Journalism

In this repeat of the Talking TV episode from Feb. 17, Andrew Heyward, a research professor at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School and co-author of a new report, Beyond Objectivity, explains the problems with aiming for “objective” news and what alternate goals newsrooms would do better to pursue. A full transcript of the conversation is included.

Preston Padden: “False news has consequences. Despite all the factual information available to the contrary, millions of Americans, including Fox viewers, believe that the 2020 election was stolen. The rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 were chanting ‘Stop the Steal.’ To the best of my knowledge, the FCC never before has been confronted with a judicial holding that a broadcast licensee knowingly and repeatedly presented false news. It is hard to imagine an issue that more directly impacts a broadcast licensee’s character qualifications.”

An advocacy group that wants the Candian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to ban Fox News says the network’s “abusive content” extends beyond its divisive personalities such as recently fired host Tucker Carlson. Fox News should be banned from Canadian airwaves because it has “repeatedly and regularly” violated broadcasting standards with content that subjects many groups to hate, Egale Canada is arguing in its formal submission to Canada’s broadcasting regulator.

E.W. Scripps President-CEO Adam Symson has laid out a bold way forward for local TV news to reengage with substance, backing it with investments and more reporters. Will the market let him stay on that path?

Smith (left), who had been president, is taking over for AccuWeather founder Dr. Joel Myers, who becomes executive chairman of the company, a new strategic leadership role.

Travel across the partisan spectrum, and nearly every talking head will tell you in great detail that the country is splintered by fierce partisan loyalties and competing sets of “facts” while blaming their political foes for the current state of enmity. Which is why something of a miracle happened last week, during the 9 p.m. hour of Fox News of all places.

WLS (ABC 7) Chicago has debuted the long-anticipated ABC Owned Television Stations group graphics package, marking the first appearance of the new design. The package has been in development for nearly four years with extensive market research from SmithGeiger guiding the overall rebranding effort.

Three of the major broadcast networks — ABC, NBC and CBS — interrupted their usual afternoon programming to cover the news.

While AI has been a powerful tool for media across multiple functions, generative AI poses numerous threats that should give all companies pause as they assess its potential upsides.

Even beyond fired CEO Chris Licht’s programming blunders, the cable-news giant is facing industry-wide challenges and corporate hurdles that could make it a hard role to fill.

The judge who will oversee Donald Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday says that cameras are a no-no in the courtroom and the courthouse. In fact, reporters won’t even be allowed to use their cellphones and other electronic equipment inside the courthouse, per an order from the chief district judge of the Florida federal court. Meanwhile, Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, who will preside over the arraignment, has rejected a media coalition request for limited camera access before the proceedings, as well as to make audio available afterward. There will be an overflow room with a video feed, but reporters will have to run outside the courthouse to provide any updates on what is happening inside.

Birmingham’s newsroom denizens remain hungry. It’s a competitive news battle, and an audience eager to tune in. “It’s a fun place to be in the television business,” said Susana Schuler, president-GM of WVTM. “The community is very interested in consuming a lot of local television.” Pictured: Gillian Brooks reporting for WBRC.

Fox News said Monday was Newsom’s first interview on the network since 2010, back when Newsom was the mayor of San Francisco. Since then, Newsom has often joined the chorus of criticism against the conservative news outlet from Democrats who object to its coverage of guns and how some of the network’s hosts have embraced former President Donald Trump.

Station groups including Gray, E.W. Scripps and Nexstar are increasingly drawing on their stations to contribute stories for their national reporting projects. The ensuing collaborations are having a transformative effect on news production. Pictured: Susan Campbell reporting a story for one of Gray Television’s “consumer franchises” — Did You Know? — from KOLD Tucson.

Nearly 20 journalists will lose their jobs and more than 20 others will be moved to new assignments.

Fox News has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Tucker Carlson as he ramps up a competing series on Twitter that drew a combined 169 million views for its first two episodes. Fox is continuing to pay Carlson, and maintains that his contract keeps his content exclusive to Fox through Dec. 31, 2024. Carlson is making a First Amendment argument for posting on Twitter, and asserts that Fox has committed material breaches of his contract.

Elon Musk is courting other television news anchors to pivot to Twitter just like Tucker Carlson after his firing from Fox News. The Twitter owner shared on the digital platform that he would like to balance out the personalities delivering the news on the social network with left-leaning hosts. “It’d be great to have [Rachel Maddow], Don Lemon & others on the left put their shows on this platform. No exclusivity or legal docs required!” he tweeted.