Let’s start with a tweet of images by Dallas News Reporter Jesus Jiménez that encapsulates the political stage’s transition from chaos to normalcy in just a few short weeks in January. This was, of course, before all the Bernie Sanders mitten memes.
Three Wednesdays in January pic.twitter.com/9dQgG0R0A8
— Jesus Jiménez (@jesus_jimz) January 20, 2021
Amid the backdrop of a raging pandemic (here’s the 200-page White House coronavirus plan), reporters are joining the vaccine rollout beat. The newest additions to our running list of COVID-19 reporters are ABC News Reporter and Producer Adam Kelsey (fresh off 2020 campaign coverage), and Berkshire Eagle North County Reporter Francesca Paris. Business development people in logistics should pay attention to this reporting for contract opportunities. The federal government is ramping up vaccine distribution. Leadership Connect has a large team in Washington updating info for all new federal appointments (as well as another team on congressional moves).
On to this week’s news media hot links. Freshmen public relations people on the Hill should pay special attention to immigration reporters, coronavirus reporters and dozens of new White House correspondents.
The D.C. Movers & Shakers are still rolling in on the third week of January with moves at:
- The Washington Post, including new Bureau Chief Ashley Parker;
- CBS, which added to its White House team, including chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes. Note new Congressional Reporter Jack Turman, and Correspondents Nikole Killion and Kris Van Cleave;
- ABC News, with Cecilia Vega as its new chief White House correspondent;
- Fox News, adding Peter Doocy (formerly covering the Biden campaign) to its White House team.
Speaking of Fox News Channel, which surprisingly landed in third place in cable rankings for the presidential election, there’s decision desk fallout from that early call for Arizona. Among other layoffs, such as Politics Editor Chris Stirewalt, Senior Vice President and Managing Editor Bill Sammon is leaving. In other Foxland news, Maria Bartiromo is getting a tryout in the 7 p.m. slot; and there was a curious provision in a settlement with the family of Seth Rich.
Other hot links include:
- As Leadership Connect look for solutions to disparity in hiring in corporate America, current and former public radio employees joined together to demand reform.
- A USMC veteran has a recommendation for political reporters asking for interviews.
- Dan Rather is starting a paid newsletter in Substack, which now boasts Will Wilkinson.
- CBC Washington Correspondent Alexander Panetta had a great scoop about Biden’s Keystone Pipeline plans, a key part of the first 100 days in office.
- Trump appointments at the VOA are getting pulled by the Biden administration, some in unceremonious fashion. The search is on to replace ex-CEO Michael Pack.
- Supreme Court justices may lean toward an FCC bid to loosen media ownership rules, while net neutrality could come back under a Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
- A New Yorker article get picked up by the Justice Department in post-Capitol breach charges.
- OAN scrubs its election claims about Dominion Voting Systems.
- Google and Facebook are threatening service disruptions in Australia over media code laws.
- WaPo Exclusive: 41 minutes of fear: A video timeline from inside the Capitol siege.
- Parler reemerged with support from Russia, but is losing its suit against Amazon.
- Signal has frequented journalist bios on Twitter in the past two years. Now Telegram is being slowly added. This comes after a WhatsApp privacy policy change and an Elon Musk tweet.
- CNBC Digital had a record year.
CNN’s Daniel Dale, who must have set some sort of record for fact-checking, says his job isn’t over just because there’s a new administration.
One of the biggest highlights of the week was the presidential inauguration, which was well covered by the media. We leave you with one speech of note from National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who has some serious ambitions.
On a day for the history books, @TheAmandaGorman delivered a poem that more than met the moment. Young people like her are proof that “there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it; if only we’re brave enough to be it.” pic.twitter.com/mbywtvjtEH
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2021
