BANGLADESH: The regime changed in Bangladesh. Can the media change too?

Columbia Journalism Review: As student protests swept Bangladesh earlier this year, Shahnaz Sharmeen, a veteran TV journalist, realized her daugher Ahona had stopped talking to her. 

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CAMBODIA: Cambodian Court Refuses Bail For Detained Journalist Mech Dara

The Diplomat: The 36-year-old, whose reporting has linked powerful businesspeople to the country’s online scamming industry, is reportedly suffering from a number of health problems.

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CHINA: At media summit, China blasts Western coverage of Uyghurs

Radio Free Asia: China hosted a global media summit in Xinjiang this week, bringing together over 500 participants to discuss artificial intelligence, but also used the event to criticize Western reports about the forced labor of Uyghurs and an ongoing genocide were “fabricated lies.”

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CHINA: China launches crackdown on ‘unauthorized’ use of language

Radio Free Asia: The move comes as younger social media users develop a new set of code words and abbreviations.

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CHINA: Making deepfakes with Chinese AI

China Media Project: Chinese AI tools are getting more sophisticated, and concerns are rising they will be used to interfere with democracies. So how easy is it to create deepfakes on the Chinese internet? 

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HONG KONG & US: Congressman rails at Hong Kong efforts to block US-based content

VOA: A leading U.S. Democrat on China policy has called on an American web hosting company not to comply with requests from Hong Kong authorities to suspend the website of a media service founded by overseas Hong Kong democracy activists.

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INDIA: Huge distortion, need for self-introspection: Election Commission on exit polls

India Today: The Election Commission on Tuesday said the press and media associations need to do “self-introspection” about exit polls, citing “huge distortion” created by them.

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INDIA: Snapchat Shares Insights Into India’s Gen Z Audience

Social Media Today: Snapchat has published a new report on the spending power of Gen Z in India, which digs into how Gen Z users approach various aspects, and how brands can reach them on their wavelength.

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INDONESIA: Firebombing of news organisation in Indonesia’s Papua region condemned as assault on ‘media freedom’

RNZ: An attack on the editorial office of Papua-based media outlet Jubi on Wednesday using Molotov cocktails set fire to vehicles but resulted in no casualties, Indonesian police said.

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JAPAN: Japanese voice actors demand rules to combat unauthorized AI-generated voices

NHK: A group of voice actors working in Japan has released a video calling for rules on regulating the use of generative artificial intelligence to create audio and visual content that mimics their voices without permission.

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KYRGYZSTAN: Journalists In Kyrgyzstan Pay Heavy Price For Uncovering ‘Family Clan’ Nepotism

RFE/RL: When Kyrgyz journalist Bolot Temirov’s wife and their colleague were sentenced to multiyear prison terms last week in Kyrgyzstan, the forcibly exiled investigative reporter was not surprised.

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MALAYSIA: Malaysia seeks public views on controversial code of conduct for social media platforms

SCMP: The authorities say the policy is to protect children and vulnerable groups but critics say it would lead to curbs on freedom of expression

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MYANMAR & THAILAND: RSF launches support project for Myanmar journalists

RSF: As an increasing number of journalists have been forced into exile due to the brutal crackdown on press freedom by the military junta in Myanmar, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is launching a project in Thailand aimed at supporting these media professionals in exile, as well as those who continue to work inside the country.

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NEPAL: Radio Nepal has become platform for inclusive broadcasting: Minister Gurung

Radio Nepal: Radio Nepal launched its news broadcast in the Danuwar language on Wednesday. The Danuwar language is spoken by the Danuwar community, predominantly living in the hilly and inner Terai regions of central and eastern Nepal.

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PAKISTAN: UN rights body concerned at internet/social media blackouts

Dawn: The UN Human Rights Committee also called the Committee on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) on rights violations and raised concerns at the social media surveillance, internet and social media apps blockage to maneuver general elections, religious intolerance, ban on student unions as well as curbs on the media and freedoms of expression and movement.

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TAIWAN: RSF chief lauds Taiwan’s free press but calls for media reforms

Focus Taiwan: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Director General Thibaut Bruttin has high praise for Taiwan’s free media, but argued recently that work still needed to be done to encourage more editorial independence in local newsrooms.

AUSTRALIA: Meta and Google face ‘big tech tax’ as Labor plans how to ensure media sustainability in Australia

The Guardian: Key parliamentary report focuses on decision by Facebook owner to abandon three-year-old deal to pay for news content

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AUSTRALIA: Nine apologises unreservedly after bombshell report reveals systemic bullying and harassment

The Guardian: Nine board commits to implementing all recommendations for a ‘reset of culture’

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AUSTRALIA & NEW CALEDONIA: ABC Launches Australia–New Caledonia Media Partnership with NC La 1ère and Caledonia TV (Press release)

ABC: The Australia–New Caledonia Media Partnership has been officially launched following the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and New Caledonian public broadcasters NC La 1ère and Caledonia TV. 

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NEW ZEALAND: Scam Facebook ads targeting media trust

RNZ: Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking ended his show one day in August up in arms about scammers on Facebook.

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NIUE: PMN team conduct media & democracy workshop

Television Niue: Discussions centered on disinformation and factual news pieces, the impact of social media and the trust that the public has with news outlets. 

AUSTRIA, GERMANY & SWITZERLAND: ‘We leave viewers smarter’: fears over plans to close ‘world’s most highbrow’ TV station

The Guardian: Unique experiment in German-language public broadcasting 3sat faces pressure from populist right

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BELGIUM: Making politics exciting? This is how Karrewiet brings world news to children (Press release – Dutch) 

VRT: The American elections, one of the biggest political events worldwide, have an impact that is felt far beyond the country’s borders. But how do you translate such a complex subject for children?

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BELGIUM: Serious concerns over cases of preventive censorship involving four media outlets 

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in strongly condemning the numerous judicial decisions aimed at preventing the publication of information by four Belgian media outlets.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: Private radio stations are calling on listeners to write to MPs about the fees (Czech) 

iDNES.cz: Private radio stations launched the dopisposlanci.cz campaign. They want to call on citizens to write to deputies and senators and thus express their disapproval of the media amendment being discussed, which is supposed to increase radio fees for Czech Radio.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: We know what the Czech Television Memorandum contains: “It is my biggest concession,” says director Souček (Czech) 

INFO.CZ: Part of the discussion on the increase in television fees from 135 to 150 crowns is also the creation of the so-called Memorandum – the self-regulatory framework of Czech Television, which anchors its place on the media market. 

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FINLAND: Would you believe this president? The deepfake videos and tasks of Yle Uutisklkutan reflect on social influence (Finnish) 

Yle: Deepfake technology has made great strides in the last year. Yle News’ lavish package on deepfake with exercises to help you get up to speed.

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FRANCE: Unions denounce the intimidation of several journalists at the Mazan high-profile rape trial 

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with its French affiliate CFDT-Journalistes, strongly condemn the numerous attacks against journalists during the high-profile Mazan rape trial. 

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GERMANY: Together for a strong public broadcasting system (Press release – German) 

ZDF: ARD-GVK and ZDF committees position themselves on the states’ reform plan

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GERMANY & RUSSIA: Russian disinformation is growing in Germany

DW: Russia is flooding Germany with more disinformation than ever, officials warn. Analysts say this tactic is helping pro-Kremlin narratives increasingly seep into the country’s politics.

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GREECE & SLOVAKIA: Joint letter: Immediate action needed regarding procurement, use and regulation of spyware in the EU

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined eleven organisations members of the Spyware Coordination Group in addressing the European Parliament regarding serious concerns about the procurement, use, and regulation of spyware technologies in Slovakia and Greece.

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ICELAND: Stefán Eiríksson reappointed radio director for the next five years (Press release – Icelandic) 

RÚV: The board of Rikisvvarpin ohf. has decided to re-employ Stefán Eiríksson in the position of radio director for five years, in accordance with the authorization in Article 11. Act on National Broadcasting, mass media in the public interest.

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ITALY: Combining information with experimentation of young faces (Press release – Italian) 

Rai: One of the objectives of the In-Depth Department is to combine plural information with the experimentation of young, new faces and innovative dynamics. 

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ITALY: European Media Freedom Act and the Jigsaw of the “Parliamentarized” Italian RAI

Verfassungblog: Depoliticizing Italy’s Public Service Media Amid New EMFA-Driven Reform Proposals

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ITALY: Under a far-right government, journalists fear press freedom in Italy is heading down a slippery slope

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: As two reports point to political interference, three experts discuss the risks posed by litigation and the future of the country’s public broadcaster

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SLOVAKIA & CROATIA: RTV Slovenia and HRT signed a cooperation agreement (Press release – Slovakian) 

RTV SLO: On her first official visit, the President of the Management Board of RTV Slovenia, Natalija Gorščak, today received the General Director of the Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Robert Šveb and the head of the international department of the Croatian Radio Television, Ana Blažević.

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SPAIN:  Change in the Commercial Management of RTVE (Press release – Spanish) 

RTVE: Rodolfo Domínguez Alfageme has informed the HR Department of his intention to retire soon, after a long professional career of nearly forty years in the Commercial Department of RTVE, as Director of Special Advertising, Director of Commercial Management and Coordination and Commercial Director in his last stage 

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SWEDEN: Super election year 2024 – how will the media handle the coverage? (Press release – Swedish) 

SR: We are three quarters through the super election year 2024, where half the world’s population goes to the polls. In this breakfast seminar, the journalistic challenges for some of Sweden’s largest newsrooms are discussed.

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SWITZERLAND: Online info in Switzerland: the facts are stubborn, the masks are falling! (Blog – French) 

GillesMarchand.ch: Quite simply, users of SSR platforms are more likely to visit online news sites than those who are not connected to the public service! In short, the appetite for information increases the more quality there is in this area.

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SWITZERLAND: Proportion of Swiss who are ‘news deprived’ reaches record high 

Swissinfo: The proportion of people who are “news-deprived” in Switzerland has risen to a record 46%, while the overall quality of the media remains good, says a new study by the University of Zurich.

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SWITZERLAND: Yearbook on Media Quality: SRG offerings have no negative impact on the use of private media (Press release – German) 

SRG SSR: The SRG formats have once again received a lot of praise. In addition, the in-depth study on the relationship between the SRG and the private media, with the first empirical review for the Swiss market, shows a positive connection between the use of the SRG and the use of the private media. 

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UK: Hundreds of new local stations take to the digital airwaves (Press release) 

Ofcom: Ofcom has today published a progress update on its small-scale DAB roll-out across the UK  with 115 licences awarded and 64 new multiplexes so far launched.

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UKRAINE: Ukraine media outlets, businesses targeted with false bomb threats

VOA: Emails threatening terror attacks led to the evacuation of hundreds of businesses, media outlets and foreign embassies in Ukraine this week.

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REGIONAL: Building trust in the digital age: EFJ conference unites stakeholders on media regulation and self-regulation

EFJ: On Monday 14th October, the media community reached a consensus on the need for multi-stakeholder dialogue as countries implement recent EU media legislations at the EFJ high-level European conference on Self-Regulation and Regulation in the Media Sector.

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REGIONAL: Policy in Practice: The interplay of the Digital Services Act and the European Media Freedom Act (Report) 

CMPMF: The power remains with platforms?

IRAN: RSF calls on Iran’s judiciary to dismiss the prison summons for journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi — and drop all charges against them

RSF: On 13 October 2024, an Iranian judge ruled that these two emblematic Iranian journalists  — jailed in 2022 for reporting on Mahsa Amini’s death and the resulting Woman, Life, Freedom movement — should go back to prison, without specifying a date.

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IRAQ: Iraq Suspends License of Saudi-Owned Television Channel, MBC Media Group

The New York Times: The action came after the channel aired a report describing a number of leaders of Iranian backed armed groups as terrorists.

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TURKEY: Acik Radyo falls silent as Turkish media regulator revokes license

VOA: With a farewell song of “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys, a Turkish radio station fell silent this week after nearly 30 years of broadcasts.

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TURKEY: Press freedom and freedom of expression groups, media outlets and civil society condemn regulator’s decision to shutter Açık Radyo

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), along with 60 undersigned press freedom and freedom of expression groups, media outlets, and civil society organizations, condemns the official revocation of the terrestrial broadcasting license of independent radio station Açık Radyo by Turkey’s broadcast regulator, RTÜK (Radio and Television Supreme Council).

CANADA: CBC president refuses to rule out accepting bonuses for two most recent fiscal years 

CBC: Catherine Tait told a Parliamentary committee that bonuses are part of pay structure

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CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada’s Annual Public Meeting: A new era for public media (Press release – Event) 

CBC/Radio-Canada: In a conversation moderated by Sophie Fouron (frequent host on Radio-Canada), President and CEO Catherine Tait and Chair of the Board of Directors Michael Goldbloom will reflect on CBC/Radio-Canada’s key milestones and achievements.

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CANADA: Letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (Press release – Letter) 

CBC/Radio-Canada

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CANADA: Opening Remarks from Michael Goldbloom, Chair of the Board of Directors, and Catherine Tait, President and CEO, at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (Press release – Speech) 

CBC/Radio-Canada: The challenge by now is clear: the ongoing crisis in Canadian media is undermining Canadians’ ability to keep informed. More than 500 news outlets have closed in over 300 communities in just the past six years. 

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CANADA: Quebec TV executive to be named new CBC/Radio-Canada president: sources

CBC: A veteran Quebec television executive has been chosen as the new president of CBC/Radio-Canada, sources tell Radio-Canada.

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CANADA: Regulatory, Telecom & Media News – CBC/Radio-Canada appointment yet to be finalized 

Broadcast Dialogue: Canadian Heritage says a decision has yet to be finalized on who will succeed CBC/Radio-Canada President Catherine Tait.

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US: Archiving Our Legacy: Community Radio and the Future of Public Broadcasting

Radio World: “Preserving today’s community radio content is vital for shaping tomorrow’s media landscape”

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US: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Names Daryl Mintz Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Press release) 

CPB: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has named Daryl Mintz as its new Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective November 18.

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US: CPB Awards $1.9 Million to NPR for Editorial Enhancement (Press release) 

CPB: Funding provides increased oversight to ensure objective, balanced, transparent, fact-based journalism

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US: CPB Awards Up to $1.7 Million to Five Public Media Stations to Improve Emergency Alerting (Press Release) 

CPB: Five public media stations in Hawaii, Kentucky, Missouri, and South Dakota will receive a total of up to $1.7 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to upgrade their equipment to provide enhanced emergency alerting.

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US: Newsrooms train reporters on safety ahead of US elections

VOA: With threats and attacks on journalists in the U.S. rising and the presidential election drawing close, media associations are training journalists in how to stay safe. 

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US: Poynter announces new leadership and ethics training program for public media station managers (Press release) 

CPB: Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the fellowship is customized for local public media executives navigating a changing news landscape.

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US: PRESS Act gains momentum 

Freedom of the Press Foundation: The Senate should have passed the PRESS Act months ago, after it sailed through the House in January. But despite the delay, the bill to protect journalist-source confidentiality is picking up real momentum heading into the lame-duck session.

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US: Trump Ratchets Up Threats on the Media 

The New York Times: Presidents are not all-powerful, but, if elected, Donald Trump would have some influence with the federal regulators who oversee major television networks.

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US: Why millions of Americans avoid the news – and what it means for the US election

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: “News avoiders see journalists as part of a disconnected elite,” says Benjamin Toff, who led our Trust in News Project and authored a book on the subject

A year in, The Guardian’s European edition contributes 15% of the publisher’s pageviews

Nieman Lab: After the launch of Guardian Europe, one-time donations from European readers increased by 45%.

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Amazon Enters News With Live Election Coverage From Brian Williams

The New York Times: The tech giant has been increasing live programming on its streaming service, but this will be its first test with news.

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Can Journalism Survive? The Media Elite on Its Future (Paywall)

New York Magazine: “Not to be dire, but it feels like Axios and The Athletic are going to go down as the two luckiest places that got hundreds of millions while you still could.”

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‘Garbage in, garbage out’: AI fails to debunk disinformation, study finds

VOA: When it comes to combating disinformation ahead of the U.S. presidential elections, artificial intelligence and chatbots are failing, a media research group has found.

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In Melrose, an experiment in hyper-local AI podcasting 

Commonwealth Beacon: Robocast creator calls it ‘an act of desperation’ with decline in local news.

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Journalists should ask hard and fair questions 

Poynter: Journalists often get an unfair rap for letting bias seep into their work, but two recent interviews have deserved the criticism they’ve received. 

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LinkedIn is News Publishers’ Best Friend (Paywall)

The Information: As Facebook owner Meta Platforms has backed away from news, Microsoft’s LinkedIn has leaned into it

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NCTJ revives local journalism scheme on its own after Meta cuts funding

NCTJ: Meta pulled support for the Community News Project after investing £17m over four years. The NCTJ spends £450k of its own money to relaunch it but only six UK reporters will benefit

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Poynter’s MediaWise and YouTube partner to launch teen-focused media literacy curriculum

Poynter: The project empowers educators with tools to teach students media literacy skills at a time when teen well-being is a global conversation.

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The Election Has Taken Over TikTok. Here’s What It Looks Like

The New York Times: No two TikTok feeds are the same, because the app’s algorithm sends different videos to users based on their interests. To better understand the election content that’s reaching the app’s 170 million American users, The New York Times watched hundreds of videos from creators across the political spectrum.

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The Hurricane Conspiracies Made It Clear—We’re Going Climate Delulu

Atmos: The maelstrom of conspiracy theories that swirled after Hurricanes Helene and Milton exposed a dangerous rift between delusion and reality.

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What I’ve Learned Interviewing More Than 200 New York Times Journalists

The New York Times: For the past four years, I’ve been the audience for a series of master classes, delivered by more than 200 of the best minds in journalism.