Deprogramming Followers: Covering Extremism Post-Capitol Riots

The conversation around extremism lingers, especially after Jan. 6. Watch this webinar with Dr. Manisha Sinha, a Draper Chair in American History at UConn, and Thorsten Wagner, the Executive Director of FASPE – Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics, to learn about: How the Capitol riots compare and parallel to historical events.…

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Journalism and Accountability After Capitol Riots

As calls for accountability for the Capitol Riots and other Trump era transgressions rise, journalists may wonder what is meant by accountability? What actors may bring it about? What role should the press play in holding Trump’s enablers to account as well as itself? A panel of experts guides us through these questions: Grant Tudor…

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Extremism Roundup: Jan. 6 and Beyond 

U.S. Capitol

The spectre of right-wing extremism in America has become a much more pressing issue for newsrooms since the events of January 6th. Here is our overview of the events and the key insight you’ll need to help contextualize your reporting.   This Past Week The Storming of the Capitol Background: On January 6th, a massive coalition…

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Reporting on Extremist Groups

extremist groups

Over Zero has put together new guidance for reporting on extremist groups after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Some highlights: Be explicit in naming these groups. Identify individuals or groups as white supremacists, hate groups, etc. Be clear about how their actions are intentional in causing violence. Acknowledge what is being done…

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Election SOS First Aid Kit: Misinformation

First Aid Kit: Misinformation Card

Rampant misinformation ultimately fueled a pro-Trump mob to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Here’s how your newsroom can combat misinformation now and beyond inauguration day. Take a Class First, learn how to protect yourself and your community from misinformation with First Draft News’ free two-week text message course. Available in English and Spanish,…

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Election SOS First Aid Kit: Messaging on Violence

UPDATE: January 13, 2021 After a very helpful conversation with Dorothy Tucker, the President of NABJ (the National Association of Black Journalists), we have adjusted this guide in the following substantive ways: We added a note for journalists to “consider the source” of these recommendations (in this case, peace-builders) when deciding which pieces of advice apply to their…

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Roundup: Presidential Pardons

President Trump has begun in earnest an activity typical of outgoing presidents: granting pardons to people convicted of federal crimes. The president’s ability to give clemency was built into our democracy by the framers of the Constitution as a way to correct possible miscarriages of justice. The framers left this power unchecked, and the courts…

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How to Verify Almost 5 Million Votes in Georgia

After three counts of almost 5 million votes, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger re-certified the state’s presidential election results Dec. 7. 11Alive Executive Producer Erin Peterson has been deep in the numbers, too. Full transparancy: I’ve now spent a full week calculating and verifying nearly 5 million #Georgia votes for 159 counties for @11AliveNews.…

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Election SOS First Aid Kit: Covering Georgia Runoffs

Georgia Runoff Election Card

Georgia may have already certified their presidential election results, but another election is already scheduled for next month. The Jan. 5 runoff election in the Peach State will decide which party controls the U.S. Senate. Here’s what you and your newsroom need to be mindful of: Key Dates Besides Jan. 5, there are several other…

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Tracking Digital Political Ads

Tracking digital political ads

As Facebook is likely to soon lift their ban on digital political ads, there’s an opportunity for newsrooms to find stories in these ads, even if they’re not covering the upcoming runoff for U.S. Senate in Georgia. NYU’s Ad Observatory allows you to do just that. Here’s a primer on how it works: Next Steps:…

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Roundup: Lame Duck Period

Nearly three weeks passed between the time the AP and all other major media organizations called the Presidential race for Joe Biden and the time that the Trump administration allowed the transition process to begin.  These next 8 or so weeks should serve as an onboarding period for the new president and ensure a secure…

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Follow the Money: Campaign Finance Dates to Monitor

campaign finance dates

We’re just days away from the next campaign finance deadline. Remember these dates so you can use these new filings in your continuing election coverage: Next Steps: Download the infographic Watch the “Campaign Finance Follow-Ups: Following the Money Beyond Nov. 3” webinar Still need a story? Check out our Pitch database Find a source in…

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