The Washington DC 100

 

Recognizing reporters’ commitment to solid journalism

Gloria Story Dittus is the chairman of Story Partners.

Freedom of the press, granted by our Founding Fathers, is the cornerstone of any successful democracy. Our country is filled with committed journalists dedicated to seeking the truth and informing the public.

In today’s changing media landscape, even some of the most respected journalists have concerns over how reporting standards are challenged. During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, we recognize reporters’ commitment to solid journalism.

This edition, we feature our 2018 Washington Women in Journalism Award nominees who have contributed greatly to our society through their dedicated journalism work. We’ll discuss the state of the media and future of journalism.

– Gloria Story Dittus, Story Partners

 

Washington Women in Journalism: Honoring their achievements

Cathy Merrill Williams
Cathy Merrill Williams has been at Washingtonian's helm since 2007.

Abraham Lincoln said, “Let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe.”

To kick off the White House Correspondents’ weekend, Washingtonian and Story Partners proudly host our annual Washington Women in Journalism Awards to honor women in journalism who give the facts day in and day out and show our gratitude.

We’re thrilled to honor this year’s winners:

• Distinguished Female Journalist of the Year: Amanda Bennett, Voice of America
• Distinguished Woman in Broadcast Television: Amy Walter, The Cook Political Report
• Distinguished Woman in Broadcast Radio: Audie Cornish, NPR
• Distinguished Woman in Print: Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times

– Cathy Merrill Williams, President and Publisher, Washingtonian

 

How to raise a generation of speak-up, confident women

Confident Women
Katty Kay (left), pictured with co-author Claire Shipman (right), is an anchor for BBC World News America and a bestselling author.

Our daughters are performing as never before and outperforming boys. But, there’s a disturbing contradiction that parents and teachers should be aware of.

From the age of 8, girls’ confidence plummets and never recovers. Girls stop taking risks, and even raising their hand in class becomes a challenge. They become perfectionists who are terrified of failure.

If we want to raise a generation of speak-up, confident women, we need to get them comfortable with taking risks and being less perfect. This is book is for your daughters, with quizzes, scenarios and cartoons that will help them reach their potential.

– Katty Kay, Co-author and bestselling author of “The Confidence Code for Girls”

 

Our Distinguished Female Journalist of the Year: Amanda Bennett

Amanda Bennett
Amanda Bennett is the 2018 Washington Women in Journalism Awards' Distinguished Female Journalist of the Year.

We’re thrilled to honor Amanda Bennett as the Distinguished Female Journalist of the Year.

Amanda, the Director of the Voice of America, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, investigative journalist and editor, who has spent her career seeking the truth, shaping the news and informing the public. As co-founder of the Bloomberg News’ Women’s project, Amanda has worked to increase the coverage of women in the media.

Amanda’s contributions to journalism and the public, and her commitment to empowering women in journalism, are important contributions to society, which is why we are pleased to recognize Amanda’s accomplishments this year.

– Gloria Story Dittus, Cathy Merrill Williams, and the Advisory Committee for the Washington Women in Journalism Awards

 

Journalists are facing challenges

Lynn Sweet
Lynn Sweet is the 2018 Washington Women in Journalism Award winner in print.

President Trump’s relentless attacks to discredit, degrade and demonize journalism have damaged public opinion of our profession. A Morning Consult/POLITICO Poll released last October found 46% of Americans believe major news organizations fabricate stories on Trump. Journalists are facing challenges.

Trump calls stories he doesn’t like fake news. He accuses reporters of deliberately making things up. At the same time, Trump keeps fact checkers busy from his outpouring of misleading or false claims.

The impact of this Trump era means reporters – no matter the platform – can’t be distracted from what we do: working the story and getting it right.

– Lynn Sweet, Washington Bureau Chief, Chicago Sun-Times

 

More women in media leadership means more women’s stories

Michele Weldon
Michele Weldon is an author, journalist, emerita faculty in journalism at Northwestern University, senior leader of The OpEd Project and editorial director of Take The Lead.

Something peculiar happens between journalism school – where women account for 70% – and the journalism profession – where women hold 38% of bylines and credits in print, digital, TV and wire news.

While women are 39% of newsroom employees, women of color are 7.95% of print newsroom staff, 12.6% of local TV news staff, and 6.2% of local radio staff. And women are paid less for the work, according to news out of the LA Times, Chicago Tribune and Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees.

If women hold up half the sky, they need to hold up half the stories.

– Michele Weldon, Author and journalist

 

Our Distinguished Woman in Broadcast Radio: Audie Cornish

Audie Cornish
Audie Cornish is the 2018 Washington Women in Journalism Award winner in broadcast radio.

Audie Cornish is the co-host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” an award-winning newsmagazine, who previously worked at outlets such as the Associated Press and Boston’s award-winning public radio station WBUR.

Audie works tirelessly each day, using the power of her voice and strong reporting skills, to deliver the day’s important news stories to the public.

Audie’s commitment to delivering news and providing thoughtful analysis, and her drive to share important stories, is part of what makes her such a successful journalist. It is an honor to recognize Audie’s many achievements in broadcast radio during this year’s awards.

– Gloria Story Dittus, Cathy Merrill Williams, and the Advisory Committee for the Washington Women in Journalism Awards

 

Covering Trump: The more things change, the more they don’t

Washington Women in Journalism
Amy Walter is the 2018 Washington Women in Journalism Award winner in broadcast television.

A lot has happened over the last four months. On the policy side, we’ve seen everything from tariff threats to Syrian strikes. While at the White House, chaos reigns supreme with cabinet shake-ups and new legal troubles for President Trump’s personal attorney.

Yet, voter opinions of the president have remained pretty stable overall. Since January 2018, the president’s overall job approval ratings have averaged between 39 and 42 percent, and his disapproval ratings have stayed in the narrow range of 53 to 56 percent.

Views of the president are hardened. It will take something extraordinary to change those perceptions.

– Amy Walter, National Editor, The Cook Political Report and Political Analyst, PBS NewsHour

 

Female journos on the rise

National Press Club
The National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists.

I love my job. I’m with Bloomberg News, now on maternity leave. Being with my new daughter is second to nothing but beating the competition on market-moving news by seconds – what a rush!

Over 25 years as a journalist in five countries, most of my peers have been men. While I noticed, I felt my work spoke, not my gender. However, I’m the 111th president of the National Press Club, and only the 12th female.

With women comprising two-thirds of journalism grads, that ratio will change. That’s a good thing. A great thing. It’s about time. Tick-tock!

– Andrea Edney, 111th President of the National Press Club and Editor of Bloomberg News

 

Current media’s impact on next generation of journalists

Medill-Northwestern Journalism
The Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute is a five-week summer program for high school students who are interested in pursuing a journalism career.

“The ‘war with media’ has made me realize journalism is essential to understanding current events and how they pertain to our lives. If a journalist’s mission is to uncover the truth, media is not an ‘enemy’ of democracy, but an institution that invigorates and sustains it.”

“Now more than ever it is the responsibility of journalists to report the truth and hold leaders accountable. That is precisely what I want to do with my life.”

It seems clear that talk of “fake news” and journalists as the “enemy of the people” has impacted the younger generation. The discussion continues:

– Roger Boye, Director, The Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute

 Continue Reading …

 

Importance of diversity in journalism

Bernice Yeung
Bernice Yeung is a reporter with Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and the author of "In a Day's Work: The Fight to End Sexual Violence Against America's Most Vulnerable Workers" (The New Press 2018).

Unfortunately, women – especially women of color – are underrepresented in newsrooms nationwide. Yet, we know that diversity in journalism helps us present a more complete picture of the world.

Case in point: The genesis of my book, “In A Day’s Work.” As a woman from an immigrant family, I was drawn to exposing the hard-to-surface stories of workplace sexual abuse among America’s newcomers. I also had insights into these women’s lives.

While a journalist’s background shouldn’t dictate the stories they tackle, it can inform the stories they choose to tell, leading to coverage that’s increasingly complex, accurate and inclusive.

– Bernice Yeung, Author and reporter

 

The need to work with men to close the gender gap

Joanne Lipman
Joanne Lipman is the bestselling author of "That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together," and former Editor in Chief of USA TODAY and Chief Content Officer of Gannett.

Women have been talking amongst ourselves for years about the obstacles we face in our careers. That’s a major reason the #MeToo movement has exploded. Not every woman has been sexually assaulted at work – but every woman knows how it feels to be marginalized, ignored and disrespected.

Yet women talking to each other is half a conversation. It can at best solve 50 percent of the problem. We need men to join us.

That’s why I wrote “That’s What She Said.” Men are realizing this is their issue too – that we need to work together to close the gender gap.

– Joanne Lipman, Bestselling author of “That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together,” and former Editor in Chief of USA TODAY and Chief Content Officer of Gannett

 

Local news matters

Neil Brown
The Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalism, is the world’s leading instructor, innovator, convener and resource for anyone who aspires to engage and inform citizens in 21st century democracies.

What is happening at your child’s school? Property taxes going up? New restaurant coming to town? Is that nursing home safe for mom?

The answers won’t come from CNN and they don’t revolve around national politics. Local newspapers and their web sites offer information vital in our daily lives. Yet they are under financial strain as advertising revenue erodes. We must find new models to pay for the free flow of accurate, independent information, and shine a light on our institutions.

So buy a subscription to your local paper or its web site. Journalism is not optional in a democracy.

– Neil Brown, President of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board

 

Pew: What the public wants from the media

Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world.

Publics worldwide overwhelmingly agree that the news media should be unbiased in their political coverage: A median of 75% across 38 countries, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey.

Yet, these publics give their news media low marks on covering political issues fairly. A median of 44% say their media do a bad job in this area, including 52% in the U.S.

Sharp partisan differences in views of the news media exist in 20 of 38 countries surveyed. The U.S. shows the largest partisan gap by far at 34 percentage points, with Republicans having more negative views.

– Amy Mitchell, Director of Journalism Research, and Katie Simmons, Associate Director of Research, Pew Research Center

 

Women need a greater role and voice in media

Women's Media Center
The Women’s Media Center (WMC) works to raise the visibility, viability and decision-making power of women and girls in media, thereby ensuring their stories get told and their voices are heard.

This has been a year when the media and truth itself are under siege. Women in media have tackled previously hidden patterns of sexual harassment, wage discrimination and hiring policies that excluded and intimidated women in media organizations of all kinds.

The #MeToo movement’s exposing horrible individual and institutional practices, and within it, we see an opportunity for a new transparency and permanent changes aimed at greater equality and power for women in the media workforce and beyond.

Who tells the story is as important as what the story is. Women need a greater role and voice. The discussion continues:

– Julie Burton, President, Women’s Media Center

 Continue Reading …

 

Examining the economic impact of trade

Gloria Story Dittus
Gloria Story Dittus is the chairman of Story Partners.

From withdrawing from TPP to renegotiating NAFTA to imposing new tariffs on steel and aluminum, the president’s trade policies have led to widespread support and opposition.

Some are supportive of these policies because they believe the effect will boost the U.S. economy. Others are worried about global retaliation and the impact on American exports and jobs, especially with China announcing tariffs on 100+ U.S. products, including many agricultural products, and the president proposing additional tariffs on Chinese products.

With so much of our economy based on trade, we’ll examine the economic impact of these policies, especially for agriculture.

– Gloria Dittus, Story Partners

 

Making progress on trade challenges

Gregg Doud serves as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator, with the Rank of Ambassador, in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

In his 2018 Trade Policy Agenda, President Trump outlined a bold strategy to put America first. Promoting the success of our nation’s farmers and ranchers is key to this strategy.

America’s ability to enforce our trade laws, hold our trading partners accountable and expand markets for our producers is vital to the strength of our agricultural economy and the 21.4 million jobs it supports.

As Chief Agriculture Negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative, I look forward to working with USTR Lighthizer to make progress on the many trade challenges that lie ahead. It’s time to get to work.

– Gregg Doud, Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative

 

A modernized NAFTA is critical

Roger Marshall
Rep. Roger Marshall represents Kansas’ 1st congressional district in the U.S. House.

Annually, U.S. producers ship more than $38 billion in agricultural products to Canada and Mexico. There’s no understating the value of the agreement to America’s heartland – the world needs American-made products.

A modernized NAFTA that expands market access and increases American competitiveness is critical. Last month in Mexico, it was refreshing to see the dedication to a new agreement among negotiators, and never once did any of them mention withdrawal.

NAFTA makes North America an economic powerhouse. As the eighth round of negotiations approaches, it’s my hope that the spirit of finding a win-win-win agreement prevails.

– Congressman Roger Marshall, Member of the House Committee on Agriculture and House Small Business Committee

 

No one wins a trade war

Rep. Jim Costa
Rep. Jim Costa represents California’s 16th congressional district in the U.S. House.

We all want to secure American jobs and increase opportunity in our economy. Yet, raising wide-ranging tariffs, like those recently raised on steel and aluminum, is the wrong strategy.

To address trade imbalances, increase the number of American jobs and strengthen our economy through trade, we should modernize NAFTA. We must also work in a bipartisan manner to renegotiate trade agreements with our European and Pacific Rim allies.

We have seen this before, and we know what happens. Raising tariffs like these leads to a trade war. Every country has trade leverage, therefore no one wins a trade war.

– Congressman Jim Costa, Member of the House Committee on Agriculture

 

Time to expand U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba

Senator Boozman of Arkansas
Sen. Boozman represents the state of Arkansas in the U.S. Senate.

United States’ producers are unable to fully tap into the Cuban market because federal law prohibits private financing for agricultural trade with Cuba. This misguided policy creates a major roadblock to trade.

That’s why Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and I introduced the Agriculture Export Expansion Act to lift the ban on private banks and companies offering credit for agricultural exports to Cuba.

It’s a small step that would help level the playing field for farmers and exporters, while simultaneously exposing Cubans to American ideals, values and products. A true win-win for American farmers and the Cuban people.

– U.S. Senator John Boozman, Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management and Trade

 

Trade enforcement is not the same as a trade war

Senator Brown of Ohio
Sen. Brown represents the state of Ohio in the U.S. Senate.

American steel jobs are under attack from Chinese cheating. It’s past time we fought back. That’s why the administration’s steel tariffs are long overdue.

Trade enforcement is not the same as a trade war. These tariffs are a justified reaction to the severe threat facing steel communities. Tariffs are just one important tool to fight back against trade cheats, though – they can be effective, but they’re also temporary.

To fix our trade imbalance with China, we need a comprehensive, long-term strategy including reforming the WTO and making sure foreign investments in the U.S. work for U.S. jobs.

– U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

 

Farmers and ranchers rely on trade and cannot afford to lose out

The Farm Bureau
The Farm Bureau is committed to enhancing and strengthening the lives of rural Americans and building strong, prosperous agricultural communities.

Free trade is a real success story for U.S. agriculture. Twenty percent of our products are exported, and with a $21 billion surplus, agriculture is a bright spot in our nation’s overall trade balance.

These gains also put us at greater risk for retaliation, however. As farm income has fallen by about 50 percent in recent years, farmers and ranchers cannot afford to lose out in the global marketplace due to retaliation.

The president has promised to fight for new and better trade deals for all. Agriculture and the American Farm Bureau will continue to remind him of that.

– Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation

 

Foreign agricultural subsidies have grown tremendously

Darren Hudson is Professor and the Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness and Director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness.

There’s no question that foreign agricultural subsidies have grown and it impacts trade. While the U.S. and E.U. have lowered support over time, less developed countries haven’t.

China, for example, has increased its domestic support above WTO allowed levels by 136% in corn and 158% in rice since 2000, and has gone from no above limit levels in cotton to $6.4 billion per year and rising. Brazil increased cotton support by 593% over the same period.

These subsidies are aimed at reducing imports (increasing exports). In many cases, these distortions significantly impact U.S. farmers and ranchers.

– Darren Hudson, Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness, Texas Tech University

 

Potential loss of American jobs

The Beer Institute
The Beer Institute represents the beer industry before Congress, state legislatures and public forums across the country.

The Beer Institute and our member companies appreciate President Trump’s commitment to protecting American jobs and his pledge to defend American workers.

However, a 10% tariff on imported aluminum is a new $347 million tax on brewers – one that hits domestic suppliers especially hard at a time when the administration is encouraging domestic manufacturing.

The United States is home to more than 5,000 active breweries that support more than 2.2 million jobs. This tariff will likely cause more than 20,000 Americans who rely on the beer industry, from farmers to waiters and waitresses, to lose their jobs.

– Jim McGreevy, President and CEO, The Beer Institute

 

U.S. farmers concerned about NAFTA renegotiations

National Pork Producers Council
The National Pork Producers Council works to ensure that the U.S. pork industry remains a consistent and responsible supplier of high-quality pork to domestic and international markets.

Nearly 30% of American agricultural exports go to Canada and Mexico. So, yes, U.S. farmers are concerned about NAFTA renegotiations, or, more pointedly, about termination of that 23-year-old agreement. But the entire U.S. economy ought to be worried.

In 2016, U.S. agriculture’s exports to Canada and Mexico of nearly $40 billion of products, including almost $2.2 billion of pork, generated an additional $51 billion of U.S. economic activity and supported about 300,000 full-time American jobs.

America’s farmers can’t afford any disruptions in trade with their neighbors … and neither can the economy.

– Nick Giordano, Vice President and Counsel, Global Government Affairs, National Pork Producers Council

 

Proactive U.S. trade policy is essential

International Dairy Foods Association
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers.

U.S. dairy products companies support nearly 3 million American jobs, generate over $39 billion in direct wages and have an overall economic impact of more than $200 billion.

Fresh access to global markets via new and renegotiated free trade agreements will provide opportunities to expand U.S. dairy exports and create additional jobs. We must cultivate global trade policies that provide a level playing field for U.S. dairy.

Gaining new market access is an important goal for the U.S. dairy industry, and a proactive U.S. trade policy is essential to help lead us into the future.

– Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association

 

Preserving market access through NAFTA is essential

U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council is committed to developing markets, enabling trade and improving lives.

NAFTA dramatically increased grain trade between Canada, Mexico and the United States, spurring deep integration of our feed and livestock sectors.

This has benefited U.S. farmers and exporters as well as Mexican and Canadian feed and livestock producers and the consumers they serve. Thanks to NAFTA, Mexico is now the top market for U.S. corn, U.S. barley and U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles, and a consistent market for U.S. sorghum.

Preserving market access through NAFTA is essential to continuing to grow demand and offer more North Americans high-quality meat, milk and egg products.

– Tom Sleight, President and CEO, U.S. Grains Council

 

A trade war with China means real harm to soybean farmers

American Soybean Association
The American Soybean Association advocates for U.S. soy farmers on policy and trade.

I’ve grown soybeans for 47 years, and one thing I can say for certain is without export markets, my farm and community will fail.

We’re facing the imminent possibility of being a casualty in a trade war following President Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports from China under Section 301.

Soybeans are our country’s largest agricultural export. 1 in 3 rows produced are exported to China. We’ve worked for decades to build this vital market. Retaliation during the downturned farm economy will devastate farmers and rural communities. The administration needs to rethink these tariffs — rural America depends on it.

– John Heisdorffer, President, American Soybean Association

 

Disruption of trade

Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program
The mission of Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program is to deliver research and solutions that help metropolitan leaders build an advanced economy that works for all.

Intended to protect and grow the U.S. economy by providing a counterweight against foreign producers of aluminum and steel, the introduction of tariffs by the Trump administration may well achieve the opposite by disrupting those firms, industries, and states whose production relies on steel and aluminum imports.

While major trade partners such as the European Union, Brazil and South Korea were exempted from the tariffs, this decision could expose a broader segment of the U.S. economy to trade disruptions, especially if large non-exempted countries like China and Turkey respond with their own retaliatory tariffs on American exports.

Read more about the economic impact of steel and aluminum tariffs here.

– Joseph Parilla, Fellow, and Max Bouchet, Senior research assistant, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program

 

Trade policy and retaliation

global advancement
CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to providing strategic insights and policy solutions to help decisionmakers chart a course toward a better world.

We live in a globally integrated world where parts are made in different countries and assembled in another one before coming here. Development of these global supply chains has kept our companies competitive, and with 95 percent of the world’s consumers beyond our borders, global competitiveness is essential to our survival.

Fortunately, this system has rules designed to keep trade fair. They don’t work perfectly, and it’s tempting to ignore them and act unilaterally, but in the long run we lose more than we gain as other countries retaliate against our goods and services and leave us at a disadvantage.

William Allan Reinsch frequently provides commentary on trade policy. To read more click here, here and here.

– William Alan Reinsch, Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)