| You've almost made it to the holiday weekend! Oliver Darcy here at 10:20pm ET Thursday, July 1. Inside this edition: Miami Herald editor discusses the paper's "Surfside bureau"; New study spotlights the damage of right-wing media downplaying the pandemic; Facebook tests new extremism prompts; Meghan McCain is leaving "The View" and Alexi McCammond is returning to Axios; and so much more. But first...
Covering Covid
Check the news lately, and if you come across a story pertaining to the coronavirus, it is likely to be about the Delta variant. Headline after headline, chyron after chyron, push alert after push alert — they're all seemingly focused these days on the dangers posed by this new variant.
Now, to be clear, the Delta variant does deserve to be reported on. It is a serious story that warrants serious coverage. The increased transmissibility rate poses a significant risk to unvaccinated populations, both in the US and around the world. People in the US who are not vaccinated should be informed about the risks it poses to them.
But it is also very important for newsrooms — in both stories specifically about the Delta variant and others — to zoom out and show audiences the big picture about the state of the pandemic here in the US. Otherwise, they might walk away with a skewed impression of things.
The big picture is quite good. Vaccines are protecting people from the virus. The US has been seeing all-time low infection rates, even as businesses and restaurants continue to open. And in some cities, such as New York, days go by where zero covid-related deaths are recorded.
For all of 2020 and in the early months of 2021, newsrooms flashed incalculable numbers of headlines in bold red warning about the pandemic. And those were all justified. But, now that the threat has largely passed for the significant swath of the population that is vaccinated, newsrooms should also flash headlines in green. Headlines which indicate that, if you're vaccinated, the coast is clear.
As Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor of medicine at George Washington University and CNN medical analyst, told me, "For vaccinated people, there is almost no risk." Audiences need to hear that. And they need to hear it regularly and in a way that really gets the point across.
 One way to do that is to just show a visualization of the data. Charts showing the CDC data are quite stunning to see. Both deaths and new infections have plummeted in the last six months as Americans have received vaccines. Throughout 2020, news orgs repeatedly showed such charts indicating surges in infections. Why not show the same charts now, spotlighting how coronavirus is largely on the decline in the country? Most people are not independently checking the CDC's website like journalists do. They rely on news orgs to relay that information to them. These charts should be spotlighted every single day in meaningful ways.
I phoned up Dr. James Hamblin, a former staff writer at The Atlantic who has started his own newsletter on science and medicine. I asked him why he believes the coverage I'm talking about doesn't appear to be coming through in the press. "That is partly because of the nature of the media," Hamblin replied. "Things are fine is not a story." Hamblin also suggested that what we could be seeing reflected in coverage is a "bias in expertise." As he put it, "It is just much safer to tell people to be cautious. And it is high liability to tell people to be less cautious."
Regarding the Delta variant, Hamblin stressed that it is "definitely something the public should be aware of." But he also stressed that it is important for news orgs — particularly cable news orgs — to cover it when there is "actual information." What does he mean by that? Information that advises people they need to change their daily lives. For example, if they need to get a booster shot to protect against the variant. "I think we risk creating fatigue if we keep raising alarms without a clear takeaway about what this means for you," Hamblin said. "But that seems to be what is happening here."
I also exchanged emails with Reiner, who pointed out to me that "the big story is the success story." Reiner explained, "Broadway is opening. There wasn't a single Covid death in DC last week. The Covid positivity rate in NY is 0.4%. There's a lot of good to tell." Reiner suggested that the press should focus on "telling the stories of the real heroes" of the pandemic.
"The ER and ICU nurses. The respiratory techs. The people who staffed the vaccination clinics and gave shots to 300 million people," Reiner said. "These are the people who really put this fire out. 3600 healthcare workers died during this pandemic. We should hear about the people who were essential workers who couldn't zoom for work. People who drove the buses. Police and fire. People who delivered food. This country was held together by the people in our communities who ... fulfilled their responsibilities at great personal peril. I want to hear about how small businesses survived. There's so much to talk about. And it's so uplifting."
Dr. Leana Wen, a visiting professor at George Washington University and also a CNN medical analyst, offered me a differing view. She said that she believed "the press has been partially responsible for giving Americans the false impression that the pandemic is over." Wen agreed that the vaccinated "are generally fine to go about their normal lives," but she stressed that coverage suggesting the threat has receded could imply to some that the same is true for those who are not vaccinated. While many are choosing not to get vaccinated, children and some others still cannot. "This is not a disease people want to get," she added, "and headlines that make it look like even the unvaccinated are fine to return to their normal lives are misleading and dangerous."
I definitely do agree with that. And headlines should not suggest that for those who are unvaccinated that they are in the clear. They are not. But it is also important to communicate the science to those who are vaccinated. The science indicates that things are OK for them now. It is no longer all doom and gloom -- and coverage should make that more clear. FOR THE RECORD, PART ONE -- "Literally the only people dying are the unvaccinated," Chuck Todd noted on his program. Todd added, as he pointed toward the camera: "And for those of you spreading misinformation, shame on you..." (MSNBC)
-- "D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has subpoenaed Facebook for records related to the platform's handling of coronavirus misinformation," Cristiano Lima reports... (Politico)
-- Jennifer Steinhauer reports on how the military is struggling with vaccination rates: "The military has worked hard to combat vaccine misinformation in its ranks since the shots first became available," she writes. Nevertheless, "many worry that the vaccines are unsafe, were developed too quickly or will affect fertility..." (NYT)
-- Meanwhile, in Australia: "Doctors warn a national vaccination advertising campaign is needed now, not when more doses are available, so the Commonwealth can combat misinformation being spread across the country..." (Sydney Morning Herald) A story years in the making  Brian Stelter writes: "It's been a long time coming. Years, actually. Innumerable stories looked ahead to the possibility of a day like Thursday – when the Trump Organization was actually charged with a crime. It was foreshadowed for so long that it might have seemed anti-climatic. But a little perspective helps a lot. The CFO for the company belonging to the former president was led into court in handcuffs on Thursday. Prosecutors alleged a 15-year tax scheme. As with so many Trump-related stories, this one is unprecedented..."
>> The chyron Thursday night on Sean Hannity's program, guest hosted by Dan Bongino, illustrated how this played in pro-Trump media: "ENDLESS WITCH HUNT LEADS TO TAX CHARGES AGAINST TRUMP ORG CFO..." The latest from Surfside
"Officials are considering demolishing the rest of the Champlain Towers South as operations continue in sections that crumbled to the ground a week ago, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Thursday evening." That's the latest from Surfside where the rescue mission was halted Thursday as President Joe Biden visited the site over concerns the remaining structure could collapse...
Brian Stelter writes: "Monica Richardson joined the Miami Herald six months ago from the AJC. She now finds herself leading the news operation through its biggest story in years. On Thursday she spoke with me about how the Herald staff initially mobilized to cover the collapse; why staffers from all across the newsroom, from food to sports, have turned into disaster reporters; and why she expects 'this story to go on for at least a year.' She said the Herald -- which currently has no physical newsroom due to pandemic closures and cost cuts -- has established a 'Surfside bureau' at a nearby hotel. She also talked about the paper's recent Dart Center training session about grappling with trauma and shared some best practices for other reporters. Listen in via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or your preferred podcasting app..." Friday's front page  "Nowhere is safe," The Guardian's front page says Friday, atop a story about extreme heat claiming "hundreds of lives in the US and Canada."
"Experts say time is running out to take action," the paper reports... FRIDAY PLANNER The June jobs report will land at 8:30am ET...
President Biden will hold a naturalization ceremony at the WH...
"The Forever Purge" hits theaters...
"The Tomorrow War" begins on Amazon Prime... Did Tucker vote for ... Kanye?
It appears he might have. Politico's Daniel Lippman reported Thursday that Tucker Carlson "has told multiple people that he voted for pop star Kanye West last year." Per Lippman, who cited two sources, "Shortly after the presidential election, the Fox News host started telling some program guests that he had cast his ballot for West." One of Lippman's sources put it this way: "It's his way of saying that he's not just another Trumpette at Fox News like Sean Hannity." Study indicts right-wing media's role downplaying pandemic
A new study released from researchers at the University of California examined why social conservatives, who historically respond more strongly to potential threats, were less concerned about the coronavirus pandemic than social liberals. The cause? According to the study, right-wing media played a critical role.
"The findings suggest that Republicans would have been substantially more careful had their media environment encouraged them to do so, plausibly saving many thousands of lives and preventing scores of long-term health problems related to COVID infection," said one of the researchers. Another added, "The distrust of science and public health officials, as well as distrust of moderate and liberal media sources, actually countermanded responses that reflected people's underlying personality traits." More on that study here... FOR THE RECORD, PART TWO -- "Too big to cancel:" Matt Flegenheimer profiles Joe Rogan, writing that he is "one of the most consumed media products on the planet — with the power to shape tastes, politics, medical decisions," and more... (NYT)
-- Kaitlyn Tiffany writes about the "anti-MAGA trolls," going "inside the Reddit communities that can't leave the right-wing internet alone..." (The Atlantic)
-- Jonathan Lemire talks to Aidan McLaughlin about Biden and Trump: "Whether or not he runs in 2024, he's still shaping a lot of the discourse. And the Biden administration, as much as they would like to ignore him, they can't..." (Mediaite)
-- Speaking of which: Sean Hannity's town hall with Trump drew more than 3.5 million viewers... (AdWeek) Team Trump launches social platform
"Former President Donald Trump's team quietly launched a new social media platform on Thursday, billing it as an alternative to Big Tech sites," Meredith McGraw, Tina Nguyen, and Cristiano Lima reported. The trio explained, "The site, called GETTR, advertised its mission statement as 'fighting cancel culture, promoting common sense, defending free speech, challenging social media monopolies, and creating a true marketplace of ideas.' The app is currently in beta form and will be officially launched on July 4 at 10a.m...."
>> Immediate troubles: Mediaite's Caleb Howe broke down how the site had some red flags and received "less than a warm reception..." Facebook tries out extremism prompts  Some Facebook users in the US are being served a prompt that asks if they are worried that someone they know might be "becoming an extremist." Others are being notified that they may have been exposed to extremist content. It is all part of a test the social media company is running that stems from its Redirect Initiative, which aims to combat violent extremism, Facebook spox Andy Stone told me. "This test is part of our larger work to assess ways to provide resources and support to people on Facebook who may have engaged with or were exposed to extremist content, or may know someone who is at risk," Stone said. More in my story here...
Twitter tests new misinfo labels
Meanwhile: Twitter said Thursday that it will begin testing new misinfo labels "with more context to help you better understand why a Tweet may be misleading." The social media company posted screen shots previewing the new labels. As the AP's Barbara Ortutay wrote, "The labels are an update from those Twitter used for election misinformation before and after the 2020 presidential contest. Those labels drew criticism for not doing enough to keep people from spreading obvious falsehoods..." FOR THE RECORD, PART THREE -- Sarah Frier writes that Facebook is reaping a $1 trillion reward for its "grow-at-any-cost culture" and that the company "won't change its ways without adopting new measures of success..." (Bloomberg)
-- "Is Facebook untouchable?" Well, Dylan Byers writes, "it's complicated..." (NBC)
-- "Pinterest on Thursday announced that it will ban all advertisements related to weight loss from its platform in an effort to prevent content that could encourage unhealthy or disordered eating habits," Clare Duffy reports... (CNN)
-- Twitter is considering "letting you limit tweets to 'trusted friends,'" Jon Porter reports... (The Verge)
-- "At the UN Generation Equality Forum in Paris on Thursday Twitter, TikTok, Google, and Facebook committed to tackling online abuse and improving safety for women on their platforms," Kim Lyons reports... (The Verge) "She's got to let it all sink in"
"It's not clear exactly when — or even if — newly tenured professor Nikole Hannah-Jones will begin teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill," The News and Observer's Kate Murphy wrote Thursday. "But the dean of UNC's journalism school says it is still expecting her."
The confusion stems from a statement Hannah-Jones released Wednesday night in which she said that after the battle over her tenure, she needs to "take some time to process all that has occurred and determine what is the best way forward." But Dean Susan King of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media told Murphy that "nothing has changed" with regard to Hannah-Jones. King said that she has spoken with Hannah-Jones since she was granted tenure. "She's got to let it all sink in," King told Murphy. "We had a good conversation, a very positive conversation." FOR THE RECORD, PART FOUR -- Charlotte Klein writes that Hannah-Jones getting tenure at UNC "isn't the end of right-wing panic over race." Far from it... (Vanity Fair)
-- Keith J. Kelly reports that Substack "appears to be setting its sights on disrupting the book publishing world..." (NY Post)
-- "A spat between star Ice Cube and WarnerMedia has escalated into a high-stakes blame game that threatens to permanently derail the movie 'Last Friday,' the latest film planned for the long-running comedy franchise," Joe Flint reports... (WSJ)
-- This made the rounds Thursday: A police officer said he was "playing a Taylor Swift song to keep an activist's video off YouTube..." (Gizmodo) McCain leaving "The View"
Meghan McCain announced Thursday that she will depart ABC's "The View." At the top of the program, McCain dropped the news, saying, "I'm just going to rip the bandaid off. I am here to tell all of you, my wonderful cohorts and viewers at home: This is going to be my last season here at 'The View.'" McCain said it was "not an easy decision" and that she will be with "The View" until its current season ends at the end of the month. "On a professional note, this show is one of the hands-down greatest most exhilarating most wonderful privileges of my entire life," McCain said.
After announcing her decision, McCain's co-hosts praised her. Whoopi Goldberg said it had been "wonderful" to have her as a colleague on the show. Joy Behar said she was a "formidable opponent" and "no snowflake." McCain indicated that her decision was motivated by her desire to remain in the Washington, DC, area near family after giving birth to a daughter in late 2020. But, as Stelter and I reported in 2019, McCain had previously mulled departing the program. More in my story here...
>> Analysis: Variety's Daniel D'Addario writes that McCain's exit "underscores the COVID-era crisis" facing the show: "Basic respect seemed to have broken down. Speaking directly to camera rather than to one another and an in-person audience, the co-hosts veered into a place that wasn't even good TV..." Alexi McCammond returning to Axios
Alexi McCammond is heading back to Axios. McCammond, who left the digital upstart to become the editor of Teen Vogue before ultimately departing over controversy pertaining to old anti-Asian tweets she had posted as a teenager, will cover the 2022 midterms and the progressive movement. "Alexi McCammond is an accomplished journalist and professional," said Axios CEO and co-founder Jim VandeHei. "We're excited and proud that she is returning to Axios..." FOR THE RECORD, PART FIVE -- Brian Robbins has been promoted to president and CEO of Nickelodeon and Chris McCarthy has been promoted to president and CEO of MTV Entertainment Group... (WSJ)
-- Mohamed Hassan is joining WSJ as a platform editor from the New York Post... (Talking Biz News) Lowry recommends these two Black history documentaries
Brian Lowry writes: "Two strong documentaries from first-time directors premiere this weekend, offering different windows into Black history. 'Summer of Soul,' from musician Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, is clearly the showier entry, looking back at the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, drawing from a trove of concert footage that has sat dormant in a basement for a half-century. It hits theaters — probably the best place to see it — and Hulu. Elsewhere, 'The One and Only Dick Gregory' will play on Showtime, profiling the comedian turned civil-rights activist, who dropped the standup mic to seek social justice..."  The Academy to add 395 members
Brian Lowry writes: "After growing dramatically the last few years in an effort to diversify its ranks, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will add 395 members – about half as many as the last few years. Per the academy, the class is "46% women, 39% underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 53% international from 49 countries outside of the United States." The list includes 25 Oscar winners..." FOR THE RECORD, PART SIX By Lisa Respers France:
-- Howard University shared its stance on Phylicia Rashad's Bill Cosby support, disavowing her initial, celebratory tweet. Rashad is the new dean of Fine Arts for the historically Black university that is her alma mater...
-- Depending on you and your life experiences, Bill Cosby is either an abuser or the latest Black man to fall prey to being unjustly accused. Which is why when his longtime friend and costar Phylicia Rashad celebrated the overturning of the verdict against Cosby on Wednesday, it set off debate involving race, misogyny and the #MeToo movement...
-- Singer Bebe Rexha embraced all 165 lbs of herself in a sexy, body positive TikTok...
-- Coming up in July: "Black Widow" and some of the other streaming content... The bottom line about Britney
Chloe Melas made this point on CNN on Thursday: "Judge Brenda Penny could snap her fingers and appoint a new lawyer for Britney Spears, or allow Spears to choose her own attorney ... but she hasn't." Here is CNN's latest on the case... SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST...
Pet of the day
Reader Phil Graham emails: "My brother-in-law Chef Heino Koberg's dachshunds, Ebbie & Lillie, doing the pre-rinse, and sampling some very reliable sauces..."   That's a wrap! Email us your feedback, tips, and ideas anytime. I will be back tomorrow to close out the week... Share this newsletter:
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