“The Internet had the great characteristic of allowing everybody to be a publisher, but that was also the worst thing; everybody could become a publisher. From the point of view of news consumers, that meant it had become virtually impossible for people to tell the difference between a generally reliable … and generally trustworthy site, versus an untrustworthy site.”

– Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard

Guest: Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard

What are the dangers of an open Web where anyone can be a publisher? How do misinformation sites harm reputable news publishers? How are current economic and geopolitical conditions impacting the online information ecosystem? What is a News Nutrition Label and, if consumers can’t tell the difference, how are publishers of quality journalism distinguished from misinformation, hoax and pink slime news sites? How has programmatic advertising contributed to the misinformation crisis and how can advertisers ensure site integrity when buying ad space? 

In the Season 2 premiere of News Take, News/Media Alliance VP, Research & Insights, Rebecca Frank sits down with Gordon Crovitz, co-founder and co-CEO of NewsGuard, about how his company is working to mitigate threats from online misinformation sites, which are often indistinguishable from real news sites. Gordon explains how the online environment has enabled the rampant spread of fake news and mis- and disinformation via hoax, pink slime and other sites that publish false and potentially harmful misinformation. He then shares how publishers, consumers, advertisers and other businesses, and government agencies can improve their awareness and identification of these sites to minimize their impact. In addition, he describes how news publishers can use NewsGuard’s Nutrition Labels to promote their credibility, both with readers as sources of accurate and trustworthy information, as well as with marketers as brand safe environments for their advertising.

Listen or download the audio file to listen offline:

Don’t forget to subscribe to the News Take podcast by clicking “Follow” and selecting your preferred podcasting platform, or click on your preferred platform: Spotify, Apple, Google.

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Speaker bios

Gordon Crovitz is co-founder and Co-CEO of NewsGuard, which counters misinformation online on behalf of news consumers, brands and democracies. NewsGuard analysts rate and create Nutrition Labels for news and information websites, using basic, apolitical criteria of journalistic practice. Its ratings and labels are used by news-literacy partners including technology companies such as Microsoft and libraries, schools and misinformation researchers.

Gordon was publisher of The Wall Street Journal, where he was also the Rule of Law and Information Age columnist, and spent nearly 30 years at Dow Jones and the Journal, based in New York, Hong Kong and Brussels. He was CEO of learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He was co-founder of Press+ (sold to RR Donnelley), a technology company that enables publishers to generate digital subscription revenues. Crovitz graduated from the University of Chicago and received law degrees from Oxford University and Yale Law School.

Related Links:

Get NewsGuard for Microsoft Edge 

Watch the next episode: How the American Press Institute is Inspiring Cultural Transformation in News Media

Watch the previous episode: Lessons in Practicality from The Daily Memphian: “A Lot of People Don’t Know We’re a Nonprofit”

View all episodes

Send us your suggestions

Send your suggestions for future News Take guests to Alliance VP, Research & Insights Rebecca Frank at rebecca@newsmediaalliance.org.

News Take Production Team:

Host and Executive Producer: Rebecca Frank, VP, Research & Insights, News/Media Alliance

Production Support, Editing & Distribution:

Georgi-Ann Clarke, Social Media & Content Manager, News/Media Alliance
Rachel Fox, Manager, Membership & Events, News/Media Alliance
Lindsey Loving, Director, Communications, News/Media Alliance

Audio & Video Engineer: Current Media Group

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The post News Take Episode 201: News Nutrition Labels: How NewsGuard is Helping Fight Misinformation Online appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

If you are a news publisher, click here.

Dear Facebook Advertisers:

Worried about your ads appearing next to disinformation, misinformation or hate speech?

Our journalism is written and edited by professionals. We take responsibility for what we do.

Our audiences continue to grow. The public wants and needs quality news and information more than ever.

Let’s talk.

Overview

Americans are looking to their local print and digital news publishers in this time of paramount public health concern and historic protests. Traffic to news websites has increased significantly as consumers want to know what is happening in their communities so they can stay safe and healthy, as well as engage with their fellow community members.

Our high-quality journalism offers brand safe environments for advertising. Yet news publishers are facing greater challenges than ever due to decreasing advertising revenue resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Facebook has not sufficiently addressed advertisers’ concerns about hate speech and misinformation appearing on their platform.

As you are considering alternatives to Facebook for your advertising budget, we hope you will consider advertising in your local newspaper, print or digital. Not only will you be able to feel confident in the content alongside which your ads are appearing, but you will be helping to ensure that during these challenging times, news publishers, who are working tirelessly to bring the news to their communities during this crisis, are around to cover the next one.

Support Real News. Contact your local newspaper about advertising opportunities today.

Locate your local news publisher

The post Facebook Advertisers – Let’s Talk appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

If you are an advertiser, click here.

As advertisers boycott Facebook due to concerns about their ads appearing next to questionable content, let them know that your news publication provides quality content that is reviewed by professionals, offering them an option for their ads where they can feel confident about the content alongside which they appear.

Dear Facebook Advertisers:

Worried about your ads appearing next to disinformation, misinformation or hate speech?

Our journalism is written and edited by professionals. We take responsibility for what we do.

Our audiences continue to grow. The public wants and needs quality news and information more than ever.

Let’s talk.

#SupportRealNews

Download the ad:

Alliance members can download and run this ad from the News Media Alliance, designed exclusively for members.

Below, we have provided PDF and EPS files of the color ad, in full- and quarter-page sizes, as well as digital.

News publishers may add their logo and/or contact information in the space provided in the bottom-right corner.

Print Ads:

Click on the links below to download and run the ad.

Full-page (PDF) (11.55″ x 21″)
Full-page (EPS) (11.55″ x 21″) (via Dropbox)
Quarter-page (PDF) (5.7″ x 10.5″)
Quarter-page (EPS) (5.7″ x 10.5″) (via Dropbox)

Digital Ad:

Click on the image and then right-click and select “Save image as…” to download the ad. Link to your advertising web page or homepage. You can also add your logo using the editable EPS file below.

Digital cube (300 x 250 px)

Digital cube editable EPS file (via Dropbox)

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The post Ad: Dear Facebook Advertisers – Let’s Talk appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

With an abundance of sources for news, not all of which are reliable or trustworthy, many people today may feel a disconnect with the media and the people who report it. And while adults may cite reasons such as media bias, children and young adults simply don’t understand the media – according to a 2016 Stanford University study, 82 percent of middle-schoolers cannot distinguish between an ad labeled “sponsored content” and a real news story on a website. Providing the right tools for young news consumers will help them learn how to spot fake news; how to tell the difference between ads, blogs and news reports; and how to draw their own informed conclusions.

We’ve rounded up several age-appropriate books to help kids at home or in the classroom learn how to navigate the news, just in time for back-to-school.

‘Fact, Fiction and Opinions: The Differences Between Ads, Blogs, News Reports, and Other Media (All About Media)’ by Brien J. James

This book is a good starting point for young news consumers. James defines the primary concepts of media using simple, informative text for emerging readers who are yet to learn the important differences between the kinds of information and stories available to them through the media.

Key quote: “You need to think carefully about news reports you read or hear. Sometimes stories that appear to be news reports are really ads. Other times news reports won’t include all the facts or both sides of a story.” [p.18]

Age range: 6 – 8 years old

What your kids will get out of it: By learning basic concepts of the media and the difference between fact and fiction, as well as the difference between blogs, news reports, advertisements and more, young children will have the tools to be knowledgeable media consumers and become more engaged with media in general.

‘Viral News on Social Media (Young Citizen’s Guide to News Literacy)’ by Paul Lane

Social media is a nonstop content generator that moves as fast as we can scroll through our feeds. We now experience a 24-hour news cycle that can be as beneficial to readers as it is harmful. At a time when clicks and shares are frequently valued over accuracy, readers face an additional challenge – and responsibility – of identifying false sources.

Key quote: “Many times, a picture or a headline that misleads about the actual story is all it takes for a story to be shared, regardless of whether the user reads the article. This helps news spread like an actual virus would spread between people (…)” [p.10]

Age range: 9 – 12 years old

What your kids will get out of it: Students will learn what fake news is, how to identify and respond to it, as well as how to identify reputable sources. Kids will also learn about the power of social media and how viral content spreads, regardless of whether it’s true.

‘Understanding the News (Cracking the Media Literacy Code)’ by Pamela Dell  

Children usually perceive news as foreign and unrelated to them; some choose to ignore news simply because they were never given the tools to understand it. Dell’s book highlights the importance of being media literate and gives readers access to the essential skills they need to really engage with the news.

Key quote: “Telling the difference between fake news and reals news takes the skill of an investigator. You must follow the clues that lead to the truth.” [p.28]

Age range: 8 – 10 years old

What your kids will get out of it: Children will learn the importance of media literacy, as well as the many ways news is presented and how to know if they’re using a reputable source. They will also learn how to identify fact from fiction and quality news websites from those that might be biased or fake.

‘Choosing News: What Gets Reported and Why (Exploring Media Literacy)’ by Barb Palser

News is virtually everywhere – practically everything e do is informed by the events that make up “the news.” But how do news producers decide what events should be part of the news we’re presented, whether online, on television, or in print and digital newspaper media? Is news just limited to major national stories about plane crashes and kidnapped babies, or are road closures and malfunctioning traffic lights in local communities news, too? Palser offers a simple and informative guide that answers these questions and helps kids identify real, high-quality news.

Key quote: “Call it the Awareness Instinct. We need news to live our lives, to protect ourselves, bond with each other and identify friends and enemies.” – Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel [p.4]

Age range: 10 –13 years old

What your kids will get out of it: Preteens and teens will learn how to identify what is a potential news story, and on which news platform(s) they would find it. They will learn about journalism standards, types of bias, and how blogs and aggregators work compared to traditional news outlets.

The post Teaching Kids About Media Literacy appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

I had a writing class about the power of news that turned into a heated discussion about how we categorized “fake news.” Turns out, none of us were certain. No matter how many articles we read — How to Identify Fake News, or What Makes an Article Credible? — at the end of the day, when a class of 30 junior writing college students could not come up with one straight answer, I realized that the problem was much bigger than I expected.

For the next class, our professor asked us to post five news articles we knew for certain to be true in our discussions board. Only seven completed the assignment. I’m ashamed to admit I wasn’t one of them. The truth is that I spent hours scrolling through articles in search of the right ones, and I was never certain. Most were biased, not by blatant opinions, but the words they used to describe the event. I had to get out of one site and search for another regarding the same topic to make up my mind. None seemed real enough. The easiest to pick apart were the ones messily crafted — with multiple spelling and grammar mistakes — and resurfacing old stories under a different headline or context – those were the red flags that I began to recognize after reading several articles.

But what about those who don’t like reading as much as I do? Do they ever get the truth of the specific matters they are interested about?

A new initiative by the News Literacy Project (NLP), Newsroom to Classroom, made me consider it. According to Suzannah Gonzales, Associate Director of Education at NLP, the organization was founded after Alan C. Miller visited his daughter’s middle school and realized how overwhelmed these young students were by content, and how little they understood about the practice of journalism. By taking a day of students’ school education — the last day, when not a lot of information is likely to be taught — journalists could clear up these foggy topics that not only middle-schoolers, but a large majority of us, are still unfamiliar about.

As a volunteer with NLP’s Newsroom to Classroom program, award-winning radio and print journalist and CBS Professor Emerita of Professional Practice at Columbia Journalism School in New York City Ann Cooper “visited” via video conference fourth graders at the Carl Von Linné School in Chicago on their last day of school. While Cooper only discussed why freedom of the press is important and how a student should cover a story about bullying, NLP offers other resources that address matters like fake news, and how to successfully spot the difference between professionally-crafted journalist reports and misinformation. According to Gonzales, “The Newsroom to Classroom program is a return to News Literacy Project’s roots, when journalists made in-person visits to classrooms.”

And who says that it must stay between middle school classroom walls? I could use a lesson like the one Cooper taught to the students at Carl Von Linné School to inform my college class discussions about fake news, and I’m sure other students who question their judgment about the news could use it to become more confident news consumers outside the classroom.

The Newsroom to Classroom program needs journalist volunteers who are willing to visit their local schools and teach middle school and high school students about these important topics, as they are not currently included as part of standard lesson plans in schools across the U.S.

Journalists who are interested in volunteering for this program just need to email journalists@newslit.org.

The post News Literacy Project’s Newsroom to Classroom Not Just for Middle Schoolers appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

Note: Originally published in The New York Times on Thursday, January 31, 2019 – News Media Alliance members that choose to publish the piece must include a canonical or no indexing tag. 

Want to Stop Fake News? Pay for the Real Thing

Google and Facebook should be allies of quality journalism, not its gravest threat.

January 31, 2019

Facebook and Google have been brutal to the news business. But this primarily reflects a failure of imagination. The tech giants are the world’s best distribution platforms and could be an answer for journalism instead of a grave threat.

As readers have shifted to digital sources, the two companies have taken a large majority of online advertising revenue. More important, the platforms now act as “regulators” of the news business — determining what information gets delivered to whom, and when. With the flick of an algorithmic finger, those two companies decide what news you see and whether a publisher lives or dies.

The impact on journalism has been clear. Just within the past week, we have seen over 1,000 planned layoffs at Gannett, BuzzFeed and HuffPost, and no one thinks we are anywhere near the end. Facebook and Google’s answer so far has been to pledge to spend $300 million each over the next three years to help journalism. But that money will be dribbled across a huge news landscape, and much of it will undoubtedly be used to encourage further use of Facebook and Google products.

But such investments amount to charity, and charity will never be the answer. What news publishers really need are active partners who are willing to embrace the idea that quality journalism sustains our civic society and that the answer to bad information is more good information.

We can start with the fact that “free” isn’t a good business model for quality journalism. Facebook and Google flatly refuse to pay for news even though they license many other types of content. Both companies have deals to pay music publishers when copyrighted songs play on their platforms. And the companies also aggressively bid to stream live sports and entertainment content to run on Facebook Watch and YouTube. These deals are varied and often secret, but none of them are based on “free.” Why are the platforms so unwilling to pay news publishers for access to the quality journalism that users need and value?

There’s no reason those who produce the news shouldn’t enjoy the same intellectual property protections as songwriters and producers (regulators in Europe are looking at replicating some of these safeguards for journalism).

The tech giants are also run as “walled gardens” that minimize brands and separate publishers from their readers — even while hoarding information about those same readers. Imagine trying to build a trusted relationship with an audience when you can’t even know who they are. Publishers need new economic terms that include more revenue and more information about our readers. Any minor costs to these companies would pay huge dividends not only for our society but also for their credibility with Congress and policymakers around the world.

Facebook and Google also need to be willing to acknowledge investments in quality journalism through their algorithms. They are constantly on the defensive about spreading false and misleading “news” that hurts people. They could start to address the problem by simply recognizing that The Miami Herald is a much better news source than Russian bots or Macedonian teenagers — and highlighting original, quality content accordingly. Recognizing and promoting publishers that have consistently delivered quality news content can’t be that difficult for sophisticated tech companies. And there are a range of qualified independent ratings organizations, such as NewsGuard, that could help them separate the wheat from the chaff.

Whether they like to admit it or not, Facebook and Google are at real risk when it comes to the news business. Under the adage “You break it, you buy it,” the platforms now own what happens when quality journalism goes away. A study by the University of North Carolina’s School of Media and Journalism found that more than 1,300 American communities have completely lost sources of local news.

David Simon, a former newspaper journalist who became a TV writer, lamented the loss of local coverage and said in an interview with The Guardian: “Oh, to be a state or local official in America over the next 10 to 15 years, before somebody figures out the business model. To gambol freely across the wastelands of an American city, as a local politician! It’s got to be one of the great dreams in the history of American corruption.”

Facebook and Google could address these risks by embracing responsibilities and becoming partners, rather than minor benefactors, for journalism. They need to come to the table with a real deal on revenue, data and algorithms.

Jonah Peretti of BuzzFeed has talked about digital publishers merging to gain more negotiating leverage over the tech platforms on these issues. Legislation sponsored by Representative David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat, would allow news publishers to collectively negotiate with the two companies without violating antitrust rules.

Facebook and Google talk incessantly about how they are improving the world. Why not do something genuinely good for all of us and support journalism instead of destroying it? And it wouldn’t even have to be that hard. There is plenty of money and quality content to go around. All it would take is a little enlightened self-interest and a real commitment to the continued existence of quality news.

David Chavern is president and C.E.O. of the News Media Alliance, a trade association representing some 2,000 news publishers in the United States and Canada, including The New York Times. Follow him on Twitter: @NewsCEO

The post Want to Stop Fake News? Pay for the Real Thing appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

2018 was a year of serious fact-checks and cries of fake news. Did you survive with all your facts intact? Take our quiz to see if you can spot the truth amongst the lies in this collection of wild headlines from the past year.

The post Quiz: Can You Pick Out 2018’s Top Fake News Stories? appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

As we head into the new year, we wanted to look back at some of the interesting things we learned in 2018. Over the course of the year, we’ve shared dozens of articles with you, from profiles of our young Rising Stars to columns from CEO David Chavern, from journalism history quizzes to detailed infographics about the strength of the news media during elections and on Black Friday. If you missed any of our most informative or engaging articles, now is your chance to catch up!

Is It Finally Time For A Federal Shield Law?

While a federal shield law would not supersede state laws, protection on the federal level would send a clear message about the importance of preserving the relationships journalists have with their sources.

10 Pulitzer Prize–Worthy Halloween Costumes for Journalists

It’s time for the third annual News Media Alliance Halloween costume round-up. As always, these costumes are easy for when you’re tight on deadline.

News Advertising Panorama: A Wide-Ranging Look at the Value of the News Audience

Recent research shows that, for advertisers, there’s no better audience to target than the news media audience. This research is the foundation of the Panorama, which highlights the benefits and advantages for marketers of advertising in print and digital news media.

Guest Post: When Winning Feels Like Losing

When the International Trade Commission reversed the tariffs on Canadian newsprint, publishers and paper producers rejoiced. But now that refunds are being sent to producers, publishers are left wondering if they’ll share in the returned revenue.

Rising Star: Nicole Hong

Nicole Hong moved around a lot as a child. But when she moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana in the 10th grade, she found journalism

How To: Use Twitter to Your Advantage as a Journalist

As simple as Twitter may seem, it’s not entirely intuitive how journalists should use it. Should it be used as a self-promotion tool? A way to crowdsource stories? A way to engage with readers? A way to have fun? The journalists who are most successful on Twitter use it for all of those things, and move seamlessly between those modes of engagement. We look at those journalists and what you can learn from their use of the social media platform.

Quiz: Do You Know Which Election Headlines Are Real?

As midterm elections approach in the U.S., fake news producers have been sharing more and more stories that paint one side or the other as bad actors. Sometimes, those stories can seem so plausible that even the savviest of news consumers is at risk of falling for the lies. Take our quiz to find out how you’d fare against the fake news creators!

Infographic: 8 News Media Stats to Be Thankful For

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we wanted to share some of the good news about the news media industry — some facts and figures we can all be thankful for. Among the items bringing us some early holiday cheer are increased reader revenue, the end of tariffs on Canadian newsprint, and hope for growing trust among the news audience.

Student Press Law Center Fights for Student Journalists’ 1A Rights

While student journalists may not be facing the exact same threats as their adult counterparts, there are serious threats to the student press, and the current anti-press environment has only made things worse. But luckily for students across America, the Student Press Law Center is ready to assist young journalists no matter their legal or ethical predicament.

How Women In Sports Media Are Cheering Each Other On

Women only had 11.4 percent of the sports story bylines last year — and that was up from 10 percent the previous year. Yet women make up a huge percentage of sports fans — 51 percent of women are sports fans, and they make up about 35 percent of each sport’s fanbase. So why aren’t there more women covering athletics?

Honorary Mention: Can You Tell Real News Headlines from Fake? Take Our Quiz!

Although published in December 2017, our fake news quiz has remained incredibly popular with readers throughout 2018. Think you have what it takes to tell real headlines from fake news headlines? Take our quiz to find out!

The post The Year In Review: Our Top Posts of 2018 appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

As midterm elections approach in the U.S., fake news producers have been sharing more and more stories that paint one side or the other as bad actors. Sometimes, those stories can seem so plausible that even the savviest of news consumers is at risk of falling for the lies. Are you susceptible to fake election news? Take our quiz below to find out if you’re prepared to head to the polls or if you need to do more research before you vote.

When you’re done, scroll to the end of the quiz to read the real news stories — or the fact-checks — for each of the 10 headlines featured in the quiz.

The post Quiz: Do You Know Which Election Headlines Are Real? appeared first on News/Media Alliance.

She was aware of the layoffs and other industry issues but says that being a news writer called to her.

Steph works for the Asbury Park Press (New Jersey), covering immigration as her main beat. Her favorite piece she has written was about a group of Indonesian Christians being targeted by ICE and seeking sanctuary in a church. She was able to imbed with the group for a day and a half and watch their reactions upon learning they’d be allowed to safely leave sanctuary.

“The only way you can actually cover something is by seeing it for yourself, or getting as many first-person accounts as possible,” she says. She takes her responsibility as a journalist seriously, priding herself on telling accurate stories for ‘the first draft of history.’

“I tell the victims and suspects’ perspectives to the best of my ability,” she says. Her favorite part of her job is coming across immigration stories that surprise her. “I hate when people fall into troupes – I try to tell where people are coming from,” she says. “I want to know what made them who they are.”

She hopes to get more investigative projects under her belt and describes her work so far as just scratching the surface.

As a reporter in 2018, Steph has faced more than her fair share of cries of “fake news.”

“My news outlet encourages us to engage with readers and sources on social media – I have sources and readers who comment on things. The most frustrating thing is when, instead of reading the article, people just say, ‘That’s fake news’ or ‘You’re against Trump.’ It’s difficult to have a nuanced conversation when you’re relying on social media to promote stories.”

But that doesn’t mean all criticism of the media is unfounded.

She urges all reporters to do some introspection and learn how to do their jobs better. “Especially in immigration, I can’t tell you how many times you have reporters who won’t understand and they accidentally violate religious or cultural sensitivities or make assumptions. They won’t apologize and that makes it harder for the next reporter.”

Steph advises reporters just starting out to show deference and try to make friends with older reporters with institutional knowledge. “Respecting that institutional knowledge will help make the newsroom stronger and avoid embarrassing errors that friends can help you prevent,” she says.

The post Rising Star Steph Solis, Asbury Park Press appeared first on News/Media Alliance.