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Nekesa Moody Out at Hollywood Reporter

by richard01240

As Co-Editor, One of Top Blacks in Entertainment Media

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“It has been the ride of a lifetime to be editor of The Hollywood Reporter . . . .” said Nekesa Mumbi Moody.

As Co-Editor, One of Top Blacks in Entertainment Media

Nekesa Mumbi Moody, one of the highest-ranking Black journalists in the entertainment world, has been replaced as co-editor-in-chief of the Hollywood Reporter, owners Penske Media Corp., announced Tuesday.

Moody’s successor will be Shirley Halperin, who recently resigned as editor of Los Angeles Magazine. Halperin is to be co-editor-in-chief alongside Maer Roshan.

“Employees of The Hollywood Reporter were informed of the move at a Tuesday morning meeting,” Rick Ellis reported for allyourscreens.com, “and Moody later posted this message on social media:

“It has been the ride of a lifetime to be editor of The Hollywood Reporter and work with the amazing reporters, editors, artists, photo staff and more there. Today that ride ends but I am incredibly proud of the work I did and the impact of it!”

Ellis also wrote, “according to sources I spoke with this afternoon at THR and the parent company, this move is seen by some at the outlet as yet another indication The Hollywood Reporter will continue its evolution towards being a more celebrity and general entertainment-centric publication.

” ‘I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they replaced someone who had strong news instincts with someone who spent much of her career covering the music beat,’ one THR employee said in a message to me today.”

Sean Burch reported Tuesday for The Wrap, “This is the latest staffing change at the struggling trade [publication], which let go of longtime TV editor Lesley Goldberg, who had been with the outlet since 2003, in June alongside senior editor of diversity and inclusion Rebecca Sun. This was followed by more cuts in August that included executive managing editor Sudie Redmond, deputy editor Degen Pener, copy editor/film critic Sheri Linden, video editor Colin Burgess and special correspondent Lachlan Cartwright.“

Moody joined the Hollywood Reporter in 2020 after being global entertainment and lifestyles editor at the Associated Press since 2012, overseeing a team of 40 journalists and directing multiformat entertainment coverage for the wire service, breaking news and producing exclusive content for newspapers, online portals and broadcasters, in the words of the Hollywood Reporter’s 2020 announcement of her hiring. Moody has also been a longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists and its Arts & Entertainment Task Force.

Moody participated in a 2021 New York University webinar in Los Angeles that promised attendees they would “learn about the fascinating path that brought her here.” (Credit: NYU/YouTube)

As music editor at the AP, Moody earned the news cooperative’s Beat of the Week Award in 2012, when she broke the story of Whitney Houston’s (pictured) death. “Beating all other news organizations was a major achievement in itself, considering that the bigger the name, the more intense the competition,” the AP’s Jack Stokes said in its internal note. “It was even more notable given that all manner of entertainment-focused journalists were assembled for music’s biggest and most celebratory night of the year,” the Grammy Awards.

“In fact, no one even came close to Moody. From TMZ to The New York Times, from MSNBC to Drudge to the Los Angeles Times, AP was credited across the board for an hour. Quite simply, no one else had the story.”

Moody was named in 2020 to the Hollywood Reporter’s top editorial role, but in August 2023, Roshan was brought in as co-editor-in-chief.

The publication said then, “Under Moody’s leadership, The Hollywood Reporter has risen to new heights in its coverage of the entertainment industry, which includes in-depth reporting, analysis and thought-provoking reviews; unparalleled access, world-class photography and video; and feature exclusives in its award-winning weekly magazine and dynamic website.

“THR was named best entertainment publication at the 15th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards in December 2022 and won best website at the 65th annual SoCal Journalism Awards in June.”

The 2020 announcement also said, “Prior to her role as global entertainment and lifestyles editor at the wire service, Moody served as the AP’s music editor from 2000 to 2012. In that role, Moody interviewed everyone from Barbra Streisand to Luciano Pavarotti, from Beyoncé to Prince, from Taylor Swift to Kanye West. Moody was the first to report the news of Whitney Houston’s death, and the first person to get official confirmation of the passing of Prince.

“Moody has also written for Essence and her essays can be found in the anthologies Where Did Our Love Go: Essays on Love & Relationships in the African-American Community and An Illustrated History of Women Who Rock. A New York state native and a graduate of Barnard College, she currently lives with her husband and son in Brooklyn, New York. . . .”

The Rev. William H. Lamar IV of Washington’s Metropolitan AME Church speaks June 19 in Detroit at the Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition’s inaugural Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study. (Credit: Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition)

Pick for FCC Chair: We’ll No Longer Promote DEI

Nov. 18, 2024

Congratulations From Industry Leave That Part Out

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Congratulations From Industry Leave That Part Out

President-Elect Donald Trump’s choice for chair of the Federal Communications Commission declared Sunday that “Starting next year, the FCC will end its promotion of DEI,” or diversity, equity and inclusion.

The statement on X by Brendan Carr, 45 (pictured), senior Republican on the five-member commission, was ignored in the rush of congratulations offered by most of the industry groups that proffered them. Instead, they cited Carr’s other attributes. Even fellow commissioners who have pushed for more diversity in media ownership, a goal in which the FCC can play a prominent role, were silent on Carr’s DEI statement.

Rather, they noted, as Eva Dou and Cristiano Lima-Strong reported in The Washington Post, that Carr “has vowed in recent days to take on what he called a ‘censorship cartel’ including Facebook, Google, Apple and Microsoft. Earlier this year, he laid out an aggressive agenda for the FCC in Project 2025, a conservative proposal for Trump’s second term developed by the Heritage Foundation. Carr has been a vocal supporter of billionaire Elon Musk and an advocate of tougher restrictions on China.”

However, Dan Shelley (pictured), president of the the Radio Television Digital News Association, messaged Journal-isms, “Irrespective of whether it is mandated by the FCC, first and foremost, ensuring newsrooms across the country are comprised of people who truly reflect the makeup of their communities is the right thing to do. It also makes good business sense. RTDNA will continue its advocacy for diversity in broadcast and digital journalism regardless of the shifting regulatory and legislative environment at all levels of the government.”

The activist group Free Press was critical of Carr’s declaration. “Carr doesn’t care about protecting the public interest; he got this job because he will carry out Trump and Musk’s personal vendettas,” it said.

“Carr is the only sitting government official who co-authored a chapter in the extremist Project 2025 policy roadmap that will apparently guide this administration,” said Free Press Action Co-CEO Craig Aaron.

“His close relationships with far-right zealots and his craven cozying up to the CEOs he’s supposed to be regulating tell you everything about the kind of FCC chairman he will be. For more than a year now Carr has been auditioning for this job, desperate to gain Trump’s attention and show how he’s willing to bend the rules and twist the law to serve this administration. His groveling is now being rewarded with a promotion, and it’s the American public who will pay a heavy price.”

Carr did not respond to a request to elaborate on his comment. He has served as a commissioner at the FCC since 2017.

Carr posted his statement above a gif of a man ripping labels off a wall with the caption “Afuera!!!” meaning “outside.”

The declaration follows anti-DEI statements from other Trump cabinet nominees, such as would-be Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Fox News host and National Guard veteran said of Gen. Charles Q. Brown (pictured. by Roll Call), the first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “First of all you gotta fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Any general that was involved, general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI woke s***, has got to go,” Hegseth said on “the Shawn Ryan Show” podcast. “Either you’re in for warfighting and that’s it. That’s the only litmus test we care about.

“The dumbest phrase on planet Earth in the military is ‘our diversity is our strength.'”

On June 19 at Detroit’s Greater Grace Temple of David, the Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition hosted the inaugural Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study, dedicated to promoting digital equity and literacy in the Black community, “embodying the spirit of Juneteenth by encouraging inclusion and empowerment in the digital age.” (Credit: YouTube)

Robert E. Branson (pictured), president and CEO of the Washington-based Multicultural Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, which advocates for diversity in media ownership, told Journal-isms he was somewhat puzzled by Carr’s declaration.

“We are still trying to fully understand what he means. We have worked with Commissioner Carr in the past and he even gave a keynote at our FCC Former Chairs Symposium this year,” Branson messaged. “I hadn’t in the past sensed a negative opinion from him about MMTC or the work we do which is why I want to learn more before commenting on a short post.

“Since I no longer work at the FCC, I haven’t been following any types of diversity initiatives internally at the FCC. Many of the FCC actions on topics such as digital discrimination are being challenged in the court and likely will change direction once the new FCC takes control. We will need to figure out how to work with them and with whatever the court decides.

“Remember, we survived during Trump’s first 4 years in office so we will see what we need to do to keep supporting the communities we serve. In fact, we are still planning our Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Juneteenth Program and others. I will keep working on the FCC’s CEDC [Communications Equity and Diversity Council] until we are told it has been disbanded. The CEDC promotes Broadband in rural America which I would expect to be a goal of most Republicans. The work to close the digital divide and empower our communities continues no matter who is in office.”

According to FCC figures, just 2 percent of commercial FM radio stations are majority-owned by Blacks, a figure popularized by Geoffrey Starks (pictured), the only African American on the commission.

“I continue to deeply believe in the reach and power of broadcasting, but when you think about growth, and leadership, that must reflect our community,” Starks said.

“We know how critical it is to have diversity in our media organizations. It’s clear — a successful media organization serves its viewers, listeners, and readers. And an organization does that by ensuring that its employees, its decision makers, reflect those viewers, listeners, and readers, and can speak for and to them.”

However, Starks was mute on the subject Monday in his statement of praise for Carr.

“I congratulate my friend and colleague Commissioner Brendan Carr on the announcement that he will serve as the next Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission,” Starks said.

“Commissioner Carr is a dedicated public servant and a recognized leader on the many issues before the Commission today, and I deeply respect his work. Most importantly, we have worked together on numerous bipartisan priorities, including national security, connectivity, and media policy, and I look forward to continuing that important work.”

Journal-isms to Administer Award for Educators

Nov. 16, 2024

Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship, Rewarding Diversity Efforts, Began with Editorial Writers Group in 1990

Homepage photo: Audience members at a Feb. 1 Black History Month event at the Catholic University of America ask questions of Rachel L. Swarns of New York University, 2023 winner of the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship and author of the bestseller “The 272 – The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church.” (Credit: Patrick Ryan/ Catholic University of America)


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Julian Rodriguez of the University of Texas, Arlington, accepts the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship award in 2015 at the Association of Opinion Journalists Symposium, held at the Poynter Institute. (Credit: John McClelland/YouTube)

Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship, Rewarding Diversity Efforts, Began with Editorial Writers Group in 1990

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 15, 2024 – Journal-isms, an influential nonprofit dedicated to chronicling diversity in the media industry through words and conversations, announced today that it will assume stewardship of the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship Award.

This $1,000 award honors educators who make exemplary efforts to encourage journalism among students of color, ensuring that Barry Bingham Sr.’s (pictured) legacy of inclusion and opportunity continues to thrive.

“As the NLA Board of Directors continues to move its programs to premier non-profit organizations, we are pleased that Richard Prince and the Journal-isms Board of Directors will oversee the annual Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship Award, honoring journalism educators who champion inclusive news coverage in our nation’s diverse communities,” said Myriam Marquez, executive director of the News Leaders Association, successor to the American Society of News Editors and Associated Press Managing Editors. 

Founded by respected journalist Richard Prince, Journal-isms has long been at the forefront of promoting diversity in media discussions and coverage. The organization’s assumption of the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship award follows the dissolution of the News Leaders Association, under whose leadership the award was previously managed. It was created by the National Conference of Editorial Writers, later the Association of Opinion Journalists.

The Bingham family at Christmas, 1959. The legendary family, longtime publishers of the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., was featured last year in an exhibit at the Roots 101 Museum in Louisville that shared stories of white allies who stood against racial inequalities and helped the Black community. Barry Bingham Sr. is standing, at left, in front of the fireplace. His son, Barry Bingham Jr., is standing, to the right.(Credit: Billy Davis via Courier-Journal.)

“At a time when the very idea of diversity is under such attack, I’m glad we’re able to continue this incentive for educators to rise to the challenge,” said Prince. “We’re proud to carry on the legacy of Mr. Bingham. Since 2002, I’ve chaired the judging of this fellowship, and I’m continually inspired by the educators who dedicate their careers to uplifting students of color and ensuring a more inclusive future for journalism.”

The Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship was first awarded in 1990 to honor Bingham’s contributions to civil rights, education, and the media. Joanna Wragg, former editorial page editor of the Miami Herald, remembered, “. . . As best I can recall, Mr. Bingham Sr. had been considered a champion of civil rights advocacy through the ’60s and ’70s, at a time when many Southern papers were struggling with those issues. He was part of that generation of white Southerners, along with Ralph McGill and some others, whom we considered to be examples of courage and decency.”

Richard Prince’s Journal-isms is committed to continuing this legacy by shining a spotlight on educators who mentor students of color and advocate for journalism programs that empower the next generation of diverse voices.

“Educators play a vital role in fostering representation in newsrooms, and their mentorship has a lasting impact on students and the industry,” Prince added. “Through this award, we honor those who help students of color find their voice in journalism.”

This announcement comes as Journal-isms celebrates 33 years of advancing diversity in journalism. As the award finds a new home with Journal-isms, the organization remains dedicated to ensuring that Bingham’s vision of an inclusive media landscape endures.

Past winners include James Hawkins, Florida A&M University (1990); Larry Kaggwa, Howard University (1992); Ben Holman, University of Maryland (1996); Linda Jones, Roosevelt University, Chicago (1998); Ramon Chavez, University of Colorado, Boulder (1999); Erna Smith, San Francisco State (2000); Joseph Selden, Penn State University (2001); Cheryl Smith, Paul Quinn College (2002); Rose Richard, Marquette University (2003).

Also, Leara D. Rhodes, University of Georgia (2004); Denny McAuliffe, University of Montana (2005); Pearl Stewart, Black College Wire (2006); Valerie White, Florida A&M University (2007); Phillip Dixon, Howard University (2008); Bruce DePyssler, North Carolina Central University (2009); Sree Sreenivasan, Columbia University (2010); Yvonne Latty, New York University (2011); Michelle Johnson, Boston University (2012); Vanessa Shelton, University of Iowa (2013); William Drummond, University of California at Berkeley (2014); 

Julian Rodriguez of the University of Texas at Arlington (2015); David G. Armstrong, Georgia State University (2016); Gerald Jordan, University of Arkansas (2017), Bill Celis, University of Southern California (2018); Laura Castañeda, University of Southern California (2019); Mei-Ling Hopgood, Northwestern University (2020); Wayne Dawkins, Morgan State University (2021); Marquita Smith of the University of Mississhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL69rnPsUDY&t=783sippi (2022), and Rachel Swarns, New York University (2023).

For more information, contact Neil Foote, Journal-isms board chair, at 214.448.3765 or via email at neil (at) neilfoote.com.

    • Marquita Smith accepts toast for Barry Bingham Sr. fellowship, Journal-isms Roundtable, Aug. 28, 2022 (video, remarks at 3:05)

“We want the news to be just the facts,” Patrick Soon-Shiong said on Fox News. “It’s going to be risky and difficult. I’m going to take a lot of heat, which I already am, but you know, I come from the position that really it’s important for all voices to be heard.” (Credit: Screenshot)

L.A. Times Owner: Paper Has Conflated News, Opinion

Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong said Thursday that the paper has “conflated news and opinion” and also that he is “looking for people like Scott Jennings,” a conservative CNN commentator, to join the editorial board.

Fox News @ Night host Trace Gallagher asked Soon-Shiong, “I’m wondering when you say you want this paper to be fair and balanced, do you plan to just fix the editorial section or are you planning to go over and redo the entire paper?“

Soon-Shiong replied, “I think the latter. I think exactly — I think one of my concerns is you as a journalist would understand that’s news versus opinion. And we’ve conflated news and opinion. So, the first thing I want to do is ensure that we explicitly say this is news. And if it’s news, it should just be the facts period. And if it’s an opinion, that’s maybe an opinion of the news and that’s what I call now a voice,” Soon-Shiong replied, adding, “And so, we want voices from all sides to be heard.”

“And we want the news to be just the facts,” Soon-Shiong said as Gallagher agreed.

In a tweet on X, Executive Editor Terry Tang (pictured) confirmed that “Patrick’s interest, as he has expressed in interviews, is to have a greater variety of views represented in the Opinion section and more clearly label for our readers the difference between a news piece and an opinion piece. In the coming weeks, there will be more to share on how the newspaper can accomplish this,” Tang’s email continued.

As Katie Kilkenny wrote for the Hollywood Reporter, “The appearance on Fox News @ Night comes after Soon-Shiong tweeted on Nov. 10 that he would be establishing a new editorial board following internal controversy over the paper’s last-minute decision to withhold a presidential endorsement during the 2024 election cycle. Three editorial board members resigned after the mandate, including Karin Klein, who wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that Soon-Shiong ‘blocked our voice,’ as the board had been preparing to endorse Democratic candidate Kamala Harris before the decision.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@craigmelvinnbc/video/7264002835686182187?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Craig Melvin invites TikTok viewers to join him virtually at the 2023 convention of the National Association of Black Journalists in Birmingham, Ala. (Credit: TikTok)

Cheers Greet Promotion of Craig Melvin at ‘Today’

“Craig Melvin, the veteran NBC News host, will succeed Hoda Kotb as an anchor of the network’s flagship morning show, ‘Today,’ the company announced Thursday morning,” John Koblin reported Thursday for The New York Times.

A source told People magazine, “Everybody on the set cheered when the announcement was made. The whole staff loves him,” Liza Esquibias and Colleen Kratofil reported for that publication.

“Savannah Guthrie, who Melvin will be hosting alongside, shared a similar sentiment while announcing the news on-air, noting that the staff ‘broke out into applause’ when they found out. “

The Times story continued, “Mr. Melvin will start in the new role . . . on Jan. 13.

“The position, one of the most prominent in television news, opened after Ms. Kotb, who has been at the network for more than two decades, announced in September that she would step down early next year. Ms. Kotb, who will remain as a contributor to the show, said at the time that she wanted to spend more time with her young children, and that it was ‘time to turn the page on what has been a dream book, a dream quarter-century.’

“Ms. Kotb, 60, will take her final turn as co-anchor of ‘Today’ on Jan. 10.

“By selecting Mr. Melvin, 45, network executives chose to go the steadiest route possible. He has been the news anchor of ‘Today’ since 2018, frequently joining Ms. Guthrie and Ms. Kotb on the set at some point in the 7 a.m. hour. He is also a co-host of the show’s 9 a.m. hour, and used to be an anchor of the weekend edition of ‘Today.’

“Mr. Melvin also was an anchor on MSNBC before leaving his daily 11 a.m. show on the cable network two years ago. . . .”

Whoopi Goldberg announces the new network on its own website. (Credit: YouTube)

Whoopi Goldberg Launches All Women’s Sports Net

“Whoopi Goldberg and international streaming media company JungoTV have launched All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), the first global media channel dedicated exclusively to showcasing women’s sports in the United States,” Tom Butts reported Wednesday for TV Technology.

“The global network, which will eventually be available in 65 countries, is now available on Vizio WatchFree+ (United States), Jio TV and Jio TV+ (India), Evision (United Arab Emirates/Saudi Arabia) and Jungo Pinoy (Philippines). CommonSpirit Health, one of the largest U.S. health-care systems, has signed on as the network’s premiere domestic brand partner.

“ ‘Our goal is to have the largest distributed female sports network in the world, digital or broadcast,’ Goldberg said.

“The network has already inked international content agreements with UEFA; France’s soccer Premiere Ligue (D1 Arkema); FIBA (the International Basketball Federation); Women’s Football Alliance (WFA), a women’s American football league; the International Judo Federation (IJF); Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) and Hockey One League (Field Hockey); and Swedish soccer league OBOS Damallsvenskan.

“The programming schedule can be found here.

“”The network said it will air 2,000 hours of live sports in 2024-25. . . .”

Design thinking literature has useful tips for developing empathy. (Credit: Ditte Hvas Mortensen/Interaction Design Foundation)

Study Finds Public Wants Empathy From Journalists

“Ask journalists about the core professional values that define good journalism, and the answers have been pretty consistent across the decades and even, to a large extent, around much of the world: factuality, impartiality, public service, autonomy, and ethics. These values are settled and foundational enough to constitute what Dutch media scholar Mark Deuze once called ‘the occupational ideology of journalism,’ ” Mark Coddington and Seth Lewis wrote Nov. 6 for Nieman Lab.

“But journalists aren’t the only ones with a stake in what those values are.”

Two Chilean scholars, Claudia Mellado and Constanza Gajardo, interviewed 30 journalists and 64 audience members in Chile about their ideas on what constitutes good journalism and how journalists and their audiences think of each other. . . .

“Journalists emphasized exactly the values that you would expect: objectivity, independence, accuracy, and newsworthiness, or covering news in the public interest. Journalists also said they thought these were characteristics that audiences expected of them. . . .

“Based on this study, at least, that impression was wrong. Instead of the journalists’ traditional professional values, audiences emphasized human elements: approachability, empathy, and skills in communicating clearly and in ways that emotionally resonate. One audience member summarized these values succinctly: ‘I think that a journalist has to be a very approachable person, especially when it comes to interviews. The journalist has to build trust to be able to address all the topics. So, above all, I think a journalist has to be very empathetic, a person very open to listening as well.’

“Mellado and Gajardo argued that both of these sets of values should be considered essential and complementary elements of professional journalism. The traditional values do address important elements of technical proficiency and expertise, they concluded, but the audience’s expectations constitute a set of affective, relational, humanistic values that add necessary depth and resonance to technically proficient journalism. . . . “

At least 15 people were killed in Israel’s attack on a house in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya, Rami Almeghari reported from Khan Younis Nov. 7 for CGTN Global Watch. (Credit: YouTube)

Israel Said to Conduct Atrocities, Want Press Gone

“On Wednesday, November 6, an Israeli strike killed at least 15 people in a house in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza. But communications difficulties meant that the Gaza health ministry struggled to determine the death toll. This is just one example among countless others where local reporters were able to help verify information about potential atrocities during Israel’s escalating offensive in the area, journalists tell CPJ,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said Nov. 8.

“Israel has stepped up systematic attack on journalists and media infrastructure since the start of its northern Gaza campaign. Israeli strikes killed at least five journalists in October and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began a smear campaign against six Al Jazeera journalists reporting on the north.

“There are now almost no professional journalists left in the north to document what several international institutions have described as an ethnic cleansing campaign. Israel has not allowed international media independent access to Gaza in the 13 months since the war began.

“Getting information about the impact of the war on journalists – and therefore a clear picture of the impact of the war itself – was already challenging when CPJ issued a report in May on the challenges of verification. Journalists interviewed by CPJ in late October and early November said that the continued attacks on the media – along with the food shortages, continual displacement, and communications blackouts experienced by all Gazans – placed severe constraints on coverage of the impact of Israel’s northern Gaza military offensive.

“The offensive began on October 5 by targeting the town of Jabalia and its refugee camp before spreading to all of northern Gaza in what the Israeli military said was a bid to stop militant Hamas fighters from regrouping.

“ ‘Israel is accused of adopting a ‘starve or leave’ policy to force Palestinians out of northern Gaza. It seems clear that the systematic attacks on the media and campaign to discredit those few journalists who remain is a deliberate tactic to prevent the world from seeing what Israel is doing there,’ said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna, in New York. ‘Reporters are crucial in bearing witness during a war, without them, the world won’t be able to write history. . . .’

“The U.N. secretary general, António Guterres; Jordan’s foreign secretary; and the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem are among those describing the assault as an ‘ethnic cleansing,’ with the U.N. Human Rights Office fearing it could lead to the potential destruction of the Palestinian population.

“A news void is one of the direct impacts of this campaign, potentially leaving possible war crimes with no evidence or documentation. . . .”

Prize for Journalist Held Incommunicado Since 2001

“A Swedish Eritrean journalist held incommunicado without charge in Eritrea for more than 23 years won a Swedish rights prize on Monday for his fight for freedom of expression, the jury said,” Agence France-Presse reported Monday.

Dawit Isaak was among a group of around two dozen people, including senior cabinet ministers, members of parliament and independent journalists, who were seized in a purge in September 2001.

“He was awarded the Edelstam Prize ‘for his outstanding contribution and exceptional courage in standing up for freedom of expression, one’s beliefs, and in the defense of human rights,’ the Edelstam Foundation said in a statement.

“Amnesty International considers Isaak a prisoner of conscience, and press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says he and his colleagues detained at the same time are the longest-held journalists in the world.

“U.N. rights experts have demanded Asmara immediately release him.

“Eritrea has provided no news about him, and there are fears he may no longer even be alive. He would be 60 years old.

“His daughter Betlehem Isaak will accept the award on his behalf in Stockholm on November 19. . . .”

 
 
 
 
 
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Gaza Bureau Chief Honored by National Press Club

Al Jazeera’s Gaza Bureau Chief Wael Al-Dahdouh is the National Press Club’s 2024 International John Aubuchon Press Freedom honoree, the club announced Monday. The Aubuchon Award is its highest honor for press freedom.

“The award will be given at the Club’s annual Fourth Estate Gala on Nov. 21. The Gala is a fundraiser for the National Press Club Journalism Institute, the Press Club’s 501c3 affiliate.

“Dahdouh experienced unspeakable personal tragedies while reporting in Gaza. On Oct. 28, 2023, while reporting live about an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp, he learned that among the victims were members of his own family. He lost his wife, his 15-year old son and his 7-year old daughter in that tragic incident. He raced from his live shot position to be with them.

“Also killed in the same incident were eight other relatives. He returned to reporting the next day, despite the unimaginable pain and sadness. His remaining son Hamza, was killed by an IDF drone strike on January 7, 2024. Hamza was also a reporter for Al Jazeera.

“Dahdouh himself was fired upon Dec. 15 by a drone controlled by the IDF while walking to cover the bombing of a school in Khan Yunis. Dahdouh took shrapnel from the drone strike and was able to walk out to a hospital. His cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa was badly injured and could not walk. Dahdouh suffered extensive nerve damage from his injuries. Abu Daqqa bled out before ambulances could reach him.

“As Al Jazeera bureau chief, Dahdouh fought to keep his bureau open and his video feed available to the general audience and other journalists. Eventually the Al Jazeera feed was blocked in Israel. The Al Jazeera bureau in Israel was closed and, more recently, the Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah was stormed by IDF forces and shut down. . . .”

Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press: Israel’s West Bank settlers hope Donald Trump’s return to office will pave the way for major settlement expansion

Asmahan Qarjouli, Doha News, Qatar: Mother of Al Jazeera cameraman injured in Gaza goes on hunger strike to press for his evacuation

Short Takes

    • “This is a tale of two sets of immigrants. The first set are people who come to America, toil quietly in their field of work, succeed immensely and leave the country better than they found it,” Sree Sreenivasan wrote Tuesday for Substack. “The other set are people who arrive here, succeed immensely and then decide to reshape the country in ways that leave it worse than they found it. My friend Vibhuti Patel, was in the first category. An editor at Newsweek for three decades after arriving here from India, she was an arts journalist who wrote hundreds of articles and did countless interviews with some of the top names in the arts for Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal and other publications. She died the Sunday before the election, making sure to vote for Kamala Devi Harris and handed me the absentee ballot to put in the mail. . . .” Patel, 82, died in New York Nov. 2 from complications of long-term kidney disease, said Sreenivasan, who is president of SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association.

    • “The Radio Television Digital News Association on Friday rescinded its 2023 Edward R. Murrow Award to an acclaimed Afghanistan war documentary that has been criticized for allegedly endangering some of the Afghans who appear in the film,” Manuel Roig-Franzia reported Sunday for The Washington Post. “The unprecedented decision to strip the prestigious journalism award from National Geographic for director Matthew Heineman’s ‘Retrograde’ follows revelations in a Washington Post article earlier this year that filmmakers showed the faces of Afghan contractors who cleared mines for U.S. soldiers despite being warned by at least five active-duty and former U.S. military service members not to do so. One of the Afghans, whose face is shown in close-up, was captured by the Taliban shortly after the film’s December 2022 release and died from wounds inflicted by torturers while he was being held, according to an interpreter and two others who spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity. . . .”

    • “As more companies jump on the bandwagon mandating five days a week in the office, workplace experts and researchers are sounding a warning: Inflexible policies could derail efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented workers and make organizations less diverse over time,” Danielle Abril reported Thursday for The Washington Post. Abril also wrote, “Some researchers who study remote work and workplace productivity say in-office mandates most negatively impact underrepresented workers such as women and minorities, as well as caregivers and those who are neurodiverse.”

  • “Amid a media landscape where many Black radio stations advertising to Black listeners aren’t owned by Black people, WDKX,” an FM station in Rochester, N.Y., “exemplifies the legacy and power of independent Black media,” TheGrio reported Nov. 2. “This year, the station celebrates 50 years in business. According to the African American Public Radio Consortium, an estimated 10,000 commercial radio stations broadcast daily in the U.S. but fewer than 1% are Black-owned. This disparity reveals more than just a gap in ownership; it highlights a systemic issue that leaves fewer Black leaders in charge of the voices and messages that claim to speak for Black people. . . .”

  • Shawn D. Green (pictured) has been appointed vice president, general manager and treasurer at Harper’s Magazine, the second highest executive role at the publication, the magazine announced Wednesday. Green was vice president, circulation. The editorial side of the masthead is headed by three white men, but includes Lake Micah, associate editor, who is African American, and Asian Americans Becky Zhang and Jasmine Liu, who are assistant editors.

    • Princell Hair (pictured), veteran broadcast manager who joined Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group last year, is leaving his post as group president of Allen Media Broadcasting, Hair confirmed for Journal-isms Friday. “I do not have any future plans to announce at this time,” he said. News of Hair’s departure “was released during a call with some (or perhaps all) of the company’s 20+ local stations,” Rick Gevers reported Tuesday in his television-industry newsletter. Hair’s “background is extensive and includes networks and local stations (he’s a three time local news director as well,” Gevers wrote. Hair joined Allen Media from the now-defunct Black News Channel, of which he was president.

  • Journalists and commentators are among “The Most Influential African Americans of 2024: The Root 100,” according to the website’s annual list. They include Don Lemon, Bakari Sellers, Laura Coates, Joy Reid, Craig Melvin, Stephen A. Smith, Duchesne Drew and Linsey Davis, as well as internet food critic Keith Lee and journalist-turned filmmaker Cord Jefferson. “This has been a banner year for Black Excellence. Whether it’s politics, entertainment, science, or business, Black folks have dominated the culture,” the Root said.

    • According to an oral history video, the original priorities of the Asian American Journalists Association, were “to be a support organization to help Asian American journalists advance their careers and eliminate stereotypes and racism in news coverage,” Bob Miller wrote Tuesday for Editor & Publisher magazine. “Those goals remain at the core of AAJA’s mission 43 years later, but the organization has blossomed in many ways . . . AAJA’s website offers many more programs and initiatives, including a mental health fund for mental-health-focused programming to help members cope with the challenges of being a journalist and a person of color. AAJA also supports interactive online courses for students, who are assigned stories covering the journalism industry and the AAPI community. Those pieces are published on the Voices website at voices.aaja.org. . . .”

    • “Carlos Watson (pictured), the Ozy Media co-founder facing up to 37 years in prison following his July conviction on fraud charges, is the subject of a documentary examining his trial. “Helmed by filmmakers Candice Conley and Brenae Perkins, The Troubling Case of Carlos Watson: Whose Son Is Next? launches on YouTube on Tuesday ahead of next month’s sentencing,” Ryan Gajewski reported Nov. 8 for the Hollywood Reporter. “The doc includes details from the case that saw Watson and Ozy Media convicted by a federal jury on July 16 of securities fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy, with Watson additionally convicted of identity theft. . . .” Separately, Willie Spears wrote the same day for LawClues.com, “The injustices in Watson’s trial are clear. A judge with deep financial entanglements presided over a trial where his neutrality was essential. A media figure with a vested interest fueled the fire that led to Watson’s indictment. It’s time we demand accountability — from both our judiciary and our media — before more lives and companies are destroyed by those with hidden agendas.”

    • “World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the leading conservation nonprofits known for its iconic panda logo, is partnering with Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications to support the next generation of environmental journalists through a new scholarship [of $10,000] and mentorship initiative, the two organizations announced Wednesday. “Announced virtually during a Student Town Hall at the Robert P. Scripps Auditorium, the program seeks to amplify emerging, diverse voices in a field critical to tackling the environmental challenges of our time. The environmental journalism field is shrinking, with a record number of newsroom jobs eliminated over the past year. At the same time, challenges facing people and nature are escalating . . . .”

    • A newly formed Network of Afro-Latin Journalists aims to increase diversity in journalism across Latin America and the Caribbean. Its members are working to overcome language barriers to combat isolation and amplify Black voices, Carolina de Assis reported Wednesday for LatAm Journalism Review. “One in four people in Latin America identifies as Afro-descendant. In Brazil, where they account for more than half the population (56%, according to the census), they are largely underrepresented in news media. In other countries where they represent smaller proportions of the population, they are practically rendered invisible. . . .” (Pictured: Peruvian journalist Sofía Carrillo, courtesy Sofía Carrillo)

    • In Cuba, independent journalist Niober García Fournier (pictured) is under siege in his home in the east province of Guantánamo under State Security surveillance, Julio A Rojas Portal reports from Cuba for Journal-isms. According to information sent to Cubalex by relatives and neighbors, officer ‘Luis Ángel’ and Lieutenant Colonel ‘Geovanny’ remain outside his home. The family fears that at any moment they could enter the house and arrest him under any crime invented by the political police. For his work as an independent journalist and human rights defender in Cuba, Garcías faced threats, persecution, harassment, illegal summonses, arbitrary detentions and assaults [PDF]. In addition, he has been fined twice for his social media posts exposing the regime’s abuses. (Added Nov. 17)

    • In Nicaragua, “On Oct. 31, President Daniel Ortega’s regime approved a law that may prove to be an additional mechanism to censor journalism. The new General Law of Convergent Telecommunications . . . according to independent journalists, may have profound implications for freedom of expression and the digital rights of Nicaraguans,” Katherine Pennacchio reported Monday for LatAm Journalism Review. “. . . . the regime will be able to access identifying information, such as names and addresses; communications metadata, such as calls and locations; and browsing or application usage history, as political activist, human rights defender and member of the Nicaraguan Assembly for Democracy, Alexa Zamora, told LatAm Journalism Review.

(Credit: PBS News Hour/You Tube)

    • “On October 16, police in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, arrested investigative journalist Thomas Zgambo (pictured) and detained him without charge for nearly two weeks, Idriss Nassah reported Nov. 1 for Human Rights Watch. “Zgambo writes for the online news outlet Zambian Whistleblower, which has exposed alleged corruption, human rights abuses, and abuse of power under President Hakainde Hichilema. . . . Authorities eventually charged Zgambo with two counts of criminal libel before a Lusaka magistrate court on October 28. The court granted Zgambo bail on October 31, 15 days after his detention. ‘The idea is to punish the journalist for doing his job,’ Zgambo’s lawyer, Jonas Zimba, said. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that this was Zgambo’s third arrest in the past year. ‘The judicial harassment of Zgambo exposes the emptiness of President Hakainde Hichilema’s repeated commitments to press freedom,’ CPJ said.”

    • “The political turbulence rocking Mozambique since the start of the protests against fraud in the general elections, which were held on 9 October, has made journalism a dangerous practice,” Reporters Without Borders reported Nov. 7. “Between stoned press vehicles, internet blackouts, and the journalists who have been sprayed with tear gas, arrested and threatened online, press freedom has been gravely attacked alongside rising tensions in the aftermath of the general elections, held on 9 October, and the assassination of two people close to opposition candidate Venancio Mondlane. . . . Reporters are constantly targeted by police and demonstrators during protests that are shaking the country. Instead of ensuring the protection of journalists, the authorities cover up attacks against reporters and the terrible repression of protesters by cutting internet access. . . .”

    • The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Togolese authorities to reverse their three-month suspension of Tampa Express after the bi-monthly newspaper criticized a government minister. The regulatory High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) said that Tampa Express’ October 30 report criticized the political influence of Sandra Ablamba Ahoéfavi Johnson, who is Minister, Secretary General of the Presidency and Togo’s Governor at the World Bank. The article also alleged that she blocked the appointment of three people to the HAAC. The HAAC said it was the fourth time since 2022 that it had summoned Tampa Express publishing director Francisco Napo-Koura for violating the ‘professional rules of journalism,’ ” CPJ reported.

    • The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Cameroonian authorities Tuesday “to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for detaining and violently abusing Nsoyuka Guy-Bruno Maimo, a reporter with the privately owned Volcanic Times newspaper, while he covered a demonstration on October 24. “Maimo told CPJ that he was released unconditionally on October 29, but that the gendarmes had hit him with their hands and a belt, insulted him, threatened him with imprisonment, and forced him to clean the gendarmeries’ toilets. ‘Every time I tried to explain, I received more beatings,,’ he added. CPJ reviewed photos showing cuts on Maimo’s back and his bloodstained shirt. . . .”


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Richard Prince’s Journal-isms originates from Washington. It began in print before most of us knew what the internet was, and it would like to be referred to as a “column.” Any views expressed in the column are those of the person or organization quoted and not those of any other entity. Send tips, comments and concerns to Richard Prince at journal-isms+owner@groups.io

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