The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or of Harvard University. Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback and to encourage debate on important issues and challenges […]
September 18, 2018—Setti Warren, new Executive Director of the Shorenstein Center, and former mayor of Newton, MA, joined Nicco Mele to discuss local government, electoral campaigns, the importance of a robust local media, and more. Full audio below, and you can subscribe to the Shorenstein Center’s podcast on iTunes, Google Play, iHeartRadio, and Stitcher.
Setti Warren on government, campaigns, and the media Read More »
September 11, 2018—Siva Vaidhyanathan, Robertson Professor of Media Studies and director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia, joined Shorenstein Center director Nicco Mele for a conversation about his new book. Below is the full audio of the conversation, and you can subscribe to the Shorenstein Center’s podcast on iTunes, Google Play, iHeartRadio, and Stitcher. Selected
Siva Vaidhyanathan on social media and its effects on democracy Read More »
Speaker series on fake news and misinformation, co-sponsored by the NULab at Northeastern University. Many of the ideas for sifting truth from fiction in news feeds entail Facebook embracing its currently-singular role as a social network. Relying on that centrality may seem efficient and beneficial in the short term, but it’s a recipe for deep trouble in
Cambridge, MA—First Draft, a project run by Shorenstein Center Fellow Claire Wardle, has launched a free one-hour online course to teach journalists, students, and members of the general public basic tools to verify the authenticity of content found online. Countless examples of people earnestly sharing Photoshopped images of natural disasters, or retweeting content from Russian
First Draft Launches Free Course on Identifying Misinformation Online Read More »
Speaker series on fake news and misinformation, co-sponsored by the NULab at Northeastern University. Recent public attention and debate around “fake news” has highlighted the growing challenge of determining information veracity online. This is a complex and dynamic problem at the intersection of technology, human cognition, and human behavior—i.e. our strategies and heuristics for making
Muddied Waters: Online Disinformation during Crisis Events Read More »
February 20, 2018—Elizabeth Bruenig, Washington Post columnist, discussed the role of Christianity in U.S. politics with Richard Parker, Lecturer in Public Policy, during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. Below are some highlights from the conversation, as well as the full audio. The Shorenstein Center’s podcast is also available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeartRadio, and Stitcher. Commonalities between Christianity and
The Washington Post‘s Elizabeth Bruenig on Religion, Politics, and the Left Read More »
February 13, 2018— Garrett Graff, journalist, author, and director of the Aspen Institute’s cybersecurity and technology program, discussed Robert Mueller’s investigations, election cybersecurity, and threats to U.S. democracy during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. Below are some highlights of his conversation with Shorenstein Center Director Nicco Mele. Graff, who has written about Mueller extensively,
Garrett Graff on Trump, Mueller, Russia, and Cybersecurity Read More »
Over the past year, there has been rising pressure on Facebook, Google and Twitter to account for how bad actors are exploiting their platforms. The catalyst of this so-called “tech-lash” was the revelation in summer 2017 that agents of the Russian government engaged in disinformation operations using these services to influence the 2016 presidential campaigns.
#DigitalDeceit: The Technologies Behind Precision Propaganda on the Internet Read More »
November 15, 2017 — Nancy Gibbs, editorial director of Time Inc. News Group and former editor of Time Magazine, delivered a thought-provoking speech on American values, political polarization, and the impact of social media and journalism. Also at the event, Kevin Cullen, Boston Globe columnist, received the David Nyhan Prize for Political Journalism. Watch the video
October 24, 2017 — Nancy Scola, senior technology reporter for Politico, discussed the regulation of tech platforms, their role in the 2016 election, cyber security, and more during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. Below are some highlights from her conversation with Nicco Mele, Shorenstein Center Director, as well as the full audio. The Shorenstein Center’s
Politico’s Nancy Scola: Reporting on and Regulating the Tech Industry Read More »
A Report from the Shorenstein Center’s Single Subject News Engagement Project Executive Summary Email is a crucial vehicle for media companies to generate reader revenue, yet the ways we talk about and measure email have not changed for almost two decades. Flawed, static measures can distract from success and lead to misguided strategies, crippling the
Using Data Science Tools for Email Audience Analysis: A Research Guide Read More »
October 10, 2017—Bob Schieffer, CBS News contributor, former Face the Nation host, and 2015-2016 Walter Shorenstein Media & Democracy Fellow, discussed his new book, Overload: Finding the Truth in Today’s Deluge of News, during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. He also shared his thoughts on the 2016 election, media coverage of the White House,
Bob Schieffer: Finding the Truth in Today’s Deluge of News Read More »
September 12, 2017—E.J. Dionne, Jr., political writer for The Washington Post, and William H. Bloomberg Visiting Professor, discussed his forthcoming book, One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet Deported, co-authored by Norman J. Ornstein and Thomas E. Mann. During his talk at the Shorenstein Center, Dionne
E.J. Dionne, Jr. on One Nation After Trump, Media, the Economy, and Progressivism Read More »
Executive Summary We studied the content and Nielsen ratings for interviews on the three network Sunday morning talk shows—Meet the Press (henceforth MTP), Face the Nation (FTN), and This Week (TW). We compared three time periods—1983 (MTP, FTN), 1999 (all three shows), and 2015 (all three shows). In order to insure apples-to-apples comparisons, for over
April 18, 2017—Sarah Smarsh, a reporter on socioeconomic class, politics, and policy for The New Yorker, The Guardian, Harper’s online, and other publications, discussed media coverage of class in the U.S. Below are some highlights from her conversation with Shorenstein Center Director Nicco Mele, as well as the full audio recording. The Construct of the “White
Sarah Smarsh: Reporting on Rural America and Class Read More »
April 4, 2017—Bhaskar Sunkara, editor and publisher of Jacobin magazine, discussed his views on leftist politics in the United States during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. Below are some highlights from the conversation. Sunkara also discussed the intersection of race and class, work and automation, the decline of unions, and other topics, available in
Bhaskar Sunkara: The Future of the American Left Read More »
February 21, 2017—Dafna Linzer, managing editor of politics for NBC News and MSNBC, shared insights about covering the 2016 campaign and the Trump administration. Below are some highlights from the conversation, as well as the full audio recording. President Trump’s media viewing habits “We never got the sense that anyone who occupied the Oval Office was
February 7, 2017—David Fahrenthold, a political reporter for The Washington Post, discussed his investigations of President Trump’s charitable giving during the 2016 campaign season, and provided insight about how to cover the president and his administration during a visit to the Shorenstein Center. Fahrenthold recently won acclaim for his coverage of the 2016 United States
David Fahrenthold: Reporting on President Trump Read More »
November 1, 2016—Sissela Bok, writer, philosopher, and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, provided a nuanced view on how lies and secrets in politics have impacted public trust and the 2016 election. Below are some highlights from the conversation, as well as the full audio recording. Also available on
Sissela Bok: Secrets and Lies in Politics and Elections Read More »
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