the kicker

Must-reads of the week

Local news in Ferguson, PTSD at the desk, and Al Jazeera America
August 22, 2014

Culled from CJR’s own stories, plus the frequently updated “Must-reads from around the Web,” our staff recommendations for the best pieces of journalism (and other miscellany) on the internet, here are your can’t-miss must-reads of the past week:

Journalists can get PTSD right at their desks (PSmag) – A new study correlates exposure to violent images with mental health symptoms.

In Ferguson, local news coverage shines (CJR) – “Their photographers are doing amazing work. A lot of the public radio people are out there constantly; the local TV anchors have been putting in crazy hours.”

Last Call (Medium) – “The death of newspapers is sad, but the threatened loss of journalistic talent is catastrophic. If that’s you, it’s time to learn something outside the production routine of your current job.”

Al Jazeera America struggles to get off the margins (CJR) – “We have more news gathering in under-reported areas… It is one of our competitive advantages, the opportunity that exists. It’s not about having an agenda. It’s not about infotainment. It’s about raising the bar for the quality of journalism.”

Maureen Dowd on James Risen (The New York Times) – “Risen may be trapped in Ibsen, but Obama is channeling Orwell.”

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The Editors are the staffers of the Columbia Journalism Review.