From Brian: 6 takeaways from Jan. 26 show

If you weren't able to tune in on Sunday, here were some of the moments that really stood out to me:

1. Amy Wallace powerfully summarized what she, my other guest Amanda Hess, and a number of other writers have been saying in an ongoing online discussion about online harassment: "I think journalists should take heat. They should be scrutinized for the quality of their reporting, for the originality of their voices, for their accuracy. But they should not be taken to task for what their bodies happen to be shaped like or their potential sexuality or their race or any number of other factors. And that's becoming the way we criticize in this country sometimes. And I think that's of concern."

Here's video of the conversation with Wallace and Hess.

2. In the wake of this widely-criticized Grantland story about a mysterious investor who was a transgender woman, GLAAD's Tiq Milan said, "I think what journalists can take away from this is exactly what Bill Simmons said in his letter: consult with LGBT organizations like GLAAD or like the National Center for Trans Equality, to see... the best practices to deal with situations like this."



ESPN.com's Christina Kahrl concurred: "It's also immensely helpful to be able to talk to a trans person and say, like, 'Should we go there, should we not go there?' This would have been an automatic where it's like, 'No, you really shouldn't go there.' "


3. Actor and environmentalist Robert Redford had a lot to say when I asked him if the mainstream media had failed to educate the public about climate change. "You have to be really the most narrow-minded person in the world to still deny climate change," he said.

For the most part, "the media has fallen short," Redford said, though he acknowledged some bright spots of coverage. Overall, he concluded, "They're coming in late to the game." Here are some other excerpts from the interview. 


4. On the subject of Justin Bieber's arrest in Florida, Dorsey Shaw of BuzzFeed, whose job involves watching cable news all day, said CNN covered the story more than Fox News or MSNBC. And yet:

SHAW: ...I was actually expecting more coverage from CNN. You know, when you look—

STELTER: You mean more than there actually was?
SHAW: Yes. 
STELTER:
So you think there was some restraint on the part of the press!
SHAW: I thought there was some restraint on CNN's part and on cable news's part. But it's a big story. You know, he's a big celebrity. People either love him or hate him. And if you're a producer for a TV show, front page editor for a website or social media editor, you have to know that people are going to be interested in this story either way.

5. I commented that this tweet published by CNN's popular breaking news Twitter account felt inappropriate to me:

14-year-old girl stabbed her little sister 40 times, police say. The reason why will shock you. http://t.co/5ZFqHFrviw

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 23, 2014

I e-mailed a spokesman to ask if CNN's social media team stood by the message, and I was told, "CNN strives to be tasteful while navigating the social news environment." 


6. During the B List segment, I read an excerpt from a Pope Francis message about media and technology. Here's the whole text.

Hope you'll tune in next Sunday at 11 a.m. Eastern! I'll be in New York City with a look at the media circus surrounding the Super Bowl.

–Brian