Tornado chaser cheats death
After being injured when a tornado destroyed his vehicle last year, The Weather Channel’s Mike Bettes talks to Brian Stelter about the risks of live tornado chasing.
What we're reading this week...
By Elizabeth Cherneff, CNN
We've got a busy show planned this Sunday when Frank Sesno, director of The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, joins us once again as our 'Reliable Sources' guest host. With the devastating Philippines typhoon aftermath, continued fallout after the 60 Minutes/Benghazi apology, plus Obamacare woes here at home, we'll take a look at how these stories (and more) have competed for media attention this week. In the meantime, here are some other items that caught our show team's eye- sign off in the comments and tell us what you're reading this week!
'Why South Korea's media are furious with Vladimir Putin'
Russian President Vladimir Putin is known for being unpredictable. And in a Washington Post piece this week, Max Fisher writes that South Korean journalists aren't too pleased amid his latest trip to the country. Referencing articles in several South Korean media outlets, he notes that Putin's tardiness to events & last-minute schedule changes have been carefully documented by some journalists, some even calling Putin's actions 'insulting.' Beyond this, Fisher posits that even these minor acts could have larger impacts on Russian, Mideast and Western foreign policy relations.
'What happens when the weather computer fails'
Justin Chambers, meteorologist for Colorado Springs Fox affiliate KXRM, knows what it's like to have his software crash at the last minute. So on Wednesday morning, after he tweeted a photo of his blank/non-functional weather monitor, he put his improvisational skills to use once again. Using everything from dancing and iPads to pantomiming weather patterns, Chambers proved once again that when it comes to the weather, no technical glitch can prevent him from bringing viewers the forecast.
'Jana Winter's case, and what it means for journalists'
Fox News reporter Jana Winter is the latest journalist facing legal repercussions for refusing to identify her sources on a story she wrote about Aurora, CO movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes in 2012. The upcoming New York Court of Appeals decision on whether Winter will be forced to testify & identify her sources on that story (or face jail) could have far-reaching consequences for journalists nationwide. This week's Business Insider piece highlights differences in New York/Colorado's shield laws (meant to protect journalists from being compelled to testify), but notes that with laws differing by state, Winter's case could set important precedent for other reporters & their confidential sources.
For more media news, tune in Sunday at 11am ET.
What we're reading this week...
By Becky Perlow, CNN
We know Sunday is only two days away, but if you're itching for some great news until then, here are some of the other stories the Reliable Sources team has been reading about:
Insulting a princess: During a recent lecture at the British Museum, English writer Hilary Mantel shared her worries that the Duchess of Cambridge was becoming "a jointed doll on which certain rags are hung" and that she "seems to have been selected for her role of princess because she was irreproachable: as painfully thin as anyone could wish, without quirks, without oddities, without the risk of the emergence of character." Newspapers across the country instantly jumped to the royal's defense, with Prime Minister David Cameron weighing in as well. But is the criticism of Mantel fair? One Guardian reporter says it's worth taking a deeper look at the "lazy journalism" and "raging hypocrisy." She asks, for instance, "what has any paper done with Kate for the past decade but use her as decorative page filler?"
Why producers pre-tape: Every executive producer will tell you that the live interview is always better, but what about when your reporter passes out? Turns out the live segment makes for funny (or scary) TV, as when Australian weatherman Grant Denyer lost consciousness while reporting live from the cockpit of a stunt plane. Warning: this video is not for the faint of heart.
Nielsen adjusts ratings: With viewers trading in their traditional TV for web-based content, media executives are growing increasingly concerned with the fall of ratings (and ultimately, the fall of advertising sales). Nielsen stepped in to save the day, though, promising to consider people who "have a television set hooked up to the Internet, as 'television households.'" It doesn't seem like the new rule will have much affect right now as only 0.6% of households meet this new requirement, but as more homes incorporate tablet computers and internet streaming on their TVs, there's no doubt the media executives will be sleeping more soundly at night.
The re-invented resume: There's no shame in using every social media tool available to score a new job, but one journalist took it to new heights with the use of Vine, a six-second video sharing tool. Former political director for Fox News Radio, Dawn Siff created a "Vine resume" that promoted some of her best assets, from "idea machine" to "deadline Jedi."
So would you hire someone from a "Vine resume?" And what are you reading this week? Tell us in the comments below.
About "Reliable Sources"
Now more than ever, the press is a part of every story it covers. And CNN's "Reliable Sources" is one of television's only regular programs to examine how journalists do their jobs and how the media affect the stories they cover.
Subscribe on iTunes | Instagram
Tune in every Sunday at 11am Eastern time!
About the host
Brian Stelter is the host of "Reliable Sources" and the senior media correspondent for CNN Worldwide. Before he joined CNN in November 2013, Stelter was a media reporter for The New York Times. He is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Top of the Morning."
Here's his biography. You can read his stories on this blog and at CNNMoney.com/Media/.
@cnnreliable on Twitter
