6 Free Webinars this week about social media, journalism, ethics, editing & more

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Tues, Feb 14 – Social Media 102

What: Learn a few advanced social media tips and tricks, elevate your social media presence through micro strategies and activate your advocates.

Who: Kiersten Hill Director of Nonprofit Solutions for FireSpring

When: 2 pm, Central

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: FireSpring

More info

 

Wed, Feb 15 – TikTok for Brick and Mortar Stores: Everything You Need to Know About TikTok Advertising

What: Learn how to make the most of advertising on TikTok, see great campaign examples, and get all your TikTok updates in this jam-packed webinar.

Who: Dan Dillon, CMO at Reveal Mobile; Rachel Cartledge, TikTok account manager at Reveal Mobile

When: 1 pm, Central

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Reveal Media

More info

 

Thu, Feb 16 - Navigating Ethical Pitfalls

What: A discussion of ethical dilemmas that journalists face and on how reporters can use the SPJ Code of Ethics and their own good judgment to uphold high journalistic standards and avoid unnecessary harm. How newsrooms reach a consensus on the most ethical way to report the news. Among the  ethics topics: plagiarism, attribution, fabrication, social media use, conflicts of interest, protecting sources, etc.

Who: Fred Brown, who wrote “Media Ethics A Guide For Professional Conduct” and guided the modern SPJ Code of Ethics; Community journalist Denise Civiletti, the editor, publisher and co-founder of RiverheadLOCAL; Press Club of Long Island President Brendan O’Reilly will moderate.

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Press Club of Long Island

More info

 

Thu, Feb 16 - How Culture, Community, and the Digital Revolution is Reshaping Media, Marketing, and Storytelling

What: A talk about how social media has shaped modern narratives about the Black experience and provided new outlets and insights for storytellers in media, journalism, and marketing. All are invited to join the event in Evanston and it will be livestreamed for those joining from afar.  

Who: Danielle Cadet, Executive Editor and Vice President of Content at Essence Magazine; Marcus Collins, author of the forthcoming book “For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be”

When: 5:30, Central

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University

More info

 

Fri, Feb 17 - Can we live together? The crisis of journalism in America

Who: Emma Green is a staff writer at The New Yorker, where she covers cultural conflicts in academia. She was previously a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she covered religion and politics.

When: Noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine at Duke; The Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School

More info

 

Fri, Feb 17 - Exploring Craft: A master class in copyediting 

What: A rousing behind-the-editor’s desk viewpoint on sharpening your writing and elevating your use of language. Dreyer will share his tips and tools for writing before taking questions during a free webinar.

Who: Benjamin Dreyer, Random House executive managing editor and copy chief and author of the New York Times bestseller Dreyer's English.

When: 11:30 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The National Press Club Journalism Institute in coordination with the NPC Freelance Team.

More info

Don't Forget about the Blue Goat

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The most popular episode of the 1970s sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show was titled Chuckles Bites the Dust. The main character (Mary Richards, played by Mary Tyler Moore) was a news producer for a TV station where one of the shows featured Chuckles the Clown.

Chuckles served as grand marshal of a city parade when a rogue elephant attacked and killed him. Throughout the episode, Mary’s colleagues made jokes at the poor man’s expense. But she took his death seriously and chastised them for the inappropriate behavior. That is, until Chuckle's funeral. That’s when the roles reversed. Her coworkers became solemn and sober, but Mary couldn’t suppress her urge to giggle during the eulogy at the clown’s comedic demise and references to his silly routine for children.  

It was ranked #1 on TV Guide's 1997 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.

Ever tried not to laugh at a wedding, church, or another solemn event? The more you fight it, the stronger the urge becomes to burst out howling. Ever had a crazy thought pop into your head about disrupting a meeting? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you stood up in a restaurant and started yelling? Or start a food fight? Have you had a crazy thought pop into your head about what it would be like if you jumped out of a one-story window to the surprise of your coworkers? 

Suppress that contrarian thought, and it can become an outright urge. Suddenly, you are wondering if you can prevent yourself from doing something completely outrageous and inappropriate. The more you try to avoid the idea, the stronger the desire becomes to do it. Anyone who’s tried to quit smoking or stop drinking alcohol probably knows the feeling. 

A paper in the Journal Science tries to explain the phenomenon. Harvard psychologist Daniel Wegner says if you keep ruminating on the idea of something bad happening, it can make it more likely to occur. 

Our brains are busy suppressing impulses all the time. We use a great deal of energy to keep inclinations in check. When we focus intensely on avoiding errors and taboos, the impulse can be strengthened because the brain is locked on the idea. 

Just try not to think of a blue goat.

In sports, players may be told not to swing their bat or golf club a certain way. Soon, the athlete can barely avoid doing it and feels obsessed and distracted, especially under pressure.

Are you not thinking of a blue goat? 

It’s hard to shake until something new shoves the thought out of the way. There’s the solution: Instead of trying to keep down the stray thought, use your energy to focus on something else that can take its place.

Basketball players are more successful when they visualize the ball going through the hoop and the process of getting it there. Rather than focusing on "not missing," they see success through visualizing accomplishment. Even thoughts of depression can sometimes be squeezed out by changing our focus from our own situation to helping someone else.

Just don’t forget about the blue goat.

Stephen Goforth

Should you focus on learning the basics or developing creativity?

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Putting the learning basic knowledge against the development of creative thinking is a false choice. Both need to be cultivated. The stronger one's knowledge about the subject hand, the more nuanced one's creativity can be in addressing a new problem. Just as knowledge amounts to little without the exercise of ingenuity and imagination, creativity absent a sturdy foundation of knowledge builds a shaky house.

Peter C. Brown and Henry L. Roediger III, Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

Gaining new Perspective by unfocusing

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Truly successful people don’t come up with great ideas through focus alone. They are successful because they make time to not concentrate and to engage in a broad array of activities like playing golf. As a consequence, they think inventively and are profoundly creative: they develop innovative solutions to problems and connect dots in brilliant ways.

In a time and age when everyone is over-scheduled and over-focused, creativity is more and more prized— it’s the key to your effectiveness and success, in life and in business.

Experts suggest that the key to being idle or to unfocusing is to diversify our activities rather than being constantly focused on a single task. To get a new perspective on something, we actually need to disengage from it. We can diversify in two ways: through mindless tasks or through a broader set of experiences.

Stanford psychologist Emma Seppälä writing in the Washington Post

Technology & the Ability to Focus

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There are two schools of thought on attention. The first argues that we haven’t lost our ability to focus, it has been wrested, even “stolen”, from us by technology. In this view we’re little more than lab rats lured by notifications and algorithms, pings and dings in a large-scale social experiment. We may develop strategies for resisting those dopamine dispensers, such as blocking software or switching to a “brick phone”. But the game is rigged against us.

Those in the second camp may scoff at this: they maintain that most of our struggles with focus are more to do with self-control. There is no notification that can distract us unless we are on some level willing to be distracted. Even the notion of a “shorter attention span” may provoke skepticism.

Instead, could it be that you’re just not that motivated? Whichever worldview you subscribe to – that our attention has been hijacked by our devices, or by our lack of self-discipline – they share an element of fatalism: there is either little you can do, or you’re just not doing enough. 

Elle Hunt writing in The Guardian

Our Brains Trick Us

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The futures we imagine contain some details that our brains invented and lack some details that our brains ignored. The problem is that our brains fill in and leave out. God help us if they didn’t.

No, the problem is that they do this so well that we aren’t aware it is happening. As such, we tend to accept the brain’s products uncritically and expect the future to unfold with the details—and with only the details—that the brain has imagined. One of imagination’s shortcomings, then, is that it takes liberties without telling us it has done so.

Daniel Gilbert, Stumbling on Happiness

9 free media & journalism webinars this week

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Tue, Feb 7 - Tell a More Engaging Brand Story: Get Your Message Heard With Better Data

What: In 2023, brands that thrive will focus on keeping pace with consumers and meeting their dynamic expectations. That means easily identifying and connecting with your target audiences with insightful stories and rich “characters” based on who your customers truly are and what matters to them today. The key? AI-powered data.  Discover the best methods to leverage real-time data to weave compelling storylines that drive growth.

Who: Ericka Podesta McCoy, CMO Resonate. Ericka is a global marketing executive experienced in building brands, facilitating growth and driving revenue in the high-tech, telecom, manufacturing, energy and hospitality sectors across North America, Europe and Asia.  

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Resonate

More info

 

Tue, Feb 7 - Make Your Resume Shine

What: The panelists will share their best practices and advice for telling your professional story through your resume, with plenty of time dedicated to attendee questions. Whether you’re looking to get your first job or a seasoned executive wondering how to pivot, you’ll leave this session with ideas to make your resume shine.

Who: Join Lynette Clemetson, Director of Wallace House Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan, and Adriana Lacy, founder of Journalism Mentors, and leading network television news executive Leonor Ayala Polley.

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

More info

 

Tue, Feb 7 - Crash Course: Science Essentials for Local Reporters

What: The hosts will lay out key do’s, don’ts, and pitfalls to watch for when including science in your news reporting, including: Knowing whether and how science can enhance your story; Different kinds of studies and what each can—and cannot—reveal; Practical tips for identifying credible scientist-sources and interviewing them; and How to get the essentials from scientific reports, studies, and press releases.

Who: Former longtime Washington Post science reporter Rick Weiss and Ph.D. neuroscientist Dr. Tori Fosheim

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Society of Environmental Journalists

More info

 

Wed, Feb 8 - Become a Foreign Correspondent

What: A panel of three accomplished journalists will share their experiences and advice for students and young professionals eager to embark on a career in international reporting.

Who: Ilene Prusher, former correspondent and bureau chief for The Christian Science Monitor; Nomi Morris, former correspondent in Berlin for TIME and others, as well as Middle East Bureau chief for Knight Ridder Newspapers, based in Jerusalem; Deni Chamberlin, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who covered the fall of communism in Eastern Europe for TIME, The New York Times Magazine and other publications.

When: 5 pm, Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Institute for Education in International Media

More info

 

Wed, Feb 8 - Navigating newsgathering in the deadliest country for journalists

What: A discussion of investigations into missing people, enforced disappearances, massacres of migrants, and mass graves in Mexico.

Who: Marcela Turati Muñoz, Mexican freelance investigative journalist

When: 13:00 - 14:00

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Reuters Institute

More info

 

Wed, Feb 8 - Building Nonprofit Brands that Matter

What: Creative strategies on how brands work for advocacy and cause-related marketing. Behind every successful nonprofit is a brand personality that matters. In this 30-minute workshop, we look at the key steps to build a new brand or refresh a legacy brand to improve the relationship with your supporters. This workshop will also explore how to harness the power of your brand to connect to your key supporters, as well as how to retain the loyalty of long-term supporters while building the groundwork for the next generation.

Who: David Langton, Langton Creative Group

When: 8 pm, Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Nonprofit Learning Labs

More info

 

Wed, Feb 8 - Next level podcasting

What: If you want to move beyond "two-mates-and-a-mic" podcasts and create audio storytelling that is compelling, immersive and impactful ... this masterclass is for you. The host will discuss podcast structures and conceits; explore sound design and techiques that hook in listeners and keep them engaged; and reveal how to pitch ideas successfully to commissioners at the biggest podcast networks.

Who: Craig has 20 years of experience creating audio documentaries and longform content for the BBC, the Economist, the RSA among many others. He has produced podcast series for Pink Floyd, Oasis, and Joy Division/New Order.

When: 12:30 pm

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Civic Journalism Lab at Newcastle University

More info

 

Wed, Feb 8 - Advanced Infographics

What: In this fast-paced session, learn to turn words and ideas into clear, compelling infographics. Get curated inspiration and step-by-step instructions. Lastly, discover tools and techniques to render your new infographics. Turn words and ideas into engaging infographics—quickly Get your infographics right the first time Improve understanding, recollection, and adoption Get the tools the pros use

Who: Mike Parkinson Author, Owner, Billion Dollar Graphics. Mike is one of 34 Microsoft PowerPoint MVPs in the World and is an APMP CPP Fellow. He regularly conducts workshops and creates graphics, presentations, and content for companies like Microsoft, FedEx, Pfizer, Xerox, Dell, Subaru, and Boeing as well as at learning institutions.

When: 12 pm, Pacific

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Billion Dollar Graphics

More info

 

Fri, Feb 10 - Trauma-Informed Journalism

What: Hear advice from experts in survivor advocacy and trauma-informed journalism on how to bring trauma-informed approaches into your work. 

Who: Lisa Armstrong, UC Berkeley Professor and DART Trainer; Naseem Miller, Senior Health Editor, The Journalist's Resource; Amrita Doshi, Co-Founder & Executive Director, South Asian SOAR; Moderated by: Leslie Rangel, Founder, The News Yogi

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Institute for Independent Journalists

More info

15 Data Science Articles from Jan 2023

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Bosses: Don’t be Jerks

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After decades of being bossed, and 16 years of bossing, I’ve developed a prime directive for bosses which will probably not be taught at Harvard Business School: Don’t be a jerk. Organizations need hierarchies and leadership, so yes, you get to call some shots. You can be tough and demanding. But remember that your authority over other human beings is an artificial construct. You are not better than the people working for you. Fire people if you must, but humiliate no one. Be kind. Granted, many bosses don’t operate this way, and I can understand why women in positions of power want the right to be as obnoxious and tyrannical as their male counterparts. But wouldn’t it be better still if no boss could get away with acting like a jerk?

William Falk writing in The Week Magazine

Imagination inflation can lead to false memories

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Imagination inflation refers to the tendency of people who, when asked to imagine an event vividly, will sometimes begin to believe, when asked about it later, that the event actually occurred. Adults who were asked "Did you ever break a window with your hand?" were more likely on a later life inventory to report that they believe this event occurred during their lifetimes. It seems that asking the question led them to imagine the event, and the act of having imagined it had the effect, later, of making them more likely to think it had occurred (relative to other group answer the question not having previously imagined it occurring).

Accounts that sound familiar can create the feeling of knowing and be mistaken for true. This is one reason that political or advertising claims that are not factual but are repeated can gain traction with the public, particularly if they have emotional resonance. Something you once heard that you hear again later carries a warmth of familiarity that can be mistaken for memory, a shred of something you once knew and cannot quite place but are inclined to believe. In the world propaganda, this is called "the big lie" technique—even a big lie told repeatedly can come to be accepted as truth.

Peter C. Brown and Henry L. Roediger III, Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning

Great Leaders vs Managers

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Great leaders aren't always the most likable people. In the long run, great leaders recognize that their job is to get people to do things they might not want to do, in order to achieve goals they want to achieve.  Contrast that with "mere managers," who either want to be liked or try to convince themselves that they don't care. Great leaders know that cordiality is necessary, but also that they might sometimes have to sacrifice short-term likability in favor of long-term respect. 

Bill Murphy Jr. writing in the Understandably newsletter

By Our Love

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In a 2021 sermon, controversial pastor Matt Chandler called leaving the faith “some sexy thing to do.” He denounced the process of critiquing one’s childhood faith, saying, “If you ever experienced the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, actually, that’s really impossible to deconstruct from. But if Christianity is just a moral compass, I totally get it.” 

Ultimately, Chandler and those who follow his teachings are wrong: Christianity isn’t losing followers because leaving is “some sexy thing to do.” It comes down to how people are being treated, specifically marginalized communities.

Brandon Flanery writing in Baptist News

When we use depression as an excuse

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We often use depression as an excuse for not doing something we don’t want to do or afraid to do. When someone suggests that we go ahead and do whatever we are trying to avoid, we usually agree and say, “I think you’re right, but I’m just to upset right now to do it.” For example, your company is downsizing and you lose a good job through no fault of your own. You tell me what happened and how depressed you are. I try not to pay much attention to your depressing. Instead, I say, “I know it’s hard, but don’t sit around; get out your resume.”

But you are depressing for a good reason. You have just been laid off and feel rejected, even though it was not your fault. You are afraid of another rejection, of facing the fact that there may be no good jobs for you at your age and with your experience. As painful as depressing is, it’s less painful at this time than looking for job and getting rejected again and again.

William Glasser, Choice Theory

A Digital Generation Gap

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An international 2018 study that measured eighth-graders’ “capacities to use information and computer technologies productively” proclaimed that just 2 percent of Gen Z had achieved the highest “digital native” tier of computer literacy. “Our students are in deep trouble,” one educator wrote. But the issue is likely not that modern students are learning fewer digital skills, but rather that they’re learning different ones. 

Nicolás Guarín-Zapata, an applied physicist and lecturer at Colombia’s Universidad EAFIT, for all his knowledge of directory structure, doesn’t understand Instagram nearly as well as his students do, despite having had an account for a year. He’s had students try to explain the app in detail, but “I still can’t figure it out,” he complains. “They use a computer one way, and we use a computer another way,” Guarin-Zapata emphasizes.  

Monica Chin writing for The Verge