and breaking news , timelines that ’ s it .
“ When we wrote these obituaries , we didn ’ t start every one saying they died at Pulse Nightclub . We never mentioned the shooter , we never mentioned his name . He ’ s not needed in the victims ’ stories at all . We didn ’ t struggle with that decision for long . Our editors made that call fairly quickly . We ’ ll bring him up only when necessary . After that it ’ s about the victims and the community .”
Minshew ’ s advice for young journalists about social media : students need to know that they have to verify everything that they are getting from social media . Don ’ t just run with it .
Just as important is to use tweets as a way to contact sources . “ The real important function is sending that person a message on Twitter saying ‘ Can you give me your phone number so that we can talk once you are safe ?’” Better still take the burden off the traumatized subject and give them your phone number , so that they can call you when they can .
BRIEF REFLECTION ON GWEN IFILL
It was the eve of Barack Obama ’ s 2009 inauguration . I arrived too late at a D . C . townhouse where Gwen Ifill was signing her book , The Breakthrough : Politics and Race in the Age of Obama . I was to have missed having her autograph my copy and hearing her hold forth in person . I kicked myself years later for lacking the foresight to think I might see her at any convention of the National Association of Black Journalists . There she was with a gaggle of friends relaxing and having a good time . Still without the book , I complimented her on it , her work on McNeil Lehrer , and moderating the 2008 vicepresidential debates .
I last saw her September 29 at the Newseum where the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism was celebrating the iconic newsman ’ s 100th birthday . Flanked by panelists Leslie Stahl , Bob Schieffer and Scott Pelley , she told how the legendary anchor greeted her as a valued and respected colleague . That was fitting legend to legend . I hadn ’ t thought she ’ d be gone so soon afterward .
It underscored a lesson that bears repeating : always be ready to document what you hear and see .
EDDY CUE OF APPLE ON THE VALUE OF JOURNALISM
Eddy Cue , vice president for news and development at Apple , headlined the News Leaders conference in September in a chat with Eric Ulken , 1997 DJNF alumnus and vice president for digital at Philadelphia Media Network . No matter the conflicts between the big tech companies — are they media companies or not — and the traditional news business , Cue declared what many were glad , if not relieved , to hear .
“ You guys do incredible work that ’ s extremely valuable that makes society better , and without you , it would be a disaster .”
“ We want to help you guys succeed . It is important for society and for the world for you guys to succeed .”
See the blog post - http :// Newsleaders2016 . wordpress . com