Amy Vernon

DOS Won't Hunt -- Recording Schedule through December   Interested panelists, please contact me directly via email, not just with comments on this post: [email protected]   Note to public relations teams: please only pitch panelists you have CONFIRMED will be available on those dates. This is a video podcast recording. Only the panelists will be in the session. Here are the topics I plan to cover on the podcast in the weeks ahead. All recordings will be on video, panel discussions, at 12 pm ET on the recording dates below.   December 6 – What Enterprise IT Predictions Actually Mattered in 2024? Every year sees prognostications about what tech will take off, evolve, and transform the enterprise world. What expectations did your organization start 2024 with and how has that played out? Did anything hold water? Did surprises in tech emerge during the year eclipse the predictions? Is it better for organizations to not chase predictive trends or does that mean giving up a competitive edge? December 13 – The Cloud You Want vs the Cloud You Need: Are enterprises able to tailor their cloud resources to fit their operational needs? How does that compare with ambitions? Cost? Usage? Are more organizations cloud-first? Are we ever going to see an all, cloud-first world where EVERYTHING exists in the cloud? Does that dream no longer seem real?   December 20 – Cyber Threats and the Holidays: Do retailers still face high levels of cyber risk in a world fraught with ransomware attacks year-round? Do bad actors focus their attention more on targets they strike when an opportunity arises, which might not have anything to do with the holiday shopping season? Or are there still Cyber Grinches out there who are making a concerted effort to strike as transactions fly faster than reindeer? December 27 – Infrastructure Resilience: Y2K 25 Years Later. What have we learned about maintaining our infrastructure, a generation after putting in the work to correct the Y2K bug? How has computer infrastructure been rethought? What “rules” and “norms” that were part of legacy tech no longer apply in the time of cloud, edge, and all else beyond we are exploring?

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The Wall Street Journal editor Paul Beckett’s account in the Columbia Journalism Review of how the Journal mobilized to free Evan Gershkovich after 16th months as a prisoner in Russia is a tour de force and “a free press triumph” and well worth the read. Some excerpts: A phone call to a senior government official who knows this terrain provided the answer: “There are times to be quiet and there are times to be loud—and this is a time to be loud.” “Yet on days like August 1 (when he was freed), the values that underpin democracy and are the foundation of a free press triumph.” “Few countries that are not democracies could point to such care for their ordinary citizens abroad, let alone noncitizens imprisoned for their political beliefs.” “news organizations must continue to assess and calibrate the risks their reporters face when operating in dangerous terrain. Perhaps they need to make more hard-nosed choices on whether it is necessary to deploy in person to countries that target journalists or whether that terrain can effectively be covered from outside, given advances in technology and communications.” “And they could ensure that press freedom around the world—an issue so fundamental to their existence that it is often taken for granted—is a subject they cover as if their livelihoods and their liberty depended on it.” https://lnkd.in/etZTVCeB

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It's easy to think about AI within the context of a CMS. Of using AI to optimize writing, editing, and SEO workflows. The more exciting choice is putting AI in the hands of reporters early on in the process. Over the weekend we published a deep look at how immigration is being portrayed in political ads this election cycle. It's an absorbing read--with editing and reporting from multiple desks across the newsroom. It's also the debut of one of our AI-powered reporting tools: Haystacker. We carved out a lane in our roadmap for "Ambitious Journalism"--this is what it looks like. https://lnkd.in/eTteMFxY

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The topic of corrections comes up a lot in comms. There’s some new research on this that is kind of interesting. Here is an excerpt from an article summarizing the findings: “…people generally trust journalists when they confirm claims to be true but are more distrusting when journalists correct false claims. Some linguistics and social science theories suggest that people intuitively understand social expectations not to be negative. Being disagreeable, like when pointing out someone else’s lie or error, carries with it a risk of backlash. We reasoned that it follows that corrections are held to a different, more critical standard than confirmations. Attempts to debunk can trigger doubts about journalists’ honesty and motives. In other words, if you’re providing a correction, you’re being a bit of a spoilsport, and that could negatively affect how you are viewed.” #mediarelations #psychology #sociology #PR

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An article written by Robert Nemeth documenting our Media and Journalism Research Center experience in funding media outlets in autocracies has now appeared The Fix Media. More on this topic to come soon. #capture #mediacapture #journalism #funding #support https://lnkd.in/dVNFm7Za

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A new newsletter that we Media and Journalism Research Center have written for Journalism Funders Forum as part of our great cooperation with Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association. With may thanks to our expert Robert Nemeth. Interviews with media leasers, research on relevant topics, and several articles about funding independent journalism. #journalism #newsmedia #media #funding #research #newsletter

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If you believe journalism can be a force for good, listen in briefly. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has a dedicated team of "Impact Producers" - it's their job to make sure that the findings we make get to the right people in the right way - policy makers, affected communities, regulators, business groups, prosecutors, whoever it might be. Our reporting is engaged with, not ignored. 👨‍🌾 Last year, we presented to several parliamentary committees. For the first time ever, migrant farm workers gave evidence to the House of Lords, after we reported their stories and facilitated them becoming witnesses. 👩‍🏫 After reading our exposé of Carter-Ruck, the world’s fiercest libel firm, Dan Neidle referred the firm the Solicitors Regulation Authority. 👊 We played an important role (along with tons of others) in the UK's Anti-Slapps coalition - which has already helped bring about a law to make abusive defamation lawsuits easier to dismiss. (A long way to go on that one still) 💸 After four years of uncovering a businessman allegedly scheming millions out of an indebted Essex council, that council is now suing the businessman to get its money back. The governing party was also just voted out. 🍍 We exposed that security guards on Del Monte's pineapple farm in Kenya allegedly killed people over a decade-long people. Kenya's human rights commission is investigating, the company brought in a human rights manager and tasked a new company with improving its security guard corps. 🐄 Nestlé dropped a major Brazilian beef supplier after we exposed how it sourced cattle from illegally deforested land. I'm going to leave it there, because I could go on for a long time. We've got so much to talk about that we just launched a newsletter called The Spark, which shares all the impact investigative journalism is making - yes our own, but other organisations' too. Sign up below 👇 https://lnkd.in/e4PqieVf

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Reading Harari's recent book Nexus. Excellent text to anyone interested in knowing how we got here, in this world full of toxic information, fake news and absurd conspiracies.

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Defending Digital Campaigns Michael Kaiser sheds light on the tactics used by bad actors in election interference, emphasizing their goal could be to sow chaos and apathy rather than influence voting. “They’re trying to divide us at another level,” he said. “For some bad actors, the misinformation and disinformation is not about how you vote. It's just that we're divided.” Learn more in Paige Gross’s article in States Newsroom about combating misinformation and disinformation in the upcoming elections. #Misinformation #Disinformation #Election2024 #ArtificialIntelligence #AI https://lnkd.in/eBypvBP6

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Curious to hear from journalists and other news organization professionals about how you're approaching social media now. Have you personally, or have your businesses/brands left underperforming platforms like X or Threads in search of more engaging ground at some of the newer platforms? If so, what have you found the new experiences to be like? In the meantime, check out Rob Tornoe's latest column for E&P at the link. It's insightful and practical. #socialmedia #newsmedia #Twitter #Bluesky #LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/eGnbC4ut

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The assassination attempt on the former president reminds us that all journalists must be prepared to cover public gun attacks and trauma. Has your newsroom discussed ethical approaches and tips for trauma-informed reporting? Check out my article this week in Nieman Reports (Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard) on best practices for covering mass shootings, developed from the experiences of survivors. #journalism #journalismethics #gunviolence https://lnkd.in/eaw_9nGM

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While not as clear-cut as roads, clean water, and air, the democratic value to society of public interest journalism is, in my book and many others, a public good, writes Daily Maverick's Styli C.. "The recent tsunami of bad news about the news has raised an interesting question. Are we seeing the effects of a market failure playing out, or are we seeing the death of an industry that failed to innovate and keep up with the times?" #journalism #publicinterest #news #publishing

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We lead today’s Connecting with the viewpoint of Columbia Journalism Review on the plans announced by the AP to create a new sister organization to fundraise for and support state and local journalism.   Governed by an independent board of directors, the 501(c)3 charitable organization will help AP sustain, augment and grow journalism and services for the industry, as well as help fund other entities that share a commitment to state and local news.   We also deliver more of your stories of working in your first AP bureau – continuing an ongoing theme that’s proven highly popular.   Our colleague Norm Abelson observes: “Of all the compelling, humorous, moving and enlightening pieces I have read on Connecting, the recent stories on first AP assignments rank near the top.   “Often they're as interesting as a novel, as educating as a J-school grad course, as personal as a memoir. The stories are told with honesty and openness, recalling both the successes as well as the miscues and bumps along the way.   “Both for those who opted for a career with the news service, as well as those of us who moved on to other interests, I'd argue there is no better foundation for a meaningful and fulfilling career than time spent at The AP.”   Here’s to a great day – be safe, stay healthy, live it to your fullest. https://conta.cc/4ciWKsA

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At The Writing Company, we talk a lot about how essential generosity, honesty, humility and curiosity are to good writing. I was interested to see those values mentioned in Daniel Jones' reflection on 20 years of editing the NYT's Modern Love column. Though he describes them as specific to good personal writing, we really believe that they apply to all writing aimed at humans... which is to say, all writing. From the piece: "The editor in me has noticed over time that the qualities of good personal writing — honesty, generosity, open-mindedness, curiosity, humor and humility — are the same as the qualities of someone with whom you would want to have a relationship. Likewise, the qualities of bad personal writing — dishonesty, withholding, blame, pettiness, dismissiveness and egotism — are the same as the qualities of someone with whom you would not want to have a relationship. This does not mean that good writers have good relationships or that bad writers have bad relationships. It does mean that you should strive to be honest, generous, open-minded, curious, funny and humble both in writing and in love."

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After many years in the biz, I can attest everything here is true. Journalism is much more than a career. It's a noble profession and a contact sport that isn't for the faint of heart. And remember that news doesn't happen in newsrooms so get out of the office as much as possible! #journalism #reporters Southern California News Group https://lnkd.in/gzcY4tu5

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In today's update I dive into the fallout from this weekend's election and look at how the campaign for the presidential runoff is going - particularly, at whether and how debates will be held. https://lnkd.in/d4dbjhSV

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