by Alison Bass | Dec 14, 2021 | Uncategorized
A friendly Afghan man named Fazel was my Lyft driver on a recent trip from Washington Dulles Airport into the city, and as we talked during the long ride, I learned that Fazel was driving 11 to 12 hours a day to support not only his wife and two young children but...
by Alison Bass | Dec 6, 2021 | Uncategorized
At a recent book talk I gave, a student at West Virginia University asked me how the media could improve its credibility with the public. I noted that the “media” was not a monolithic entity, but a diverse number of information outlets, some way more...
by Alison Bass | Nov 30, 2021 | Uncategorized
When I lived in Boston in my 20s, another young woman who also lived in the Back Bay, a nurse, was brutally raped and murdered by a man, who, if my recollection is correct, got into her apartment through an open window. I remember thinking about why this guy, who was...
by Alison Bass | Nov 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
This weekend, everyone is talking about the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse on murder charges in the deaths of two protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Although I am disturbed by the verdict and specifically the judge’s dismissal of the gun charge against Rittenhouse...
by Alison Bass | Nov 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
There has been much ado of late about West Virginia University President Gordon Gee’s decision to sign onto the advisory board of a new university in Texas that purports to allow freedom of speech without any interference and will offer “forbidden”...
by Alison Bass | Nov 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
When I taught journalism at West Virginia University, I always included a class on libel and how reporters can avoid getting sued for it. To drive that point home, I used a real-life story about one of my journalism students whose first job after graduation was...
by Alison Bass | Nov 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
I was lucky when I worked at The Boston Globe because for most of my time there I had an editor who was incredibly supportive. Nils had my back, especially on the rare occasions when other editors tried to pressure me into reporting stories a certain way or criticized...
by Alison Bass | Oct 22, 2021 | Uncategorized
At a recent book talk, one attendee asked me how I dealt with the intimidation and threats that often comes with writing tough investigative stories about powerful individuals and institutions. Her question brought to mind an incident that I didn’t end up...
by Alison Bass | Oct 19, 2021 | Uncategorized
This is #MeToo week in celebration of the four-year-old hashtag that inspired thousands of women to come forward with their own stories of sexual harassment and abuse. While Alyssa Milano, an Italian actress, used the hashtag to ask other women to come forward in the...
by Alison Bass | Oct 3, 2021 | Uncategorized
I will be having a virtual conversation with the co-chairs of the Brandeis Women’s Network Nov. 3 on Zoom about my new memoir, Brassy Broad: How one journalist helped pave the way to #MeToo. Please join us at 7 pm EST for this conversation on Zoom via this link....
