opinion articles examples 2021

Best Op-Eds of 2021: Teen Vogue’s Favorite Opinion Pieces 

By Teen Vogue Staff

It’s been quite a year. We’ve lived through many more months of a pandemic, an armed assault on the U.S. Capitol building , the first year of a new administration, a surge in anti-Asian hate crimes , historic floods and wildfires, and the dawning of the Olivia Rodrigo era . And the Teen Vogue community had thoughts on all of it.

To close 2021, we pulled together some of our favorite op-eds from the contributors, columnists, and activists who make Teen Vogue what it is. These are the stories that resonated most with readers and got people talking. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

1. Biden Has the Power to Cancel Your Student Debt Right Now

Braxton Brewington of the Debt Collective made the case that President Joe Biden could wipe out literally all student debt right now with the stroke of a pen. The organization even drafted an executive order to make it easier for the president. As Brewington pointed out, any day would be a good one to “grant tens of millions of Americans a semblance of financial freedom.”

2. Campus Cancel-Culture Freakouts Obscure the Power of University Boards

Despite all the hand-wringing about overly sensitive students on college campuses, University of Massachusetts-Amherst professor Asheesh Kapur Saddique argued that the modern American university is actually a conservative institution. Many schools are controlled by boards composed of corporate executives and ruled by cold hard cash. “The right’s dominance of academia and its reign over universities is destroying higher education," the professor wrote , "and the only way to save the American university is for students and professors to take back control of campuses.”  

3. My Family Is Currently Living Through a Genocide

There’s a genocide underway in Ethiopia right now, but few people are talking about it — or even know it’s happening, according to youth activist Ariam Kidane. That’s because the Ethiopian government shut off all telecommunications in the war-torn Tigray region, leaving members of the diaspora, like Kidane, and the rest of the world in the dark. “Today marks nearly 300 days of almost no contact with our families,” she said . “We are witnessing ethnic cleansing, mass rape, forced famine, and more, and yet the world's leaders refuse to label what is happening in Tigray a ‘genocide.’”

4. Democratic Leaders in Congress Are Old and Out of Touch

Kaylen Ralph took the Democratic Party’s aging leadership to task in this op-ed, arguing that the same old moderate, by-the-rules playbook just won’t cut it in 2021. “Amid a pandemic, climate crisis, and recession, the Democratic Party is being led by politicians who have been in Congress for decades, presiding over a status quo that got us to this terrible point,” Ralph wrote . “We’d love to move on, if they’d only get out of the way."

5. Toxic Work Environments Shouldn’t Be a Rite of Passage

The “pay your dues” trap was thoroughly debunked in this brilliant reported op-ed by Rainesford Stauffer. Young people shouldn’t be expected to climb their way up a broken career ladder by enduring low wages, abusive bosses, long hours, and tremendous stress. We’ve learned the hard way that you can’t eat prestige, and that overwork is literally making us sick. “The myth that young people are supposed to endure abusive work environments as a rite of passage into the labor market skims over the systemic issues that allow those environments to persist in the first place,” Stauffer said .

6. The Homeschooling Community Needs Way More Oversight

The best writing often comes from people who are covering their own communities. That was the case with this reported op-ed from former homeschoolers Eve Ettinger and Nylah Burton, who wrote about the urgent need to better regulate the homeschooling community to prevent children from being abused. The current homeschooling landscape is under the thumb of the white evangelical community, which has fostered a fear of government regulation and, in many cases, provided students with substandard, religious educations. “While homeschooling can be a fantastic tool in the hands of parents and guardians who employ child-centric education methods," the authors wrote , "it’s a system that enables horrendous abuse if it's not practiced in good faith.” 

7. Talking About Anti-Asian Violence as Something New Is a Trap

Media narratives about the surge in attacks on Asian Americans during the COVID pandemic missed one important thing: Anti-Asian racism didn’t suddenly materialize out of nowhere. It’s baked into xenophobic attitudes toward immigrants in the United States, discriminatory policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, and wars that brought refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam to America’s shores. It’s been with us this whole time. As Nicholas Hatcher explained , “Violence against Asian Americans is not just isolated violent attacks by bad actors; it is also a system of policy and a legacy of dehumanization.”

8. There’s No Such Thing as a Good Landlord

Now for a message we can all get behind: Most landlords kinda suck. As part of Teen Vogue ’s housing package, Little Boxes , Tyra Bosnic wrote about her own mother, the kind of well-meaning, mom-and-pop landlady who often shows up in news coverage. Bosnic argued that even the best intentioned landlords are part of a horrific system that, as we’ve seen during the pandemic, often leaves people struggling to afford rent, living in dilapidated homes, or even getting evicted. Said Bosnic, “There’s power in realizing everyone has a right to a home.” 

9. The Israeli Government’s Violence Doesn’t Represent My Judaism

The evictions of several Palestinian families from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah ignited days of shocking violence in the region. The Israeli government’s bombing campaign ultimately killed more than 230 Palestinians, including 66 children, and injured nearly 2,000. Blair Nodelman, a Jewish American, wrote about her adamant disagreement with Israel’s leaders. “I believe cloaking state-sponsored violence as a religious and cultural debate not only diminishes the true beauty of Judaism, but also monopolizes our own trauma to ensure that a critique of Israel is viewed as antisemitic,” Nodelman said . What her Judaism taught her is the “abhorrence of oppression, and the sacred task of improving the world.”

10. Service Workers Aren’t Returning to Work Because They Don’t Get Paid Enough

All those “now hiring” signs plastered across businesses in your neighborhood are there for a reason. As many stores reopened this spring and summer, thanks to the vaccine rollout, many workers declined to return to low-wage gigs in retail and fast food. Why? They feared contracting COVID, lacked childcare, had more savings than usual because of pandemic unemployment programs, or the wages on offer were just too low. Teen Vogue ’s Black Canary columnist Kandist Mallett said it shouldn’t be a surprise that people aren’t willingly opting into being exploited for pathetic wages — and that we shouldn’t have to settle for those wages. “There was a lesson to be learned over the past year,” Mallett wrote . “Life is fragile, the future is not predictable, and normal is whatever we make it.”

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Opinion | Here’s a look back at the best and worst of news media in 2021

The year saw a continued pandemic and divisiveness over politics, race and social issues. as always, journalists were there to shine a light on it all.

Good morning and welcome to a special edition of the Poynter Report. Today, I look back at the year in media — from the best to the worst and a bunch in between.

It has been another newsworthy year, one full of hope and inspiration, but also worry and frustration. A year ago at this time, this is what I wrote:

Biggest media wish for 2021: that by this time next year, we will have put a major dent into COVID-19 and that we’ll spend more days not reading or watching news about the coronavirus than days that we do.

Sadly, that is not the case. Yes, we have vaccines that are effective. But COVID-19 has not gone away, we haven’t forgotten it and it is still a major story. In recent days, it has again become the dominant news story. We all are bracing for what could be a rough couple of months.

But we plow forward, having survived a year that not only included a pandemic, but continuing divisiveness in our country over politics, race and social issues. As always, journalists were there to shine a light on it all.

So this is my look at the good, bad and the ugly of 2021 in the media.

Please note that this will be the final Poynter Report of 2021. I will return on Jan. 3 to give you, as always, the latest in media news and analysis each and every weekday. Thanks for reading this year, and I look forward to talking to you again in 2022. Happy holidays.

Media personality of the year

The media personality of the year is about influence, and it’s hard to ignore the influence that Fox News has over its viewers and on the political landscape. It is the most-watched cable network on TV and there’s absolutely no denying the grip it has on a good chunk of the Republican Party. So when it came time to name the media personality of the year, I considered its biggest star, Tucker Carlson, and even the man who runs the entire thing: Rupert Murdoch.

Naming one of those men as the media personality of the year doesn’t mean I condone what they do. It is, after all, about influence, and you cannot question the influence of Carlson and Murdoch. There seems to be a story written about them every day.

But, in the end, I just couldn’t do it. This is a newsletter that promotes good and responsible journalism. Carlson is not a journalist. And Murdoch is irresponsible. Together they do too much harm. Just the other day, Carlson said it’s time to stop talking about “corona.” He said it on Murdoch’s airwaves. Carlson and Murdoch don’t deserve anything resembling a compliment. So …

The real media personality of the year

CNN president Jeff Zucker. There was talk earlier this year that Zucker would leave CNN by the end of 2021. Instead, he has been as busy as ever. CNN has added hundreds of employees for its upcoming CNN+, a streaming network that is scheduled to launch early next year. The additions include a couple of high-profile names: Chris Wallace, the most respected journalist at rival Fox News, and Kasie Hunt, who comes over from MSNBC/NBC News. Then, just recently, Zucker was back in the news again, parting ways with someone he had always been close with: prime-time anchor Chris Cuomo. Zucker did the right thing in putting his network and its credibility ahead of whatever personal feelings he might have had for Cuomo. That’s what a strong leader does.

Most critical journalist

Ed Yong from The Atlantic. Last year, I named Yong the media personality of the year for his insightful and critical work about COVID-19. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts. And he continues to publish easily digestible and yet massively essential stories about the pandemic. It’s just that they are scary as hell. His latest is out just last week: “America Is Not Ready for Omicron.” Check out this passage: “Omicron requires individuals to think and act for the collective good — which is to say, it poses a heightened version of the same challenge that the U.S. has failed for two straight years, in bipartisan fashion.” Then he followed it up with this story: “I Canceled My Birthday Party Because of Omicron.” Like I said, scary as hell. But Yong remains one of the most important journalists we have.

Best publications

In writing this daily newsletter, I spend much of my time reading and watching the news. And I can tell you that no one produces the kind of incredible journalism on a consistent basis like The New York Times and The Washington Post. As I try to highlight the best journalism in my newsletter, rarely a day goes by when I’m not blown away by something I saw in the Times or Post. I pay for my subscriptions to the Times and Post the way I pay for my electric bill — I don’t think twice because it’s that essential.

Best Jan. 6 coverage

Speaking of the Times and Post, that leads me to what I thought were the two best video packages of the year regarding the insurrection on Jan. 6. The Post had: “41 minutes of fear: A video timeline from inside the Capitol siege.” And The Times had what I thought was the most compelling video of all about Jan. 6: “Day of Rage. How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol.” (You can watch it on YouTube , as well.) It’s graphic, disturbing and remains critically important.

Best project

And in what might have been the most impressive project of the year, the Post looked back at Jan. 6 in a three-part series called “The Attack.”

Most important whistleblower

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Frances Haugen said out loud — and brought along internal documents — the things many already believe about Facebook: that it places profits ahead of public safety. The former Facebook employee has testified in both the U.S. and Europe about the dangers of Facebook because of misinformation and other factors. Haugen claims that what Facebook does harms children, creates divisiveness and undermines democracy, and they do it because they are far more interested in making money than anything else. Haugen’s testimony certainly gained the attention of Congress, which could eventually lead to the government regulating social media.

Biggest name change

Speaking of Facebook, it’s now Meta. But we still call it Facebook.

Best follow on Twitter

For the second year in a row, this goes to former college and professional basketball star Rex Chapman . I’ll repeat what I wrote a year ago: His viral videos can stir up any emotion: anger, joy, sorrow. But most of the time, they will have you laughing out loud. Runner-up to most enjoyable Twitter follow: I’ve Pet That Dog . Sometimes you want to go to Twitter and not get a migraine from political insults and fighting.

Worst decision

The Wall Street Journal ran a letter to the editor written by Donald Trump , who continued to lie about the 2020 presidential election. The Journal’s editorial board defended the decision — although not very well.

Most inspirational

ESPN’s Dick Vitale. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)

Legendary ESPN college basketball announcer Dick Vitale is battling cancer, but that hasn’t stopped him from posting daily motivational videos on social media and continuing to inspire people with his dedication and appreciation for his job. ( Look at how emotional he got when he was greeted with an ovation by fans at a recent game.) I know Vitale rather well and I’m frequently asked if his enthusiastic announcing is an act, just his schtick. And I can tell that Vitale is the exact same person off TV as he is on. He is excited by life. Most of all, he’s one of those people who lives a great life and knows it, showing his gratitude all the time and doing what he can to help others through his words and actions.

Best podcast

Every year I do this category and every year I tell myself that I’m not going to pick The New York Times’ “The Daily.” Then every year, I end up picking The New York Times’ “The Daily.” I think at last count, there are approximately 178 billion podcasts, give or take. Everyone has their personal favorites. I, myself, enjoy “The Bill Simmons Podcast” and some of the other podcasts on The Ringer. I also love Kara Swisher’s “Sway” podcast, as well as “Jemele Hill is Unbothered.” But it’s hard not to keep coming back to “The Daily.” I don’t listen every day, but if you’re a follower of the news and you enjoy podcasts, don’t you at least have to check in to see what “The Daily” is talking about that day?

Best fictional media personality

Logan Roy. If you read my newsletter regularly, you know I’m a huge fan of HBO’s “Succession.” And Roy, played by the brilliant Brian Cox, is the patriarch of a huge media conglomerate. (Hmm, can you say Rupert Murdoch?) You’ve got to love Logan Roy even if he is despicable. Why? Because he has never been on the short end of the stick even once.

Stories that stuck with me the most

• The Washington Post’s John Woodrow Cox with “He said he was going to watch cartoons. Instead, he opened his dad’s gun safe.”
• For The Atlantic, Jacob Stern with “Can a Boxer Return to the Ring After Killing?”
• For The New York Times, Adam Grant with “There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing.”
• Also for The New York Times, Robert Kolker with “Who Is the Bad Art Friend?”
• The Atlantic’s Jennifer Senior with “What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind.”

The ‘What happened to you?’ award

Lara Logan. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Last year, I called this category the “Biggest destruction of a career” and gave it to Maria Bartiromo of Fox News and Fox Business. She easily could have won the award again this year for continuing to lob up softball interviews with former President Donald Trump so they can push their baseless claims of a rigged 2020 election. Maybe we should just change the name of this to the “Maria Bartiromo Award.” This year’s winner — if you want to use the word “winner” — goes to Lara Logan. Once respected for her work on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Logan’s career has flown over the guardrail. She has been leaning way right during her show on Fox Nation and appearances on Fox News. And that’s fine. But then she compared Dr. Anthony Fauci to Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. How bad has it gotten? Logan has blocked The Auschwitz Museum on Twitter. Think about that for a second. What happened to her?

Best destruction of a career

So there is someone who blew up their own career in 2021 and that was CNN’s Chris Cuomo. He had one of the best gigs on cable news: a prime-time TV show with his name on it and the freedom to talk about whatever he wanted. But the problems started in 2020 when he wanted to talk with his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, about COVID-19. Their little Cuomo Brothers Comedy Hour raised questions about Chris’ role as an objective journalist. Then when accusations started flying about Andrew and his inappropriate conduct toward women, Chris suddenly went silent. Except behind the scenes, where he was trying to help his brother fight off the disturbing allegations and used his influence as a journalist to do so. Arrogance and the belief that the rules don’t apply to them took down both Cuomo brothers. Chris might show up on TV again somewhere, but not in a job as good as the one he just lost.

Runner-up to best destruction of a career

Lou Dobbs. Remember him? Even Fox News couldn’t stand his baloney anymore. Like Bartiromo, didn’t he used to be somewhat respected? Good riddance.

And runner-, runner-up to best destruction of a career

Sharon Osbourne had a pretty comfy job on CBS’s “The Talk” and then decided to blow it up in an on-air conversation with co-host Sheryl Underwood. CBS said Osbourne’s behavior “did not align with our values for a respectful workplace.” Apparently there was other stuff, too. There’s a fine line between being provocative and offensive. Osbourne crossed it.

The answer: a mess.

The question? How “Jeopardy!” went about replacing Alex Trebek? The whole Mike Richards idea turned into a debacle, as The Ringer’s Claire McNear reported in “‘A Smile With Sharp Teeth’: Mike Richards’s Rise to ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Sparks Questions About His Past.” Things are stable again with Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik rotating as hosts, but the reputation of one of the game shows was nearly ruined in a matter of weeks.

Best book relating to media

James Andrew Miller is known for writing books about influential media institutions that got their modest starts in the 1970s under predictions that they might not last: “Saturday Night Live,” ESPN and Creative Artists Agency. Now he has added another to this list with his latest book: “​​Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers.” Like the others, HBO has gone on from humble beginnings to become a juggernaut, having created legendary shows such as “The Sopranos,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Wire,” “Sex and the City,” “The Larry Sanders Show” and so many more. If you’re interested in TV, you’ll enjoy this book. Also, a special mention here of Katie Couric’s memoir “Going There.” Couric took some criticism for various things she wrote, but she wrote a book that was honest and unflinching. Isn’t that what good memoirs do?

Best show about the media

First off, there really aren’t that many shows on TV about the media. Nevertheless, CNN’s “Reliable Sources” is must-see TV for news media junkies. Hosted well by the amicable and capable Brian Stelter, “Reliable Sources” usually has a good lineup of guests and it always feels fresh and relevant.

Best interview

A Londoner watches the live ITV UK television broadcast of Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, taped in Los Angeles, Calif. (zz/KGC-254/STAR MAX/IPx)

Oprah has still got it. Her sitdown with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was one of the most anticipated interviews in quite some time, and Oprah didn’t disappoint. There were jaw-dropping revelations and stunning accusations, including suggestions of racism inside the royal family. Oprah has a masterful interviewing style ( which I wrote about right after the interview ) and it was on full display with Harry and Meghan.

Most important trials

Three high-profile trials were televised in 2021. Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin was on trial for the murder of George Floyd. Kyle Rittenhouse was tried for shooting and killing two men during protests in Wisconsin. And three white men were tried in Georgia for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man. They were among the high-profile televised trials since O.J. Simpson back in the 1990s. The trials produced different results (Chauvin and the Georgia men were found guilty; Rittenhouse was acquitted) and all three sparked a wide range of emotions. But the transparency of the trials being on TV and its coverage by major outlets were important for Americans.

Most controversial coverage

The disappearance of 22-year-old Gabrielle Petito, who was ultimately found dead and believed to have been murdered, was a major news story on a national scale. While the facts of the case are horrendous (it’s believed she was murdered by her boyfriend, who was later found dead by suicide), the coverage raised questions. Specifically, why aren’t missing people of color treated with the same urgency by the media and authorities as white women? It’s something that the late PBS anchor Gwen Ifill called “missing white woman syndrome.” While, again, it’s sad that Petito’s disappearance and murder raised such questions, there is now a conversation (and an HBO documentary series called “Black and Missing”) that is addressing treating missing people of color with respect and seriousness.

Most important sports topic

One of the big stories in sports during 2021 was mental health, thanks to Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and tennis star Naomi Osaka talking about their struggles. Other than a few knuckle-dragging cavemen who grunted the typical, “Toughen up and fight through it” garbage, most media and fans started to listen to and understand that athletes are more than the sports they play.

Best ‘take that’ moment

Nikole Hannah-Jones. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)

After the University of North Carolina dragged its feet in granting tenure to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and “1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones, Hannah-Jones gave the ultimate “take that” to UNC and joined Howard University instead. Boss move.

Most depressing acquisition

Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund known for taking over newspapers and slashing jobs and resources, acquired Tribune Publishing — including papers such as the Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun and the New York Daily News — in yet another depressing chapter for local news. And now Alden is attempting a hostile takeover of Lee Enterprises, which owns 77 dailies. If Alden is successful and cuts more jobs, what does it all mean? The Washington Post’s Margaret Sullivan writes , “Democracy itself is suffering as local news fades.”

Worst ‘it’s too late’ moment

When she was the White House press secretary under Donald Trump, Stephanie Grisham did not give one official press conference. Then she was selling a book, annoyingly titled “Now I’ll Take Your Questions,” and she dished all kinds of dirt on Trump, talking about how awful he was and that she is “terrified” he’ll run again in 2024. She also, unsurprisingly, said that whenever they wanted to get a positive spin or push the Trump agenda, they would turn to Fox News. It’s not stunning to hear Grisham now say all this, but she waited long after Trump was out of the White House to say things she should’ve said much earlier.

President Joe Biden coverage

Certainly, this president is a lot less inflammatory than the last one. And his press secretary — Jen Psaki — seems much more competent than any of the press secretaries in the Trump administration. In fact, Chris Wallace, who was at Fox News at the time, called Psaki “one of the best press secretaries ever.” Overall, how has coverage of Biden been? The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank had a column this month with the headline: “ The media treats Biden as badly as — or worse than — Trump. Here’s proof.” Milbank wrote, “We need a skeptical, independent press. But how about being partisans for democracy? The country is in an existential struggle between self-governance and an authoritarian alternative. And we in the news media, collectively, have given equal, if not slightly more favorable, treatment to the authoritarians.”

Best guests to have on the news

The doctors: Anthony Fauci, Scott Gottlieb, Sanjay Gupta. All day. Every day. More, more, more. I believe the COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest news story of our lives. It literally impacts every person on the planet. The more I can hear from experts such as Fauci, Gottlieb and Gupta, the better.

Best news show

CBS’s “60 Minutes” continues to be the gold standard of TV news. I was going to list some of the important work they’ve done this year, and mention some of the key stories. But every show is good. Every story is key. Everything they do is elite journalism.

Best Sunday morning news program

You can say I’m copping out. Guilty as charged. But give me any of the three: NBC’s “Meet the Press,” ABC’s “This Week” or CBS’s “Face the Nation.” All are expertly moderated, by Chuck Todd, George Stephanopoulos and Margaret Brennan respectively. And all have timely guests, although I have one nit …

Worst Sunday morning question

“Do you believe the 2020 presidential election was fair and do you accept that Joe Biden was fairly elected president?” Enough of that question. I get why it’s asked. The moderators want to get on the record who is trying to undermine our democracy, and who could cause trouble in 2024. But it’s time to stop handing a megaphone to politicians wanting to spew their baseless conspiracy theories.

More superlatives

• Most underrated evening newscast: “PBS NewsHour.”
• Best sports debate show: ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption.”
• Best daily news cable anchor: CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
• Best news show moderator: PBS and “Washington Week’s” Yamiche Alcindor.
• Best place to get gossipy media news: The Daily Beast.
• Best sports website: The Athletic.

Best comeback

I’ve always been a fan of “Saturday Night Live” — even when others criticized it and claimed they stopped watching it “years ago.” But this season has been really strong thanks to really good guest hosts (including Jason Sudeikis, Kieran Culkin and Billie Eilish) and superb musical guests (including Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves and Saweetie). They’ve had biting political commentary like they used to be known for and the “Weekend Update” segments have been good. Best moments so far this season: Brandi Carlile’s performance of “Broken Horses” and Cecily Strong’s Goober the Clown bit on abortion .

Biggest stunner

Chris Wallace. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via AP, File)

Chris Wallace leaving Fox News was a shocker. He’s been there since 2003 and we all figured he would retire there. Leaving was only one shoe dropping. The other was Wallace going to CNN+ — CNN’s streaming network that will launch next year. Wallace leaving Fox News was a serious blow. Whenever criticized for their extremely biased conservative views, Fox News would point to the fairness of Wallace, who gave Fox News some credibility. Now that slice of credibility is gone with Wallace walking out the door.

Biggest stunner, part 2

Brian Williams leaving MSNBC. No, working the 11 p.m. Eastern shift was no picnic, but Williams was lucky to even have a job after exaggerating his role in a helicopter crash in Iraq in 2015. That lie cost him the sweet job of anchoring the “NBC Nightly News.” The late-night MSNBC job helped him revitalize his career and earn back much of the respect that he had lost. So when he announced last month that he was leaving NBC News after 28 years, it came as a surprise. Williams will end up again somewhere. He’s too good not to.

Best new show

The “ManningCast” on ESPN2. For years, fans and media critics have talked about having a sports broadcast that sounded laid back like people just sitting around a bar or living room. Well, ESPN2 has pulled it off by putting brothers Peyton and Eli Manning on an alternate “Monday Night Football” telecast. Mix in some interesting guests and you have TV sports gold. Now other networks are starting to think about how to pull this off in other sports. Could Phil Mickelson do that with golf? Charles Barkley on the NBA? But ESPN might have caught lightning in a bottle because the Mannings are so perfect in their camaraderie. Duplicating it with others might be impossible. In the meantime, the “ManningCast” (attracting more than a million viewers a game) has turned out even better than expected, and is the most interesting innovation of sports TV since networks started putting scoreboards on the screen.

Three things I really liked in media this year

• Each week, NBC News took on a news topic and highlighted it all week across its platforms. They focused on important issues such as climate, cancer detection and treatment, supply chain issues and many, many more. The issues were timely and the coverage was smart and widespread.
• “CBS Sunday Morning.” Still among my favorite shows on TV. Always interesting. Coffee, eggs, bacon, toast with a little jam and “CBS Sunday Morning.” A perfect way to spend a Sunday morning.
• Rolling Stone, under new editor-in-chief Noah Shachtman, has rededicated itself to hard news and has taken on big music names such as Eric Clapton and Marilyn Manson.

Three things I really hated in media this year

• I hate that Fox News’ late-night show hosted by Greg Gutfeld is actually a success. (His ratings are pretty good.) I find Gutfeld to be mean, spiteful and, honestly, not all that funny. But I guess it doesn’t take much to impress viewers who think it’s funny to crudely make fun of people as long as they have different political opinions than you.
• OAN and Newsmax. These propaganda infomercials deserve no more mention than they are getting here.
• That local news is suffering. Do your part: subscribe to your local newspapers.

One final wish for 2022

That by this time next year, we will have put a major dent into COVID-19 and that we’ll spend more days not reading or watching news about the coronavirus than days that we do.

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

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The 10 Most Popular Articles in 2021 (So Far)

Leading through change, hybrid work environments, and developing strategy for the post-pandemic era are among the most popular topics for readers in recent months.

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Following one of the most disruptive years in recent memory, 2021 has offered up many challenges and questions for managers: How can they keep teams safe and engaged in their work when they return to offices? How can they develop new skills and strategies at a time when things aren’t quite back to normal?

In the first half of the year, the most popular topics among readers have dived into answering these types of questions, with a focus on returning to physical offices, implementing hybrid work models, and redesigning organizational culture and strategy for the post-pandemic era. Other core issues for readers include understanding employee productivity and resilience, overcoming leadership failure, and developing strategies that can stand up against uncertainty and change.

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The following are the 10 most popular articles of the year so far. We hope they are inspiring and instructive for you and your teams in the months ahead.

#1 The Future of Team Leadership Is Multimodal

Robert hooijberg and michael watkins.

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a transformation in the ways we work by accelerating a shift to hybrid virtual and in-person models and requiring a fundamental change in the skills team leaders need to succeed. Leaders will need to play four roles as they adapt to managing a hybrid workforce.

#2 Redesigning the Post-Pandemic Workplace

Gerald c. kane, rich nanda, anh phillips, and jonathan copulsky.

As organizations plan for ways to bring remote employees back to the workplace, they should take advantage of the opportunity to rethink how and where work is best done, and how to combine the best aspects of remote and colocated work.

#3 The Future of Work Is Through Workforce Ecosystems

Elizabeth j. altman, david kiron, jeff schwartz, and robin jones.

Today’s leaders need best practices for dealing strategically and operationally with a distributed, diverse workforce that crosses internal and external boundaries. The authors contend that the best way to address the shift to managing all types of workers is through the lens of a workforce ecosystem — a structure that consists of interdependent actors, from within the organization and beyond, working to pursue both individual and collective goals.

About the Author

Ally MacDonald ( @allymacdonald ) is senior editor at MIT Sloan Management Review .

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HBR’s Most-Read Research Articles of 2021

• Dagny Dukach

A look back at the insights that resonated most with our readers.

What will it take to make work better? Over the past year, HBR has published a wide array of research-backed articles that explore topics ranging from retaining employees to overcoming meeting overload to fostering gender equity in the workplace. In this end-of-year roundup, we share key insights and trends from our most-read research articles of 2021.

As the workplace rapidly transforms in the wake of the pandemic, social movements, and more, a fundamental question remains: How can we ensure we’re making work better — for employees, organizations, and society at large?

• Dagny Dukach is a former associate editor at Harvard Business Review.

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December 17, 2021

Nieman reports’ top 5 opinion pieces of 2021, as 2021 winds down, here are 5 opinion pieces from the past year we at nieman reports think are worth a (re)read, tagged with.

Artist Alex Roman Jr. (aka Donkeeboy) and his mother Sylvia (Donkeemom) in front of their George Floyd mural in Houston, Texas David “Odiwams” Wright

The past year has brought a host of new challenges for journalism: the ongoing pandemic, a new presidency, increasing extremism following Jan. 6, to name a few. Nieman Reports’ columnists and writers have addressed these and other challenges, with nuanced analysis and insightful commentary. From the importance of obituaries to the need to publish salary ranges for journalism jobs, here are five of Nieman Reports’ most thought-provoking opinion pieces of 2021:

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1. The Real Meaning of “He’s No Angel” for Journalism

In June 2020, Alex Roman Jr. and his mother Sylvia painted one of the most iconic art pieces after the murder of George Floyd: a mural in Houston, Texas of Floyd with angel wings, the words “forever breathing in our hearts” written above him. That image of Floyd as angelic invites journalists to reconsider the language they use around crime and police brutality, argues Austin Bogues, a commentary editor at USA Today. Journalists can sometimes gravitate toward black-and-white portrayals of crime victims: They were innocent and angelic, or they were evil beyond redemption. Bogues insists that most of us are somewhere in between. Floyd, for one, was a loving father and a star basketball player, but also a man struggling with addiction. “Journalists don’t need to make anyone into an angel or a demon,” Bogues writes. “Instead we need to capture the nuances of their humanity.”

2. “A Wake in Words”: The Importance of Obituaries During — and After — the Pandemic

Since the pandemic’s start, more than 800,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 — a loss that is felt more acutely when we remember how early restrictions barred many communities from grieving together. Though in-person funerals came to a halt last year, Maureen O’Donnell highlights one way that communities stayed together when social distancing requirements kept them physically apart: obituaries. An obit writer for The Chicago Sun-Times, O’Donnell reflects on the invaluable histories, identities, and values that obituaries capture about a community, and how the pandemic is prompting newsrooms to preserve them. As newsrooms shrink and obituaries become outsourced, O’Donnell makes an impassioned argument for why news organizations should continue to invest in obituaries after the pandemic. Unless we do, says O’Donnell, “one fundamental way of keeping people together — and informed — will be lost.”

3. Why Newsrooms Should Publish Salary Ranges with Every Job Posting

Many journalists searching for media jobs are familiar with the process of going through multiple applications, interviews, and editing tests without knowing the answer to one essential question: How much does this job pay? Kami Rieck, a social media editor at Bloomberg Opinion, argues that for news organizations to truly be transparent and fair, they must publish salary ranges with every job posting. Doing so not only saves applicants hours of unpaid time spent interviewing only to discover that the job doesn’t pay a livable wage, but that transparency also creates more diverse newsrooms and helps address pay disparities. Publishing salary ranges might not solve the issue of pay equity once and for all, Rieck writes — but it’s a great place to start.

 4.  What Are We Missing in The Afghanistan Story?

When Kabul collapsed into the hands of the Taliban in August, many were quick to compare the events to the fall of Saigon. Columnist Issac Bailey proposes a different paradigm: The best parallel to Afghanistan today is not Vietnam in 1975, but Baghdad in 2003. As hundreds of cheerful U.S. soldiers toppled the city’s statue of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi citizens were about to enter a long and brutal war — and journalists shied away from asking the tough questions that would have helped audiences understand the implications of the U.S. invasion. “Had we done a better job two decades ago asking questions and looking beyond our kneejerk responses to powerful images, would Afghanistan have become the nation’s longest war ever?” Bailey asks.

5. How Journalism Moves Forward in an Age of Disinformation and Distrust

In a time marked by a deadly pandemic, police brutality, war, rising authoritarianism, and more, it often feels as though the world is caving in. HuffPost editor-in-chief Danielle Belton offers a word of advice for journalists trying to navigate the chaos of our current moment: If you’re going through hell, keep going. Belton reminds us of the important role journalism has in truth-telling amid a hell of disinformation and disruption. “I choose progress,” Belton writes, “a newsroom that is more diverse and representative of our society, a press that is more nimble and adaptive, an office that is your coffee table or kitchen table or whatever you’ve fashioned as a desk in your home, one that is compassionate and empathetic towards those in the field every day, mired in the business of muck, and one that is resilient in the face of the apocalypse.”

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The 60 most-read Opinion pieces of 2015

Here’s our digest of the year’s biggest Opinion pieces – including four that were originally published in previous years. In order …

1. Someone stole naked pictures of me. This is what I did about it, by Emma Holten

2. The real American Sniper was a hate-filled killer. Why are simplistic patriots treating him as a hero?, by Lindy West

3. Now the truth emerges: how the US fuelled the rise of Isis in Syria and Iraq, by Seumas Milne

4. Indonesia is burning. So why is the world looking away?, by George Monbiot

5. I was held hostage by Isis. They fear our unity more than our airstrikes, by Nicolas Hénin

6. Don’t rush to Nepal to help. Read this first , by Claire Bennett

7. Stephen Fry’s engagement: what’s wrong with age-gap relationships? , by Hannah Jane Parkinson

8. Steve Bell on the Charlie Hebdo attack

9. Britain’s criminally stupid attitudes to race and immigration are beyond parody , by Frankie Boyle

10. Mindless terrorists? The truth about Isis is much worse , by Scott Atran

11. Dear Katie Hopkins. Stop making life harder for disabled people , by Lucy Hawking

12. A picture of loneliness: you are looking at the last male northern white rhino , by Jonathan Jones

13. David Cameron hasn’t the faintest idea how deep his cuts go. This letter proves it , by George Monbiot

14. What do doctors say to ‘alternative therapists’ when a patient dies? Nothing. We never talk , by Ranjana Srivastava

15. Aspirational parents condemn their children to a desperate, joyless life , by George Monbiot

16. If you don’t understand how people fall into poverty, you’re probably a sociopath , by Lucy Mangan

17. If your idea of hell is sitting next to Kate Moss on an easyJet flight, you must be dead inside , Suzanne Moore

18. Prisons that withhold menstrual pads humiliate women and violate basic rights , by Chandra Bozelko

19. My boyfriend ‘sort-of’ raped me. But I didn’t break up with him, by Monica Tan

20. The ‘Dear Fat People’ video is tired, cruel and lazy – but I still fight for the woman who made it , by Lindy West

21. How not to talk to someone with depression , by SE Smith

22. Sonny Bill Williams’s thoughtless act of generosity has ruined sport for ever , by Stuart Heritage

23. The thoroughly humiliating and extremely satisfying demise of Tony Abbott , by First Dog on the Moon

24. Germany won’t spare Greek pain – it has an interest in breaking us , by Yanis Varoufakis

25. Is women’s visible pubic hair really so shocking that it must be censored? , by Jessica Valenti

26. What is love? Five theories on the greatest emotion of all , by a panel of writers

27. How do you know your cat loves you? Let me count 25 ways , by Fay Schopen

28. Testino’s portrait of William and Kate is a sickly sweet lie , by Jonathan Jones

29. Apocalypse now: has the next giant financial crash already begun? , by Paul Mason

30. The view from Middle England: ‘If the Scottish get in with Labour ... we’re done for’ , video by John Harris

31. What if David Cameron is an evil genius? , by Frankie Boyle

32. Greece and Spain helped postwar Germany recover. Spot the difference , by Nick Dearden

33. Social media is protecting men from periods, breast milk and body hair , by Jessica Valenti

34. Jeremy Corbyn a non-conformist? He couldn’t be more British if he bled tea , by Frankie Boyle

35. It’s not always easy to be a Joni Mitchell fan, but her illness devastates me , by Linda Grant

36. J’ai été otage de l’État islamique. Daesh craint plus notre unité que nos frappes aériennes , by Nicolas Hénin

37. Don’t let the maverick act fool you – Jeremy Clarkson’s the ultimate insider , by Hadley Freeman

38. I loved the honesty of Tinder – then I met Mr No Sex Before Marriage , Desiree Akhavan

39. The most dangerous drug isn’t meow meow. It isn’t even alcohol ... by Charlie Brooker

40. When I lost my hands making flatscreens I can’t afford, nobody would help me , by Rosa Moreno

41. Pubic hair has a job to do – stop shaving and leave it alone , Emily Gibson

42. Britain is heading for another 2008 crash: here’s why , by David Graeber

43. If you laughed when 50 Cent went bankrupt, you don’t understand hip-hop , by Andrew Emery

44. There may be flowing water on Mars. But is there intelligent life on Earth? , by George Monbiot

45. Sia’s video: let’s be wary of seeing paedophilia everywhere , Barbara Ellen

46. Depression doesn’t make you sad all the time , by SE Smith

47. Colleen McCullough: we’ll celebrate a woman for anything, as long as it’s not her talent , by Rebecca Shaw

48. Even if you hate me, please don’t take Labour over the cliff edge , by Tony Blair

49. A&E helped us through a miscarriage. Then we got a feedback text , by Anonymous

50. Young women, give up the vocal fry and reclaim your strong female voice , by Naomi Wolf

51. This black woman’s anti-Muslim rant shows how deep British racism goes , by Joseph Harker

52. Nadiya Hussain has won so much more than the Great British Bake Off , by Remona Aly

53. How a corporate cult captures and destroys our best graduates , by George Monbiot

54. I’m tired of being kind to creepy men in order to stay safe , by Daisy Buchanan

55. Don’t blame depression for the Germanwings tragedy , by Masuma Rahim

56. Angela Merkel has a red and a yellow button. One ends the crisis. Which does she push? , by Yanis Varoufakis

57. This week I may be jailed for writing a book on human rights abuses , by Rafael Marques de Morais

58. You’ve been asked to have your say on the NHS. You just don’t know about it , by Ann Robinson

59. A (very) rough guide to America from an Englishman in New York , by Paul Owen

60. Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? , by David Graeber

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