Kevin Lerner
@klerner.bsky.social
Professor and Chair of Journalism and Sports Media at Montclair State University. I am a journalism historian, studying press criticism, and literary & alternative journalism.
My friend Jake (that’s Dr. Beck to you!) on the crisis in Texas universities.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Professor: Texas used to have universities
Former Texas Tech professor takes issue with the actions of Texas universities to restrict what topics can be discussed. Doing so makes them something other...
www.dallasnews.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:57 PM
My friend Jake (that’s Dr. Beck to you!) on the crisis in Texas universities.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
People will die, and are currently dying, because RFK was granted one of the most powerful megaphones in the country. Two people who could have thrown barriers in front of his climb decided not to; there's a sex scandal here but it is not the biggest scandal.
November 26, 2025 at 11:30 PM
People will die, and are currently dying, because RFK was granted one of the most powerful megaphones in the country. Two people who could have thrown barriers in front of his climb decided not to; there's a sex scandal here but it is not the biggest scandal.
I love many things about this @brianphillips.bsky.social piece, including all of the many very funny parts, but also this hat tip to good editing and the kicker, which puts deserved faith in student journalists.
www.theringer.com/2025/11/25/n...
www.theringer.com/2025/11/25/n...
November 27, 2025 at 12:19 AM
I love many things about this @brianphillips.bsky.social piece, including all of the many very funny parts, but also this hat tip to good editing and the kicker, which puts deserved faith in student journalists.
www.theringer.com/2025/11/25/n...
www.theringer.com/2025/11/25/n...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
On Monday, December 1, Columbia University Press will be selling all books at 50% off! (And some books at 70%!) tinyurl.com/7wzhyfmv @columbiaup.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 AM
On Monday, December 1, Columbia University Press will be selling all books at 50% off! (And some books at 70%!) tinyurl.com/7wzhyfmv @columbiaup.bsky.social
Happy 55th birthday to the Gateway Journalism Review, one of the few remaining from the 1960s and 70s. Was proud to offer some historical context for this article. gatewayjr.org/institutions...
Institutions of journalism accountability disappear
Who still is holding American journalism accountable?
That is the question after the disappearance of many outside and inside checks on the news media.
When the Gateway Journalism Review was fou...
gatewayjr.org
November 22, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Happy 55th birthday to the Gateway Journalism Review, one of the few remaining from the 1960s and 70s. Was proud to offer some historical context for this article. gatewayjr.org/institutions...
As a rule, journalists shouldn’t seek to be famous for anything other than their journalism.
November 22, 2025 at 5:39 PM
As a rule, journalists shouldn’t seek to be famous for anything other than their journalism.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
They make games and movies like they used to. So many of them. Same with books.
But the mechanisms you learned about them were totally gutted and changed to only amplify shit that's already popular.
It's still there! You're just mostly on your own to find it.
But the mechanisms you learned about them were totally gutted and changed to only amplify shit that's already popular.
It's still there! You're just mostly on your own to find it.
November 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
They make games and movies like they used to. So many of them. Same with books.
But the mechanisms you learned about them were totally gutted and changed to only amplify shit that's already popular.
It's still there! You're just mostly on your own to find it.
But the mechanisms you learned about them were totally gutted and changed to only amplify shit that's already popular.
It's still there! You're just mostly on your own to find it.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
damn this is well put together
Congress released a cache of documents this week that were recently turned over by Epstein’s estate. Among them: more than 2,300 email threads that the convicted sex offender either sent or received between 2008 and 2019.
The Epstein Email Cache: 2,300 Messages, Many of Which Mention Trump
An analysis of documents released this week by Congress shows President Trump was mentioned in more than half of the messages.
on.wsj.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:37 PM
damn this is well put together
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
Restoring the role of public editor would be the best thing the Times ever did for itself, as I've said for a decade.
gray lady could use someone the public actually trusts now, a bridge, and it gave that up because, it said, social media had made that role redundant. bold strategy cotton. let’s see how that works.
One reason you need a public editor, representing the readers and their rights.
November 13, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Restoring the role of public editor would be the best thing the Times ever did for itself, as I've said for a decade.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
Condé Nast folded a beloved magazine that treated youth and feminism as political topics, not trends. Read Sarah Leonard.
www.cjr.org/feature/the-...
www.cjr.org/feature/the-...
What the closure of Teen Vogue means for journalism.
Condé Nast folded a beloved magazine that treated youth and feminism as political topics, not trends.
www.cjr.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Condé Nast folded a beloved magazine that treated youth and feminism as political topics, not trends. Read Sarah Leonard.
www.cjr.org/feature/the-...
www.cjr.org/feature/the-...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
New favourite example of structural ambiguity
November 5, 2025 at 4:54 AM
New favourite example of structural ambiguity
I saw Phil Rosenthal live tonight at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ—hometown of Mikie Sherrill—while reloading election returns.
November 5, 2025 at 4:21 AM
I saw Phil Rosenthal live tonight at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ—hometown of Mikie Sherrill—while reloading election returns.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
No matter the platform you should have your default feed be reverse chron of who/what you follow and curate and diversify that feed.
You’ll be better informed and less prone to disinfo and group think.
This is a hill I will die on.
You’ll be better informed and less prone to disinfo and group think.
This is a hill I will die on.
“As users ‘dislike’ posts, the system will learn what sort of content they want to see less of. This will help to inform more than just how content is ranked in feeds, but also reply rankings.”
Bluesky hits 40 million users, introduces 'dislikes' beta | TechCrunch
As users "dislike" posts, the system will learn what sort of content they want to see less of. This will help to inform more than just how content is ranked in feeds, but also reply rankings.
techcrunch.com
October 31, 2025 at 11:06 PM
No matter the platform you should have your default feed be reverse chron of who/what you follow and curate and diversify that feed.
You’ll be better informed and less prone to disinfo and group think.
This is a hill I will die on.
You’ll be better informed and less prone to disinfo and group think.
This is a hill I will die on.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
In the wake of Indiana University's crackdown on student journalism, one alum cancelled $1.5 million in bequests, and another is putting the brakes on a $300k gift.
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
IU alumni pull $1M-plus in donations amid fight over control of student newspaper
Some Indiana University graduates are finding other ways to support the Indiana Daily Student after Media School's actions.
www.indystar.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:20 AM
In the wake of Indiana University's crackdown on student journalism, one alum cancelled $1.5 million in bequests, and another is putting the brakes on a $300k gift.
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
www.indystar.com/story/news/e...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
Well this is delightful and hopeful. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/s...
Running a Local Paper? In This Economy?
www.nytimes.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Well this is delightful and hopeful. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/s...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
"Regardless of whether the precise number is 5, 6, 7, or 8 million, Saturday’s events are very likely the biggest single-day protest event since 1970, surpassing even the 2017 Women’s March demonstrations against Trump."
After adding new data to our spreadsheet, our central estimate of turnout for the No Kings Day protests yesterday has risen to 5.5 million, with an upper bound of 8.7 www.gelliottmorris.com/p/second-no-...
Second "No Kings Day" protests likely the largest single-day political demonstration since 1970, with 4.2-7.6 million participants
Here are the initial results from our crowdsourced crowd-counting estimates
www.gelliottmorris.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"Regardless of whether the precise number is 5, 6, 7, or 8 million, Saturday’s events are very likely the biggest single-day protest event since 1970, surpassing even the 2017 Women’s March demonstrations against Trump."
Uncritical, pandering happy talk journalism can be just as harmful as dishonest, bad faith partisan journalism.
October 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Uncritical, pandering happy talk journalism can be just as harmful as dishonest, bad faith partisan journalism.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
This is a niche - and frankly not shocking - local union gripe. Why would a national news outlet cover this? Also, I have sources in the unions and I think (shockingly) the FP framing is a bit overblown. Cops are usually very skeptical of the left but also hopeful for better pay.
CBS News would never put a thinly sourced 'story' by a rookie blogger like this on it's air. Until now. The Free Press isn't a journalism outlet, it's bloggers aren't reporters. This piece is more NYPost than Tiffany Network but I guess that's the goal.
www.cbsnews.com/video/some-n...
www.cbsnews.com/video/some-n...
Some NYPD officers worry about Mandani becoming the NYC mayor, The Free Press reports
The Free Press spoke to several New York City Police Department officers who are worried about Zohran Mamdani becoming mayor. Olivia Reingold joins CBS News with more.
www.cbsnews.com
October 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
This is a niche - and frankly not shocking - local union gripe. Why would a national news outlet cover this? Also, I have sources in the unions and I think (shockingly) the FP framing is a bit overblown. Cops are usually very skeptical of the left but also hopeful for better pay.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
In 1947, some Hollywood stars including Henry Fonda stood up to anti-communist witch hunts.
Now, Jane Fonda and artists like Viola Davis, Pedro Pascal and Billie Eilish are reviving their organization — the Committee for the First Amendment — to defend free speech again.
buff.ly/B79gBQX #polisky
Now, Jane Fonda and artists like Viola Davis, Pedro Pascal and Billie Eilish are reviving their organization — the Committee for the First Amendment — to defend free speech again.
buff.ly/B79gBQX #polisky
Jane Fonda, other stars, revive the Committee for the First Amendment – a group that emerged when the anti-communist panic came for Hollywood
Even after the original group fizzled, many of its members were able to keep making films with progressive messages.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
In 1947, some Hollywood stars including Henry Fonda stood up to anti-communist witch hunts.
Now, Jane Fonda and artists like Viola Davis, Pedro Pascal and Billie Eilish are reviving their organization — the Committee for the First Amendment — to defend free speech again.
buff.ly/B79gBQX #polisky
Now, Jane Fonda and artists like Viola Davis, Pedro Pascal and Billie Eilish are reviving their organization — the Committee for the First Amendment — to defend free speech again.
buff.ly/B79gBQX #polisky
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
now that the news is official: some thoughts on Bari Weiss taking over at CBS News, and what it means that the Free Press—a publication that never apologizes or corrects itself when its "reporting" is ripped to shreds—is touted as a needed dose of "trust and integrity" slate.com/technology/2...
CBS Is About to Hand Over Its Newsroom to an Anti-Woke Crusader. You Should Be Worried.
She’s made a career railing against “wokeness.” Now she’s in charge of a venerated newsroom.
slate.com
October 6, 2025 at 3:09 PM
now that the news is official: some thoughts on Bari Weiss taking over at CBS News, and what it means that the Free Press—a publication that never apologizes or corrects itself when its "reporting" is ripped to shreds—is touted as a needed dose of "trust and integrity" slate.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
1/ DEVELOPING: A journalist was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital following another incident with an ICE agent at 26 Federal Plaza, an immigration court in NYC. The last I heard, he was getting X-rays for his lower back.
September 30, 2025 at 6:37 PM
1/ DEVELOPING: A journalist was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital following another incident with an ICE agent at 26 Federal Plaza, an immigration court in NYC. The last I heard, he was getting X-rays for his lower back.
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
"We're seeing a very disturbing consolidation of American mass media in the hands of big business... that is politically related to the administration."
— @jeffjarvis.bsky.social on NBC's "Sunday Today" www.today.com/video/how-tr...
— @jeffjarvis.bsky.social on NBC's "Sunday Today" www.today.com/video/how-tr...
Trump’s TikTok Deal Gives Control of Platform to Media Moguls
President Donald Trump says he’s approved a plan that will see American investors take majority ownership and control of TikTok in the United States. Trump has confirmed a few names of those who will ...
www.today.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
"We're seeing a very disturbing consolidation of American mass media in the hands of big business... that is politically related to the administration."
— @jeffjarvis.bsky.social on NBC's "Sunday Today" www.today.com/video/how-tr...
— @jeffjarvis.bsky.social on NBC's "Sunday Today" www.today.com/video/how-tr...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
My employer New York Public Radio just announced that it is offering @onthemedia.bsky.social, @radiolab.bsky.social, and other programs to at-risk public radio stations for free! More info: current.org/2025/09/wnyc...
September 24, 2025 at 6:18 PM
My employer New York Public Radio just announced that it is offering @onthemedia.bsky.social, @radiolab.bsky.social, and other programs to at-risk public radio stations for free! More info: current.org/2025/09/wnyc...
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
If you don't have anyone with any health and science background, @theopennotebook.bsky.social has a database of freelancers www.theopennotebook.com/writers/ and a legion of resources to get your gen assignment reporters up to speed. also see healthjournalism.org 🩺 🧪
September 23, 2025 at 8:25 PM
If you don't have anyone with any health and science background, @theopennotebook.bsky.social has a database of freelancers www.theopennotebook.com/writers/ and a legion of resources to get your gen assignment reporters up to speed. also see healthjournalism.org 🩺 🧪
Reposted by Kevin Lerner
When covering a protest, it’s safety first. Story second. Here are some tips to protect yourself + your reporting. 🧵⤵️
September 23, 2025 at 8:26 PM
When covering a protest, it’s safety first. Story second. Here are some tips to protect yourself + your reporting. 🧵⤵️