Syria Refugee Crisis

Media & Politics Must Reads, May 6, 2016

Our weekly roundup of news found at the intersection of media, politics, policy and technology, from the Shorenstein Center and from around the web.

This Week at the Shorenstein Center

The United States and the European Refugee Crisis: Standing with Allies. A new paper by a team led by Michael Ignatieff, Edward R. Murrow Professor of Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Shorenstein Center, outlines a strategy to aid Europe with its management of the refugee crisis.

Role of Party Nominating Conventions in the Presidential Election Cycle: Research Roundup, from Journalist’s Resource.

Press Freedom Research and Commentary. May 3 was World Press Freedom Day. Read work from our fellows about press freedom in Turkey, China, Russia and other countries.

News from Our Faculty & Fellows

Spectacle Reigns As Trump Triumphs: “The New Normal” Has Arrived. Dan Kennedy, current Joan Shorenstein Fellow and associate professor of journalism at Northeastern University, considers what Trump’s victory will mean for the Republican Party – and the media’s responsibility to not treat Trump as a “normal candidate.”

How Donald Trump Defied Party Wisdom to Become the Face of the GOP. Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour anchor and fall 2005 fellow, leads a discussion about Trump’s win, as well as what Senator Bernie Sanders’ refusal to quit means for Hillary Clinton.

Why We Need a Foreign Policy Elite. Evan Thomas, Edward R. Murrow Visiting Professor of the Practice of Press and Public Policy in 2004 and 2006, argues that it is “Trump’s anti-establishment stance that most threatens international security.”

Republicans Couldn’t Muster the Honor to Fight Trump. Walter Shapiro, Roll Call columnist and spring 2005 fellow, criticizes the GOP for giving the nomination to Trump before the convention.

The GOP Hasn’t Learned Its Lesson on Equality. Mark McKinnon, political strategist, former fellow and former visiting faculty member, writes about recent laws that discriminate against the LGBT community, and argues that such laws contradict conservative values of individual freedom and the “freedom to work hard and be judged on talent and merits.”
Shot or Poisoned? Does the Choice of Trump or Cruz Really Matter? Pippa Norris, Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics, argues that despite Senator Lindsey Graham’s remarks, the choice between Trump and Cruz does matter for the Republican Party. She also examines the ideological, economic, and cultural positions of the Republican and Democratic candidates.

Meet Two Little-Known (But Very Dangerous) Super PACs. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21 and fall 1996 fellow, writes about the Senate Majority PAC and Senate Leadership Fund, which are “expected to raise and spend tens of millions of dollars on the 2016 Senate races.”

Imminent Collapse of Journalism in Turkey. Yavuz Baydar, journalist and fall 2014 fellow, writes that with “conditions worsening on a daily basis, Turkey now risks total blackout on public debate.”

Journalism for a Digital World. Edward Schumacher-Matos, fall 2008 fellow, has been named director of the Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World at Tufts University.

From around the Web

The Republican Horse Race Is Over, and Journalism Lost, from The New York Times.

What Can One Photo Tell Us About the Media and 2016? From Politico.

World Press Freedom Day Comes amid Tough Times for Journalists, from USA Today.

Can Fact-Checkers Break into Facebook’s Echo Chambers? From Poynter.

52 Statehouse Reporters Review the Top 5 Public Policy Issues in Each State, from Roll Call.

How One Woman’s “Hyperlocal C-SPAN” Brings Transparency to Politics in Georgia, from Columbia Journalism Review.

Ask the Ethicist: Should Local TV Anchors Agree to Conditional Interviews with the President? From Poynter.

How the Shows you Watch Determine Which Candidates’ Ads You See, from The Washington Post.

How to Define the Line between Journalism and Activism in the Digital Age, from the International Center for Journalists.

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