Americans think they know a lot about politics — and it’s bad for democracy that they’re so often wrong in their confidence
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Wednesday, September 7, 2022
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Americans think they know a lot about politics — and it’s bad for democracy that they’re so often wrong in their confidence“Political overconfidence can make people more defensive of factually wrong beliefs about politics…And those who believe themselves to be political experts often dismiss the guidance of real experts.” By Ian Anson. |
What We’re Reading
Axios / Sara Fischer
The Washington Post’s longtime tech chief Shailesh Prakash will leave for Google →
“Prakash also led The Post’s publishing arm, Arc XP, since its inception in 2015, as well as its ad tech arm Zeus.”
New York Times / Benjamin Mullin, Lauren Hirsch and Ben Hubbard
Many American companies distanced themselves from Saudi Arabia after Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. Now Vice is exploring a deal to expand there. →
Vice is in talks with MBC, a media giant partially owned by the Saudi government, to launch a new content partnership in the region. The deal, which may include the creation of a new media brand focused on lifestyle coverage and training local media workers, could be worth at least $50 million over multiple years.
Boston Globe / Larry Edelman
Brian McGrory to step down as Boston Globe editor →
“McGrory, who started at the Globe in 1989 and worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist before being named to the top newsroom job, said he will become chair of Boston University's journalism department. He will also write an opinion column for the Globe.”
Business Insider / Beatrice Nolan
Twitter accepted a QAnon account into its community anti-misinformation project, leaked internal audit says →
Twitter had been specifically warned by the company’s own experts that QAnon members would attempt to join Birdwatch, the audit says. It says this feedback “was not incorporated” into the plans for Birdwatch, and that the company found itself in a “last-minute scramble to secure the project launch.”
New York Times / McKenna Oxenden
A news anchor had stroke symptoms on air. Her colleagues jumped into action. →
Julie Chin, an anchor with the Tulsa, Okla., NBC affiliate KJRH, was suddenly struggling to speak. Her co-workers immediately called 911.
Bloomberg / Dan Murtaugh and Brian Eckhouse
A timely mobile alert may have saved California from power blackouts →
“Within five minutes the grid emergency was all but over.”
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster added 370 new words to the dictionary, including “meatspace,” “sponcon,” “virtue signaling,” and “yeet” →
Also added? “Dawn chorus,” as in “the singing of wild birds that closely precedes and follows sunrise especially in spring and summer.” That’s nice.
The Hollywood Reporter / Georg Szalai
BBC has named a new director of diversity and inclusion →
Chinny Okolidoh will be "responsible for ensuring diversity and inclusion is at the heart of everything the BBC does" and that the organization "accurately reflects the audiences it serves, both on and off air.”
Newmark J-School
The Center for Community Media at Newmark J-School is launching an Asian Media Initiative →
“‘CCM has been serving individual Asian media journalists for a long time, but this initiative will allow us to strengthen our commitment to this sector and support publishers in finding paths to sustainability,’ said Graciela Mochkofsky, former executive director of CCM and dean of the Newmark J-school.”
POLITICO / Ian Ward
Ralph Nader thinks people aren't paying attention to his agenda. He believes a print newspaper can fix that. →
“The Nation has not reviewed any of my last 12 books — not even mentioned them! — nor has the Progressive, nor has In These Times, nor has Washington Monthly," Nader fumes. "I didn't come to Washington in a UFO, you know.”
Variety / K.J. Yossman
New U.K. prime minister Liz Truss has appointed Michelle Donelan as culture secretary →
Donelan briefly worked for The History Channel and for Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment in the marketing department. “Among the top items for consideration will be whether to go ahead with privatizing Channel 4, which both [Boris] Johnson and. [Nadine] Dorries had committed to despite industry-wide criticism of the move, as well as reviewing the BBC's license fee.”
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