... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29785 2012-02-08T15:16:58Z 2012-02-08T15:16:22Z

By Ryan Chittum tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29784 2012-02-08T06:49:04Z 2012-02-08T14:59:16Z

By Ryan Chittum American Banker's Victoria Finkle and Jeff Horwitz report on the credit card industry's payment-protection racket and note that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is scrutinizing at least one major player, Discover cards, something that could spell trouble for the industry. Customers get just 21 cents in benefits for every dollar they pay into these protections plans. The Banker... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29783 2012-02-08T03:46:23Z 2012-02-08T04:31:14Z

Campaign presented as theater in the Denver Post

By Mary Winter COLORADO — It’s caucus day here in Colorado, and recent campaign coverage from the state’s largest paper has been disappointingly content-free. And it’s not for lack of potential content. The Republican Party is chomping at the bit to reclaim this once-reliably red state in November after President Obama’s nine-point victory here in 2008. GOP presidential-nominee hopefuls Mitt Romney, Rick... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29781 2012-02-07T23:00:55Z 2012-02-07T23:17:18Z

Editorial cartoonists struggle for funds, but not eyeballs

By Alysia Santo When The New York Times sent an e-mail to editorial cartoonists on Monday announcing that “The Sunday Review section is bringing back editorial cartoons!,” several recipients didn’t share the paper’s enthusiasm. The e-mail requested that work be “original (not syndicated)” and be submitted on spec; one cartoon will be selected each week and published for a payment of $250. Romenesko... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29779 2012-02-07T21:43:07Z 2012-02-07T21:51:02Z

By The Editors Next time someone asks you to write or broadcast something for free, send them this. tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29777 2012-02-07T15:28:42Z 2012-02-07T15:30:15Z

Confusion, “clueless media policies,” day-late results

By Jay Jones NEVADA — Political reporters here—after clearing some hurdles placed in their paths—have seized on two essential elements following Mitt Romney’s sizable win in Saturday’s GOP caucuses in the Silver State. First, a strong, cohesive organization is vital for victory. Second, Nevada’s Republican leadership is neither strong nor organized. And, as at least one journalist observed, that could presage... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29778 2012-02-07T15:06:25Z 2012-02-07T15:09:29Z

By Erika Fry Last week, I wrote about the trend in political reporters confessing their bias for an exciting, close primary race; a few of them accordingly professed the media’s affection for Newt Gingrich, whose colorful, unconventional candidacy—propelled by bombast and Sheldon Adelson—has made the race exciting and, for a period, close. Were reporters rooting for a race over... tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29776 2012-02-07T07:02:10Z 2012-02-07T16:03:24Z

By Ryan Chittum tag:www.cjr.org,2012://4.29775 2012-02-07T05:38:44Z 2012-02-07T05:38:57Z

By Ryan Chittum Kevin Drum looks at how regressive taxes are at the state and local level, an issue that doesn't get nearly enough attention. While the federal system is progressive overall, even after taking into account payroll taxes, the well-off pay far less of their income in state and local taxes than the poor do. I live in Seattle, a very...