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Journalists Leaving Twitter

Posted on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 3:00 PM

In the news: Some journalists are finding that the rewards of using Twitter no longer outweigh the risks.

This week, Twitter announced that CEO Jack Dorsey would be stepping down. And Dorsey isn't the only one leaving. In a recent Poynter.org piece, Mark Lieberman discusses the growing number of reporters who have pushed pause, some permanently, on the social media platform. "Many journalists use Twitter to connect with sources they might not otherwise reach; to drive traffic and attention to their published work; to rally support for union drives; and yes, often for fun and frivolity," Lieberman says. But there are numerous risks involved as well: "engaging in petty squabbles over esoteric issues; fielding bigotry and bad-faith attacks from anonymous users and bots; enduring relentless brain stimulation that can distort perception and distract from more pressing responsibilities."

The issue of bots and trolls is hardly a new one in the social media landscape, but in a year so laden with hot-button topics, some reporters are burned out. But, as Lieberman notes, Twitter has also made important contributions to the journalistic profession: "[Former Ringer reporter K. Austin] Collins said he's part of a generation of women and people of color who used Twitter to get attention from editors who might otherwise never be exposed to their perspectives." Read more here.

Also Notable

Mixed News for Print Magazines

Some print magazines temporarily shuttered by the 2020 lockdowns are slowly making comebacks, but others have yet to return. Kathryn Hopkins of Women's Wear Daily examines some of the challenges publishers have faced and some of the iconic magazines still absent from newsstands. In addition to "a slide in advertising, producing certain magazines became almost impossible in some months during lockdowns," Hopkins writes, "with only limited numbers of people allowed in studios and fashion items hard to come by as factories produced hand sanitizer instead of apparel and handbags." She highlights four titles that shuttered during the pandemic and have yet to return: Paper, Love, Time Out New York, and Nylon. Read more here.

City Guide Returns to NYC

Earlier this month, New York's City Guide went back into print since the pandemic began. Davler Media CEO David Miller writes on the guide's website: "Today [November 9] marks a milestone -- we are excited to be shipping our first City Guide magazine to the printer in over a year and a half. The hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting our great city this holiday season (international guests start arriving today!) will be able pick up their Guide at hotels or information kiosks and use it to decide where to eat, what shows to see, stores to visit and which attractions will wow them." The announcement is good news for print travel titles hard hit by lockdowns and travel restrictions, but Miller also emphasizes the guide's expanded online presence: "In addition to delivering millions of magazines, we now educate tourists via CityGuideNY.com, announce weekly events in This Week in the City e-newsletter, stimulate discussions through our Everything to Do NYC Facebook Group, inform industry professionals through Tourism Happenings and implement geotargeted tourism digital advertising campaigns." Read the full announcement here.

Combating Misinformation and Disinformation

The public is hungry for sharp, illuminating journalism. But news outlets hoping to cash in on the subject matter risk doing serious harm in their rush to get the scoop. This week, Mathew Ingram of the Columbia Journalism Review discusses the ongoing issue of mis- and disinformation in political news coverage. He examines the infamous October 2020 New York Post story about Hunter Biden riddled with problematic factual errors and questionable sourcing. But the problem is hardly unique to the Post, Ingram says. He also highlights disinformation from Myanmar, Brazil, and elsewhere that has proliferated on social media. Read more here.

Architectural Digest Goes Global

Condé Nast title Architectural Digest is publishing its first global print edition in December, as part of its company-wide global content initiative. Sara Guaglione of Digiday.com reports: "Editors from AD's U.S. and nine international editions came together to work on the brand's biggest issue of the year, as parent company Condé Nast continues to shift to a consolidated global content strategy that has editorial teams around the world working more closely together." The publisher sees myriad benefits of a global publishing program, particularly in terms of increased editorial collaboration and integration, cost savings. Read more here.

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