"Zach Silber on how to influence public opinion with data-driven analytics" StoryBench
What are the best strategies for shaping public opinion? Can organizations persuade people to change their minds? Zach Silber said his company, Kivvit, applies news and social media analytics to inform public advocacy strategies.
"What do I find weird in America?" Global Observer
I’m from the U.K. I came to America because I wanted to explore for my university adventure. But I knew that it would be different: both from my own experience, having travelled here previously, and the ashamedly stereotypical image of America that most people in the U.K. share. The gun-toting, bible-holding, taking-your-leftovers-home-with-you and overly-nice image of Americans, essentially.
"Northeastern students on campus safety, sexual assault and Greek life culture" The Scope Boston
“Do you feel safe on campus?” “Are you confident in Northeastern’s ability to protect their students?” Undergraduate students from Northeastern University’s School of Journalism spoke to approximately 50 of their peers on campus, discussing campus safety, sexual assault and Greek life culture.
"Bostonians voice their concerns at the mayoral primaries: ‘You can’t complain if you didn’t participate’" The Scope Boston
Boston voters at Tuesday’s historic preliminary mayoral election called for a leader who will take action on a wide variety of issues — from improving public education and raising vaccination rates, to creating more affordable housing and providing resources to historically underserved communities.
"Northeastern University celebrates Diwali" The Global Observer
Diwali, a religious festival associated with the coming of happiness and prosperity for all, illuminated Northeastern’s campus last Thursday night with good food, bright lights and community spirit.Over 1,000 people attended the event in Ell Hall, hosted by Northeastern’s Office of Global Services and NU Sanskriti, the university’s graduate Indian student’s association.
"Blue Hill Avenue: A lesson for Boston activists 50 years later" The Scope
Lew Finfer, a longtime Boston organizer and activist, quips that the city is like “the Deep North,” referencing its long and sordid history of societal inequality and racial injustice. Finfer described the impact of redlining and other “well-intentioned” policies of the 1970s throughout America in a 2019 Boston Globe article.
"'Football In The UK': A Family Affair" The Global Observer
Leeds United. My boyhood club, my family club. Sat in the dip of a working man’s valley, Elland Road rises in dilapidated majesty. Leed’s team. Our palace. My first trip there was cold, bitterly cold. Misty, too, and I was wrapped in a pearly white rough cotton scarf emblazoned with vividly blue and yellow stripes and just the smallest of ketchup marks, deposited after too hastily parting ways with a rushed pre-match hotdog.
"Harnessed properly, AI could prove to be a boon for the future of local news" What Works
There’s no need to panic about AI in journalism. ChatGPT told me so. When I asked OpenAI’s language model whether artificial intelligence will replace journalists in the future, the answer went something like this: It’s unlikely because of humans’ “unique set of skills,” including “critical thinking” and the ability to “conduct interviews.” Well said, robot. I agree. But it’s not just unlikely. It’s impossible.
"Boston’s universities’ COVID-19 safety measures start well in fall semester, hope for future" The Huntington News
As the 2021 fall semester continues, Northeastern University has aimed to put the worst of the pandemic behind it. The university encouraged all students, including an over-enrolled freshman class, to return to campus in September with the promise that testing, vaccination requirements and other protocols would protect students.
"Travel and COVID-19 Survey" The Global Observer
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted international travel. In November, the number of people flying remained considerably lower worldwide than the pre-pandemic norm. But is the pandemic making people feel unsafe, or are border restrictions preventing them from travelling? I created a survey on the reopening of international travel to the U.S.
"Poll Captures US/UK Relationship In New Contexts" The Global Observer
In a world gone mad with geopolitical divides and calamities, a new transatlantic poll provides valuable insight on the historically “special relationship” between the US and the UK from the point of view of their people. As Catherine Burns & Hannah Morrison once wrote in the BBC, “If global diplomacy happened in a school playground, America might be the cool kid.”
"WorldBoston panel on 'special' and 'important' US/MEX/CAN relationship" The Global Observer
The latest WorldBoston event showed that America’s geographically closest allies have a quiet confidence in its foreign policy agenda. “Great Decisions: Biden’s Agenda,” a discussion of foreign policy and North American relations, was the latest in their speaker series and featured Rodger Cuzner, consul general of Canada in Boston, and Alberto Fierro Garza, consul general of Mexico in Boston.
"Boston voters to new mayor: Fix housing, Mass. & Cass, education" The Scope Boston
Boston voters at the polls Tuesday offered many suggestions to the new mayor on issues ranging from housing, public safety and education. The historic election will see either Annissa Essaibi George or Michelle Wu elected as the first female of color and the 56th mayor of Boston.
"The US reopens borders to fully vaccinated, impacts for Boston" The Global Observer
President Biden reopened U.S. borders to fully vaccinated international travelers on Nov. 8, bringing an end to the months of restrictions that grounded tourists, disrupted businesses, and separated families. As an international city, Boston has seen its fair share of the economic damage and travel industry impacts caused by restrictions.
"Interview on New US/UK Relationship Poll" The Global Observer
Sebastian Grace, editor of Global Observer, spoke with James Johnson, founding partner of JLP, about their latest research, what its findings reveal and what they mean. Johnson is a political adviser and pollster, who has previously served as the Senior Opinion Research and Strategy Adviser to former British Prime Minister Theresa May.
"Why We Should Cheer, Not Fear, More Visual Storytelling in the News" StoryBench
No one should be upset that text-based journalism is dying. While this may be hyperbolic, it is undoubtedly the case that the future of media consumption lies away from the written word. New forms of media are taking us away from the practice of deep reading, and it is no longer an essential part of the news business.