Uncategorized
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Results from a new fact-checking field experiment
My co-author Jason Reifler and I announced the results of a new study today in a Politico op-ed. Here’s how it begins: Although the federal government is currently shut down as a result of Republican efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act, many important debates over health policy going forward will take place at the
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On the Media interview on polarization/shutdown
I was interviewed by On the Media’s Bob Garfield about how the media should cover the role of polarization in the government shutdown for this week’s show – here’s the audio:
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New at CJR: The roots of the shutdown fight
In my latest column for CJR, I urge reporters to go deeper in their coverage of the shutdown/debt ceiling fight and investigate the positions held by individual members of the House GOP and the political implications of those positions in their districts. Here’s how it begins: Washington is in full blame-game mode as the federal
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New at CJR: Don’t blame Obama’s problems on Syria
My new CJR column points out how journalists are overestimating the effects of Syria on the Obama administration. Here’s how it begins: The media love simple narratives based on dramatic events, so it’s no surprise that many journalists have suggested that President Obama’s fortunes hinge on Syria. In pursuing this line of reasoning, reporters have
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New at CJR: The costs of scandal/conspiracy coverage
My new piece for CJR summarizes new research on how media coverage of conspiracy theories and scandal can reduce trust in government and promote misperceptions. Here’s how it begins: We often speculate about how media coverage could make people cynical about politics and government. But new political science research suggests just how significant those effects
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New at CJR: The failures of campaign coverage
I wrote a column for CJR yesterday on the limits of traditional approaches to campaign reporting. Here’s the lede: CNN’s Peter Hamby has written a must-read retrospective on coverage of the 2012 Romney campaign. His report, “Did Twitter Kill the Boys on the Bus? Searching for a better way to cover a campaign”, which weighs
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New at CJR: The scandal attention cycle
My new column for Columbia Journalism Review examines how the media lost interest in the IRS scandal before all the facts came out. Here’s an excerpt: The problem is what we might call the “scandal attention cycle.” George Washington University political scientist Danny Hayes has described how the “issue attention cycle” results in a surge
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New at CJR: Rethinking fact-checking in Oz
My new column for CJR is an interview with Gay Alcorn, the editor of The Conversation’s Election FactCheck, an Australian news site that is taking a different approach to political fact-checking. Here’s an excerpt: One of the most interesting aspects of the site is the changes you have made to the standard fact-checking format used
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New at CJR: When “he said,” “she said” is dangerous
My new column at Columbia Journalism Review critiques the initial coverage of Jenny McCarthy’s views on vaccines in stories on her hiring at The View. Here’s how it begins: ABC’s announcement yesterday that actress/comedian Jenny McCarthy will become a co-host of The View brought forth a torrent of condemnation from doctors, science journalists, opinion writers,
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New at CJR: A cure for second-term doldrums?
My new column at CJR lauds The New Republic’s “Second Term Recovery Guide” as a welcome break from a mostly awful White House coverage we’ve seen from the press, including the latest outbreak of bully pulpit hype. Here’s how it begins: During second terms, the Washington press corps gets bored. There’s usually not much going