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Joy Reid Accepts Walker’s Debate Challenge

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‘The Ancestors Are Weeping,’ Host Says After Gaffe

“MSNBC personality Joy Reid has accepted a debate challenge from Senate candidate Herschel Walker,” Brian Niemietz reported Thursday for the Daily News in New York.

“The back-and-forth began Tuesday when Reid tweeted video of the Georgia football-star-turned-candidate appearing on Fox News between Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham. During that TV appearance, Walker used the word ‘erection’ when he meant to say ‘election.’ His conservative colleagues played along like nothing happened.

“ ‘The ancestors are weeping‘ Reid tweeted. ‘And why does he always need these handlers (who can’t even stop him from embarrassing himself.) Just humiliating…’

“Walker returned fire on a right-wing Internet program Wednesday.

“ ‘I‘d love to debate Joy Reid,’ he said.

“Walker referred to his debate against Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock last month, claiming victory and saying he would also fare well in a one-on-one contest against Reid. Walker said Reid might be adept at being a television presenter, but a debate with him would prove more difficult.

“ ‘I say, any day of the week she wants to debate, she can show up here and I’ll debate her as well on any subject,’ he said. ‘She can come up with the subject, and let’s go at it.’

“Reid wasted no time Wednesday night inviting Walker to visit her MSNBC program.

“ ‘Okay, Herschel, come on,’ she gleefully said. ‘No, seriously. We reached out to your team. We will have you on the “ReidOut” any day. And we can debate. Just tell us when.’

“Reid’s only caveat was that Walker couldn’t bring Cruz and Graham with him on her show.

“Walker tweeted a Thanksgiving message Thursday, but has not responded to Reid’s challenge. His campaign did not respond to a request for comment. . . .”

Attorney: Stop Disparaging Tiffany Cross

November 24, 2022

Ousted MSNBC Host Hires L.A. ‘Super Lawyer’
‘Dark Money’ Group Claims Yamiche Alcindor Voted Illegally
Diversity Rises for Broadcast Journalists but . . .
Pilot in Fatal News Copter Crash Called a Hero

Poorer Blacks’ Fines Help Finance White Suburb
Michelle Obama’s the Biased One, Says Columnist
Anchor Loses Ability to Speak, Still Serves
Recalling a ‘Ferocious’ Black Trans Journalist
Publishers Speak Out for Native Americans’ Month

Short Takes: Mocking a Native American name; resources for covering mass shootings; covering the World Cup; $10 million naming gift for Florida International U.; covid risk during holiday gatherings; Joint Center’s FOCUS Magazine archives; “The Corky Lee Story”; Kevin Merida; “Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards”; Ben Watson and Peter Burns and a joke about the wife of one; Twitter’s value as democratizing influence; Charlayne Hunter-Gault; Edgardo Sanabria Mariani; Mumia Abu-Jamal; Military Veterans in Journalism; paltry media diversity in Australia; Canadian Association of Black Journalists; El Salvador journalists.

Homepage photo: Tiffany Cross on Charlamagne Tha God’s “Hell of a Week”

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Tiffany Cross said Nov. 4 after her ouster, “While this journey ended abruptly, surprising many of us, my work is not done. As political violence has reached a fever pitch, it is becoming inherently more dangerous to speak the truth. But I will not stop. The attacks on me from other outlets and former hosts will never control my narrative.”

Ousted MSNBC Host Hires L.A. ‘Super Lawyer’

Amid a whispering campaign in which anonymous tabloid sources disparaged Tiffany Cross after MSNBC cut ties with her, Cross has hired a Hollywood “superlawyer” who tells Journal-isms he is seeking “justice and humane behavior with actions representative of the truth.

“This certainly does not include an attempt to embarrass, ridicule and feed the media with fictitious information purposefully designed to injure her career,” Bryan Freedman (pictured, below) messaged Journal-isms Wednesday regarding his new client.

MSNBC, meanwhile, refused to say on the record Wednesday whether it will meet with the more than 40 Black leaders who sent a letter to MSNBC President Rashida Jones protesting the cancellation of “The Cross Connection With Tiffany Cross.” They had asked for a meeting by Nov. 11 to “discuss a path forward that is restorative to the reputation and dignity” of the cable news host.

MSNBC announced Nov. 4 that it was not renewing the contract of the MSNBC weekend host who pledged to be “an authentic Black voice” on her Saturday commentary program. She was told to leave immediately.

The MSNBC decision came just two weeks after Fox host Tucker Carlson claimed that Cross was inciting a “race war” against white people in the United States.

Podcaster Megyn Kelly, onetime Fox News and NBC host, called Cross a “moron” and “dumbass.” She also said Cross is “the most racist person on television.” Kelly rejoiced at MSNBC’s decision.

On Nov. 16, Alexandra Steigrad reported in the tabloid New York Post, “Ex-MSNBC host Tiffany Cross learned that she was getting pushed out days ahead of her exit — and allegedly threatened to ‘go out in a blaze’ and ‘take down’ the cable TV network and its boss, Rashida Jones, The Post has learned from sources close to MSNBC.

“The controversial anchor — whose weekend show ‘The Cross Connection’ was abruptly canceled earlier this month as MSNBC elected not to renew her contract, according to sources — began frantically calling other journalists, media executives and social activists a week before her ouster in a bid to rally support, a source with knowledge alleged.

“ ‘She made calls saying, ‘I’m going out in a blaze and I’m taking down the network and going after Rashida,’ a source close to the situation claimed, paraphrasing Cross.

“MSNBC insiders claim Cross was ousted partly over her habit of making ‘vulgar’ comments and ‘name calling’ on air, but The Post has learned from MSNBC insiders that she also had been under fire for allegedly racking up as much as $100,000 in expenses for five-star hotel stays. . . .”

Wesley Lowery, a fellow journalist, tweeted the same day, “Tiffany is a dear friend. This report is inaccurate. She was blindsided by her ousting and has gone out of her way not to disparage MSNBC — which has been running a rumor campaign against her.”

(The New York Post’s use of anonymous sources to sling mud worked both ways. On Nov. 19, its gossip unit Page Six ran “Morale at MSNBC is at ‘all time low’ as network faces identity crisis.“)

Us magazine listed five things to know about Freedman in 2021. “Freedman has been recognized as a ‘Super Lawyer,’ a ‘peer-based award’ given to the top 5 percent of attorneys in Southern California every year since 2007. He’s also been included on the Top 100 Power Lawyers list several times. . . .

“He’s a Go-to For Celebrities . . .

“According to Freedman’s website, he’s represented a series of high-profile clients including Mariah Carey, Alanis [Morissette], Linkin Park, Lil Pump, Seth Rogen, Vin Diesel, Octavia Spencer, Kate Beckinsale, Bella Thorne, Maria Menounos, Jodie Sweetin, Julia Roberts, Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan.”

In addition, “Freedman made headlines when Gabrielle Union hired him to represent her after she was let go from America’s Got Talent in 2019 amid allegations of racism, sexism and toxicity on the set of the NBC show. The actress reached a settlement in 2020, releasing a joint statement: ‘We’ve reached an amicable resolution. NBC Entertainment appreciates the important concerns raised by Gabrielle Union and remains committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment where people of all backgrounds are treated with respect.’

“Freedman also worked with Megyn Kelly in 2018 after she exited her Today show slot early following her controversial comments about blackface. Reports in early 2019 claimed that Kelly was set to receive the remaining sum from her original $69 million contract — an estimated $30 million — after she was let go.”

Later in the year, Chris Cuomo retained Freedman after the prime-time host was let go by CNN, having advised his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in what was viewed as a violation of journalistic ethics. The governor was facing sexual harassment allegations.

Journal-isms asked Freedman what would constitute “justice” for Cross.

“I think the obvious answer to that is to treat employees with dignity, not to disparage them or spread on background and off the record statements that they fired her with weeks to go on her contract. There is more but I am boarding a plane,” Freedman messaged.

Yamiche Alcindor hosts PBS’ “Washington Week” in addition to reporting for NBC News, covering the Biden administration and the impact of federal policies on communities across the country and issues at the intersection of race, culture and politics, according to NBC’s hiring announcement last year. (Credit: Scott Suchman/WETA)

‘Dark Money’ Group Claims Alcindor Voted Illegally

A group described by Esquire magazine as “a dark-money operation founded by the former oppo guy for the presidential campaign of Tailgunner Ted Cruz” has accused NBC White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor of illegally voting in Florida.

“Public information indicates that Mrs. Alcindor is a resident of the District of Columbia, and therefore ineligible to vote in the State of Florida. Despite this, Mrs. Alcindor is registered to vote and has voted in the State of Florida,” according to a complaint addressed to the Florida Department of State, Office of the General Counsel demanding that Florida investigate the matter,” Julia Johnson reported Nov. 4 for the Washington Examiner.

However, Alcindor told Journal-isms this week through an NBC News spokesperson, “Yamiche’s legal residence is in the state of Florida — the only state where she votes – and she complies with state voting laws and absentee voting guidelines.”

Thomas H. Jones (pictured), founder of the American Accountability Foundation, messaged Journal-isms Wednesday, “The complaint has been forwarded to the Office of Elections Crimes and Security for review.”

The chief spokesperson for Florida’s Department of State, messaged Monday, has not confirmed receipt of the complaint.

The Examiner reported, “The complaint notes that Alcindor publicized a move to Washington, D.C., in 2017, attaching a tweet of hers.

“Some news: I moved to DC this week to cover social safety net issues and how Trump’s administration impacts everyday people’s lives,” Alcindor wrote at the time.

Asked what he made of Esquire’s characterization of his group, Jones told Journal-isms, “Well ignoring the obvious and ridiculous editorializing by the author / editor, I would say, Yes, our donors are not public. This is nothing new in America. Anonymous support for groups and speech is as old as the republic. If people want to call that ‘dark money,’ ok.

“Otherwise, yes, I am proudly a former oppo guy for Cruz for President. Senator Cruz is a patriot and I am extraordinarily proud to have had the opportunity to work for his campaign.”

Diversity Rises for Broadcast Journalists but . . .

“Minority journalists represent a growing number of employees in [local] TV and radio newsrooms, according to the most recent report from the latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey, even reaching record numbers in radio newsrooms,” Bob Papper and Keren Henderson reported by email Tuesday for the Radio Television Digital News Association.

“But there’s still a large gap between the minority population in the U.S. and the minority workforce in local news.

“The latest RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey finds the minority workforce in TV news fell to 25.5%. That’s down 2.2 from last year’s record high. But that’s deceptive. The minority workforce at non-Hispanic TV stations again rose to the highest level ever, 24.5% — up 0.9 from last year.

“How can there be a drop in the minority workforce overall and a rise in the minority workforce at non-Hispanic stations? Participation of Hispanic stations dropped 72% in this year’s survey versus past years. That drop meant that total minorities in local TV (and some other numbers as well) are down even as the percentage of minorities and Hispanics at non-Hispanic stations went up.

“Women TV news directors also hit another record high.

“In the big picture, though, there’s still a large gap between the minority population in the U.S. and the minority workforce in local TV news. . . .”

Chip Tayag, left, and WBTV meteorologist Jason Myers died when their helicopter crashed near a highway in south Charlotte, N.C. Al Tompkins wrote for the Poynter Institute, “Everyone from the Panthers NFL team to local police and the National Weather Service issued caring statements about the tragedy.” (Credit: WBTV-TV, Charlotte, N.C.)

Pilot in Fatal News Copter Crash Called a Hero

“WBTV Sky 3 pilot Chip Tayag is being called a hero, with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings saying he believes Tayag took extraordinary measures in his final moments before the helicopter crashed on Interstate 77 Tuesday afternoon,” the Charlotte, N.C., television station reported.

“Both Tayag and WBTV meteorologist Jason Myers were killed in that crash.”

According to Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, “Tayag” is Filipino, a descriptive nickname from the Ilokano language, meaning “tall.”

In his LinkedIn profile, Tayag said he had been a helicopter pilot since 2008 and a news pilot for the Total Traffic & Weather Network and WBTV-TV since 2017.

Al Tompkins wrote for the Poynter Institute:

“WBTV’s Molly Grantham added, ‘You often see us hashtag post #wbtvfamily, we are a family. And we feel lucky to be with people that we work so closely with, in such an intense career and to like our co-workers as family.’ She said, ‘Chip is a long long-time pilot for WBTV, he is actually through a contractor company, but he has been here a long time and he is an experienced pilot. And many of us have been in that helicopter with Chip.’

“The helicopter was a 1999 R44 Robinson aircraft. In January 2020, Tayag was on the air after NBA star Kobe Bryant died in a chopper crash. Tayag explained how pilots make decisions in bad weather. . . .

“News helicopter crashes are rare these days, partly because there are fewer aircraft in the air than there were in the early 2000s, but also because some high-profile crashes led to newsrooms increasing their safety standards. A 2007 chopper collision in Phoenix sparked an industry conversation about news helicopter safety. Those two helicopters were two of five aircraft covering a police chase.

“In 2009, the National Press Photographers Association endorsed recommendations that news helicopter pilots no longer report live while they are flying the helicopter, which was not uncommon at the time. In many markets, prior to the 2007 Phoenix crash, pilots flew the aircraft while also delivering traffic reports on air. The NPPA declared that ‘pilot/reporters who appear live on camera in the sky should not do so unless accompanied by a co-pilot or a trained observer on board to help avoid collisions.’ . . . ”

 

The investigation was a collaboration between the Marshall Project and WEWS-TV in Cleveland. (Credit: WEWS-TV)

Poorer Blacks’ Fines Help Finance White Suburb

Many Cleveland residents say police in the Cleveland suburb of Bratenahl “target Black drivers to raise money for the village of waterfront estates, mansions and towering trees interweaving above the streets,” Mark Puente, Stan Donaldson Jr., and Cid Standifer wrote Monday for the Marshall Project. “They all say they want it to stop.

“A Marshall Project-Cleveland investigation found that the majority of drivers cited for traffic violations by Bratenahl police since 2020 were Black.

“Bratenahl officers did not note race information in nearly half of all cases. Until 2020, it was not a requirement. Reporters reviewed randomly selected arrest reports, analyzed records from time periods with higher percentages of data on race, examined U.S. Census demographics of drivers’ addresses, calculated conservative estimates for the missing data, and interviewed more than 30 drivers at the Mayor’s Court, which hears traffic cases. In all, an estimated 60% or more of drivers cited for traffic violations since 2020 were Black.

“The investigation found:

“The village has assessed more than $700,000 in fines, court costs and other revenue since 2020, mostly from Black Clevelanders who drove through the village’s jurisdiction.

“Over 60% of drivers ticketed in 2022 came from areas with higher poverty rates, lower household income, and larger non-White populations than most Ohio communities. Almost all of the 1,006 tickets through Sept. 15 were issued to people from outside Bratenahl. . . .

“Approximately three out of four people in this village of 1,400 are White. The village is home to people such as Cleveland Browns football team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and Cleveland Cavaliers’ basketball star Kevin Love. It is surrounded by Cleveland and shares a ZIP code with Glenville, one of Cleveland’s poorest neighborhoods. . . .”

Michelle Obama’s the Biased One, Says Columnist

“ Former first lady Michelle Obama (pictured) made the ridiculous claim last week that she always wanted to wear braids in the White House but didn’t because she thought the country would not accept it,” Christopher Tremoglie wrote Tuesday in the conservative Washington Examiner. “This nonsensical claim reveals more about the former first lady’s prejudices about white people than the reality of the situation . . . .”

“No, what stopped Michelle Obama from wearing braids was Michelle Obama and her dim view of white Americans as unaccepting. It wasn’t reality. She stereotyped white people, the same millions of white people who voted her husband into office, and made her decision. That’s what caused her not to wear braids, not an unspoken cultural unreadiness or systemic racism against black hairstyles.

“It’s time to stop blaming white people for everything. Michelle Obama is a grown woman and had the autonomy to choose however she wanted to wear her hair when she was first lady. None of her husband’s policy decisions were predicated on her hairstyles. She was the one who ultimately chose not to wear braids. If she has regrets, then she should look in the mirror, not insinuate white people were to blame. Otherwise, she’s as bad as the bigots she thought she had to worry about. . . .”

In 2012, Chris Cillizza and Jon Cohen wrote about the white vote for The Washington Post: “While Obama did lose white voters by 20 points to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (the widest losing margin for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1984) he still won a clear popular vote victory — with a majority of his total vote nationwide coming from white voters.”

They also wrote, “Obama’s 39 percent showing among white voters matched the percentage that Bill Clinton received in 1992 — albeit it in a competitive three-way race — and exceeded the percentage of the white vote earned by Walter Mondale in 1984, Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George McGovern in 1972.

“And, Obama’s showing among white voters mattered less than did Mondale’s or Carter’s because the white vote accounted for significantly less of the overall electorate in 2012 than it did in either 1984 or 1980. In fact, the white vote as a percentage of the overall electorate has declined in every election since 1992. . . .”

Anchor Loses Ability to Speak, Still Serves

“Despite losing the ability to speak, former WCMH anchor Mike Jackson shared an update on his health in what he called his ‘final story,’ ” Kevin Eck reported Tuesday for TVSpy.

“After suffering a massive stroke in 2019, Jackson was then diagnosed with cancer. Doctors discovered a tumor in his throat that required the removal of his voice box.

“Jackson joined the Columbus, Ohio NBC affiliate in 1994 and was a news anchor with Colleen Marshall until the stroke in 2019. In the story, Jackson had to type out what he wanted to say.

“ ‘I had a career where I used my voice for more than forty years of employment, public speaking and helping others,’ Hospice minister Darryl Beckett read from what Jackson had typed. ‘This was very hard for me to come to terms with.’

“Jackson also wrote that he would ‘whisper a soft prayer for those in the hospital’ while he was getting treatment, which led Beckett to tell the former anchor ‘Even in your darkest hour, you’re still serving people.’

“The station said the past four years have been ’emotionally, financially, and physically challenging’ for the Jackson family. Click here to access the GoFundMe started by his family.“

The way to honor Monica Roberts’ legacy “is for all of us to take up part of the work of documenting, amplifying, and paying attention to the attacks trans people are facing,” writes Eliel Cruz. “We cannot stand by idly. We must demand justice.” (Credit: National LBGTQ Task Force)

Recalling a ‘Ferocious’ Black Trans Journalist

“It’s important to remember that violence against marginalized communities does not begin with murder,” Eliel Cruz wrote Sunday in a tribute to the late Monica Roberts for the Transgender Day of Remembrance. “It starts with the acceptance, both passive and deliberate, of increasingly hateful rhetoric, which fuels legislation and emboldens people to commit acts of violence.

“Trans people, disproportionately Black trans women, are facing violence on the streets and from intimate partners, family, or co-workers, and from legislation that aims to dehumanize and ultimately eliminate trans people from the public space. There’s a growing animus against trans people that manifests as violence in real life, and we must call it out for what it is. . . .”

Cruz also wrote, “Monica Roberts began tracking violence against the trans community in 2006, long before national organizations, governmental agencies, and, perhaps most important, the media, were paying close attention. Her award-winning blog, TransGriot, aggregated local news, police reports, and community-sourced information.

“Her no-frills style of reporting and her reputation as a trusted journalist and blogger in the community made her a critical resource. Tapping into a rich network of trans people on social media and tips received via email, Roberts was a go-to for trans activists across the country, particularly during a time when the media wasn’t regularly reporting on the killings of trans people or doing so in a way that honored the lives of those lost. . . .

“In the fall of 2020, Monica died at 56 years old. Her unexpected death, due to blood clots in her lungs, reverberated throughout the LGBTQ community. The Association of LGBTQ Journalists (NLGJA) lauded her groundbreaking journalism, and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) posthumously inducted her to its hall of fame. Her blog now lives on as an archive, and more digital content will be produced by Transgriot LLC under the leadership of [trans activist Dee Dee Waters, who was also a longtime friend], with plans to continue additional reporting on the issues facing Black trans Americans. . . .

“Every year, on Nov. 20, the LGBTQ community remembers the lives of those lost for the Transgender Day of Remembrance. This year-— and every year after — Monica will be remembered as a ferocious leader who cared enough to look out for the needs of her community. She was . . . taken too soon, and her absence from our movement will be felt immensely, her care and love for her community always remembered. The way to honor her legacy is for all of us to take up part of the work of documenting, amplifying, and paying attention to the attacks trans people are facing. We cannot stand by idly. We must demand justice.”

The Native Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, N.M., posted this on its website last year for Native American Heritage Month.

Publishers Speak Out for Native Americans’ Month

For November, Native American Heritage Month, the Local Media Association spoke with leaders at four news organizations that serve Indigenous audiences “to find out how they connect with their readers, what fuels their passion for journalism and how they stay competitive in the digital and print news market.”

Here are excerpts from three:

Angel Ellis, director, Mvskoke Media:

“One of the biggest things that the mainstream media overlooks about the Indigenous community is that our stories have never been fully told and we really have to change that. For Indigenous people the narrative has always been skewed, from the history books to the news articles there is a bias, and we are so ready to tell our stories. We just want them told with respect, and within proper context.”

Levi Rickert, founder, publisher, and editor, Native News Online, was asked: How has your approach to journalism changed throughout the years?

“We have had to get past assumptions of what we think non-Natives know about the American Indian/Alaska Native population. Because of that we try to have ‘explainer’ articles or even explainer paragraphs within articles so that we adequately portray what is real in and about Indian Country.”

Tyler Thomas, executive editor, Cherokee Phoenix:

“The main thing that mainstream media gets wrong is the portraying that all Native people are the same. They fail to recognize and promote the uniqueness of each Native tribe. Every tribal nation has a unique story and culture that [deserve] to be told in their own words and not deduced down to one generic story about Native people. . . .”

Short Takes

The College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts prepared this promotional video. (Credit: YouTube)

Researchers found a small number of Indigenous presenters, such as the Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s Tony Armstrong. (Credit: Julia Kingma)
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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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