OFF THE TOP

You might have heard: Why micropayments will never be a thing in journalism (Columbia Journalism Review) 

But did you know: Post, the latest Twitter alternative, is betting big on micropayments for news (Nieman Lab) 

As many journalists move away from Twitter, Post.news has ambitions to create a “social platform for real people, real news, and civil conversations.” The platform plans to use “points” to create a micropayment option for content, although the only premium content currently for purchase is otherwise free content from Retuers. Readers are also able to “tip” other users with those points. So far, very few major publishers are using Post, but the service has set up reserved accounts for them in hopes of convincing them to join. 

+ Noted: Google and YouTube partner with Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network on $13.2 million grant for the global fact-checking community (Poynter); Clemson Media Forensics Hub receives $3.8 million grant from the Knight Foundation to study, fight online disinformation (Clemson News) 

API UPDATE 

Trust Tip: Use Instagram to introduce your staff (Trusting News)

Connection plays a big role in how much empathy and trust we extend to one another. Over the past few months, different reporters at the Keene Sentinel took turns producing an Instagram story. These staff members used the newsroom’s branded account to document what their day-to-day job looked like, sharing everything from getting coffee and checking emails in the morning, to going to court to gather documents and going behind the scenes of newsroom planning meetings. Audience engagement was slow at first but increased the more frequently they posted. The newsroom plans to continue doing these and introduce more of its staff, beyond just the reporting team.  

TRY THIS AT HOME

Nat Geo’s new editor lays out plan for social media dominance (Axios) 

Nathan Lump, the new editor-in-chief of National Geographic, says the organizations will be investing more heavily in social video. It is already the largest brand on social media, with 340 million followers across all of its Instagram accounts. That is driven largely by its famous photographs, but Lump says that short-form video for Instagram Reels and TikTok is a key opportunity for audience growth and engagement. But, he says, the brand has no plans to reduce its monthly print magazine production. 

OFFSHORE

British editors unite to demand action over legal bullying of media (Press Gazette) 

Newspaper editors in the U.K. are urging the government to curb SLAPP lawsuits that target journalists. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation refer to suits that attempt to silence potential critics by using libel, copyright, data protection and misuse of private information laws to bully journalists and whistleblowers. An open letter signed by 74 signatories from most of the country’s major newspapers calls on the government to adopt a law that would allow courts to quickly end these lawsuits and hand out penalties to act as a deterrent. 

OFFBEAT

Twitter is no longer enforcing its Covid misinformation policy (CNN) 

In 2020, Twitter developed an extensive set of rules related to COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation, ultimately suspending thousands of accounts and removing nearly 100,000 pieces of content. Now, Twitter’s website says it is no longer enforcing its “COVID-19 misleading information policy.” Twitter’s new CEO, Elon Musk, has promised to restore some banned accounts, and has previously expressed skepticism about the seriousness of the virus and the public health precautions enacted to curb its spread. 

+ Related: Layoffs have gutted Twitter’s child safety team (Wired)

SHAREABLE

How to include the missing perspectives of women of all colors in news leadership and coverage (Internews) 

A new report from Luba Kassova for Internews explores the harsh realities that women face in the news industry around the world. The latest in a series of Missing Perspectives reports, From Outrage to Opportunity looks at challenges that women in India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. face in news leadership and coverage. In multi-racial countries, women of color are even more likely to be excluded from opportunities. The report includes 12 solutions themes to help news organizations close the gender and inclusion gap.