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** OPINION
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Good Wednesday to you.

One of the better things about working at the Poynter Institute is our location: St. Petersburg, Florida. Our building is right across the street from a beautiful waterfront. From our offices, as I type this, I’m looking at the boats on lovely Tampa Bay, which is so calm that it looks like glass.

One of the anxious parts about working at the Poynter Institute is also, well, our location — especially when a hurricane is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

And that’s where we are this week. The west coast of Florida is preparing for what is expected to be Hurricane Helene. The path is still a bit uncertain, so we hope to keep publishing a Poynter Report newsletter every day this week, but just in case it’s a little delayed or doesn’t arrive in your inbox, it might be because we’re hunkering down from a storm.

Until then, let’s move on to today’s media news, links and tidbits, starting with some grim news involving CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global.


** Jeff Glor among cuts at CBS
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Former “CBS Evening News” anchor Jeff Glor, shown here at the 2019 White House Correspondents Association dinner. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Jeff Glor, who once anchored the “CBS Evening News” and has been with CBS News since 2007, is among those being laid off by Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS.

Glor served a variety of roles at CBS News, including anchoring and hosting on weekends, both in the mornings and on the evening news. Then, in 2017, he became the anchor of the “CBS Evening News.” He was in that coveted role from November 2017 to May 2019. Glor then exited the chair and was replaced briefly by a rotating group of interim anchors before Norah O’Donnell took over as the permanent anchor.

Since then, Glor has been co-host of “CBS Saturday Morning,” and has been a CBS News special correspondent. Meanwhile, O’Donnell will exit the evening newscast after the election and will be replaced by John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, with Margaret Brennan filing reports from Washington, D.C.

Deadline’s Ted Johnson reported ([link removed]) that others among the latest layoffs at CBS include Anna Werner, senior consumer investigative correspondent, and Ben Tracy, senior national and environmental correspondent.

Puck’s Dylan Byers, who broke the news ([link removed]) , said Paramount is targeting 2,000 positions with its cuts. This is the second wave of cuts at Paramount. As Variety’s Brian Steinberg noted ([link removed]) , it’s “part of a larger bid by the owner of CBS, Comedy Central and MTV to reduce costs in a fraught era for traditional media companies.”

Johnson wrote the cuts are “part of a goal of reducing its workforce by 15% and achieving $500 million in annual cost savings.”

In a memo to employees, Paramount co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins wrote, “Like the entire Media industry, we are working to accelerate streaming profitability while at the same time adjusting to the evolving landscape in our traditional businesses. In order to set Paramount up for continued success, we are taking these actions and after today, 90% of these reductions will be complete. Days like today are never easy. It is difficult to say goodbye to valued colleagues, and to those departing, we are incredibly grateful for your countless contributions.”

A MESSAGE FROM POYNTER
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** A tale of two health care policies
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In this final session of Beat Academy 2024, experts from KFF and KFF Health News will walk journalists through the health care policies of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and examine the friction points when immigration and health care overlap. Join us Thursday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Read more and enroll now ([link removed]) .


** Zuckerberg’s politics
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Notice how Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, unlike X owner Elon Musk, has been relatively quiet about the upcoming election? Well, here’s a look at why from The New York Times’ Theodore Schleifer and Mike Isaac: “Mark Zuckerberg Is Done With Politics.” ([link removed])

They write that Zuckerberg was very much engaged politically when he was in his 20s. He wrote columns for major publications, started foundations and spoke out frequently regarding issues he cared about.

But now, just a few months after turning 40? The Times wrote, “In conversations over the past few years with friends, colleagues and advisers, Mr. Zuckerberg has expressed cynicism about politics after years of bad experiences in Washington. He and others at the top of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, believed that both parties loathed technology and that trying to continue engaging with political causes would only draw further scrutiny to their company.”

They added, “As recently as June at the Allen and Company conference — the “summer camp for billionaires” in Sun Valley, Idaho — Mr. Zuckerberg complained to multiple people about the blowback to Meta that came from the more politically touchy aspects of his philanthropic efforts. And he regretted hiring employees at his philanthropy who tried to push him further to the left on some causes. In short — he was over it. His preference, according to more than a dozen friends, advisers and executives familiar with his thinking, has been to wash his hands of it all.”

Check out the Times story for more of Zuckerberg’s personal politics and why his desire to be public about it has waned.


** Social media’s ‘epidemic’
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Britain's Prince Harry speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative, on Tuesday in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Prince Harry says there is an “epidemic” of anxiety, depression and social isolation for kids today because of negative experiences online. Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, Harry said, “These platforms are designed to create addiction. Young people are kept there by mindless, endless, numbing scrolling — being force-fed content that no child should ever be exposed to. This is not free will.”

The Associated Press’ Glenn Gamboa and Wyatte Grantham-Philips wrote ([link removed]) , “Beyond supporting parents and youth throughout this advocacy, The Duke of Sussex stressed the need for corporate accountability. He asked why leaders of powerful social media companies are still held to the ‘lowest ethical standards’ — and called on shareholders to demand tangible change.”

Harry added, “Parenting doesn’t end with the birth of a child. Neither does founding a company. We have a duty and a responsibility to see our creations through.”

The AP noted, “Harry’s remarks arrive as pressures continue to mount on tech giants like Meta, Snap and TikTok to make their online platforms safer, particularly for younger users. Many children on these platforms are exposed to content that is not age appropriate, such as violence, or misinformation. Others face unrealistic beauty standards, bullying and sexual harassment.”


** New York Times to launch podcast subscriptions
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Starting next month, The New York Times will launch podcast subscriptions on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, meaning listeners will have to pay if they want to hear archived episodes of podcasts such as “The Daily” and “The Ezra Klein Show,” or to get early access to upcoming shows from Serial Productions. However, listeners will still be able to get the most recent episode of Times’ podcasts for free, i.e. without a subscription.

Ben Cotton, head of subscription products for the Times, told The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin ([link removed]) , “We have a slate of really outstanding shows, and we have built out dedicated places for people who want to listen to them on our own platforms, either in our core news app or in our audio app, but we have millions of listeners who are listening to our shows exclusively on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. So we see it as kind of a natural next step to extend our business from an audio standpoint to bring it directly to where listeners are listening to our shows, on those platforms. We think our audio journalism is worth paying for, just the same as everything else that our newsroom produces every day. And we want to sort of take a next step in that journey from a business standpoint.”

A podcast subscription will cost $6 per month or $50 for the year. New York Times All Access and home delivery subscribers will continue to have full access at no additional charge.


** The candidates and health care
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Political and health care reporters, this item is for you, and it comes from Jon Greenberg, Poynter faculty member and head of Beat Academy.

During the lone presidential debate, Donald Trump notably said that he has a “concept of a plan” for health care. Kamala Harris hasn’t overwhelmed voters with reams of health care proposals, but she does have the advantage of being able to say she will build on President Joe Biden’s policies.

“We have not seen a lot of policy details from either candidate compared with previous campaigns, but the health care proposals from Harris are certainly more fleshed out than those from Trump,” said Larry Levitt ([link removed]) , executive vice president for health policy at KFF ([link removed]) , a leading free-standing health care policy analysis organization. He’ll be speaking Thursday during Poynter’s Beat Academy, one of several prominent health care experts and journalists from KFF and KFF Health News ([link removed]) who will be joining our panel.

Levitt said that Trump poses a particular challenge for journalists, because his campaign is devoid of conventional health policy plans, while Harris has framed many of her proposals in economic terms, aiming to make health care more affordable.

“Health policy is not only about how we access the medical care system, but also about our financial security,” he said. “Health reform has not been central to this campaign, in contrast to what we’ve seen in presidential campaigns for decades. But if Trump and (vice presidential candidate J.D.) Vance continue raising the prospect once again trying to repeal and replace the ACA, that could easily shift the focus.”

Despite what’s said on the campaign trail, the outcome of this November’s election has big stakes for health care.

“The parties have very different goals in health care. Democrats are looking to expand health coverage, improve affordability and lower prices, all of which require government intervention and spending. Republicans are looking to reduce the role of government in health care and lower government spending, which has consequences for the protections people have and the costs they face.”

Hear more from Levitt at Thursday’s Beat Academy ([link removed]) .


** Media tidbits
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* My Poynter colleague, Angela Fu, with “Over half of journalists considered quitting due to burnout this year, per new report.” ([link removed])
* It’s Banned Books Week ([link removed]) . Here’s The Associated Press’ Hillel Italie with “Banned Books Week starts with mixed messages as reports show challenges both up and down.” ([link removed])
* The Los Angeles Times’ Meredith Blake with “How ‘Frontline’ filmmakers scrambled to make ‘The Choice’ about Harris vs. Trump.” ([link removed])
* Axios’ Sara Fischer writes ([link removed]) , “Koch Inc.'s private equity arm is in ongoing talks on a bid to buy Forbes in partnership with another individual investor.” Check out her story for more details.
* On his podcast ([link removed]) , former ESPN anchor and MSNBC personality Keith Olbermann talked about his past relationship with journalist Olivia Nuzzi, who is currently on leave from New York magazine after revealing she had a personal relationship with former presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. It’s kind of interesting, if you’re into gossipy stuff. Outkick transcribed the part ([link removed]) where he talks about Nuzzi.
* Variety’s Daniel D'Addario with a review: “Ellen DeGeneres Lets Herself Off the Hook in Self-Indulgent Netflix Special.” ([link removed])
* Sportico’s Jacob Feldman with “One year later, Taylor Swift Effect stretches far beyond the NFL.” ([link removed])


** Hot type
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* Wright Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN.com and author of “The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi,” writes this for Politico: “The Truth About Emmett Till Wasn’t in Your History Book.” ([link removed])
* This story is for Los Angeles Times subscribers. It’s Noah Goldberg with “He told followers he was the son of God. She helped get him arrested on sex trafficking charges.” ([link removed])


** More resources for journalists
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* Convene ([link removed]) with CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta
* Build a framework for ethics and standards around AI in Level Up ([link removed]) .
* Are you an upcoming-and-coming newsroom manager ([link removed]) ?

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
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