12 dirty little secrets of journalism. A thread:
1. When a reporter writes a warm human-interest story about a politician, it’s often an attempt to soften up the pol to get a better story later. Stories that make pols look good are known in the business as “beat sweeteners.”
1. When a reporter writes a warm human-interest story about a politician, it’s often an attempt to soften up the pol to get a better story later. Stories that make pols look good are known in the business as “beat sweeteners.”
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
2. Sometimes an anonymous source in a news story is the main person the story is about.
2. Sometimes an anonymous source in a news story is the main person the story is about.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
3. When journalists use the phrase "observers say," it sometimes means they didn’t get anyone on the record but thought it was true, so they put the idea out there anyway. The “observers” might be anyone — lobbyists or drinking buddies.
3. When journalists use the phrase "observers say," it sometimes means they didn’t get anyone on the record but thought it was true, so they put the idea out there anyway. The “observers” might be anyone — lobbyists or drinking buddies.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
4. When a public figure makes an accusation against another public figure but offers no evidence, responsible journos hesitate to repeat it. But if they can get the accused to deny it, they're comfortable reporting it — even with no evidence.
4. When a public figure makes an accusation against another public figure but offers no evidence, responsible journos hesitate to repeat it. But if they can get the accused to deny it, they're comfortable reporting it — even with no evidence.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
5. When news outlets write “Inside” headlines (such as “Inside Kari Lake’s war room”), it often means they didn’t find a new fact worthy of a headline, so they teased instead. An “Inside” headline is a red flag that the reporting was disappointing.
5. When news outlets write “Inside” headlines (such as “Inside Kari Lake’s war room”), it often means they didn’t find a new fact worthy of a headline, so they teased instead. An “Inside” headline is a red flag that the reporting was disappointing.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
6. When a news organization is making a politician or party look bad, it often jumps at the chance to overplay anything that makes the other side look bad so the news org appears unbiased. Republicans benefit from this, since they’re more corrupt.
6. When a news organization is making a politician or party look bad, it often jumps at the chance to overplay anything that makes the other side look bad so the news org appears unbiased. Republicans benefit from this, since they’re more corrupt.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
7. The overuse of unnamed sources is subject to severe abuse. I once caught a reporter trying to describe the same source in three different ways, which would’ve made it appear to the reader that there were three separate sources.
7. The overuse of unnamed sources is subject to severe abuse. I once caught a reporter trying to describe the same source in three different ways, which would’ve made it appear to the reader that there were three separate sources.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
8. Some officeholders offer exclusives to reporters under the condition they not interview anyone else before the story runs. The officeholder might say this protects the scoop, but it also ensures the story has only the officeholder’s spin.
8. Some officeholders offer exclusives to reporters under the condition they not interview anyone else before the story runs. The officeholder might say this protects the scoop, but it also ensures the story has only the officeholder’s spin.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
9. Politicians successfully influence execs of media outlets simply by calling them. That’s because too many news execs want to be seen as powerful figures themselves rather than embrace their legitimate role conducting oversight of the powerful.
9. Politicians successfully influence execs of media outlets simply by calling them. That’s because too many news execs want to be seen as powerful figures themselves rather than embrace their legitimate role conducting oversight of the powerful.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
10. “How” and “Why” are often put in headlines to make stories seem savvy. NYT's headline “How the Worst Fears for Democracy Were Averted in 2022” could have been “The Worst Fears for Democracy Were Averted in 2022.” But “How” made it look smarter.
10. “How” and “Why” are often put in headlines to make stories seem savvy. NYT's headline “How the Worst Fears for Democracy Were Averted in 2022” could have been “The Worst Fears for Democracy Were Averted in 2022.” But “How” made it look smarter.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
11. When news outlets cite polls commissioned by political campaigns, they’re partners in spin. If the campaign didn’t like the poll results, it wouldn’t share the poll. It’s possible the campaign did several polls and shared just one.
11. When news outlets cite polls commissioned by political campaigns, they’re partners in spin. If the campaign didn’t like the poll results, it wouldn’t share the poll. It’s possible the campaign did several polls and shared just one.
(Secrets of journalism, cont.)
12. Why do we hear from the same “experts” all the time on the news? Because it’s easier for the journalists, who don’t have to find and vet new people. The scandalous lack of diversity in media is often a matter of newsroom convenience.
12. Why do we hear from the same “experts” all the time on the news? Because it’s easier for the journalists, who don’t have to find and vet new people. The scandalous lack of diversity in media is often a matter of newsroom convenience.
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