Journalists prepare for protests where they could be targets
Though details remain murky, demonstrations are expected at state capitols beginning Sunday and leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)NEW YORK โ While monitoring online chatter about protests at state capitols in advance of next week's presidential inauguration, the Seattle Times came across a chilling description for journalists: soft targets. Radnovich will cover demonstrations at Oregon's statehouse, bringing a significant advantage to the job. In many war zones, journalists make sure they are clearly identified as press so they are not mistaken for enemy combatants. โWe will revisit that if things go south.โA six-foot fence has been installed around the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan.
Coronavirus story provides chance to push service journalism
News organizations accustomed to following leads and filing political analyses are being challenged now to perform service journalism so readers and viewers understand the new coronavirus and how to protect their families. The Seattle Times' website tells readers what percentage of people with coronavirus get a fever, and how many get a cough. โWe're super in-touch with our readers here,โ said Lynn Jacobson, deputy managing editor of the Seattle Times. Grateful readers have had pizza and Vietnamese sandwiches delivered to the Seattle Times' newsroom, she said. Following the day's news is what most journalists are oriented toward doing, and some might consider service features boring or something that readers can look up online, he said.