Month: November 2019

Banning abused words and phrases: Alexandria Neason begins a campaign to ban words and phrases that “no longer mean anything at all,” like “woke.”   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Campus journalists under fire: Entrenched viewpoints and growing criticism of media have converged on college campuses, write Lindsey McGinnis and Noah Robertson. Reporting opposing views seen as threatening by student activists. “If readers think certain groups don’t deserve a voice, does listening to that group make journalists complicit?” they ask. […]

NU’s backlash to the backlash: The Daily Northwestern apologized to activists for its coverage and photos of a stormy news event, writes Robby Soave. The activists worried that the student newspaper’s coverage of their disruptive actions undermined their safety and could get them in trouble. Journalism dean  calls the paper’s […]

Facebook fake news: It’s not easy to spot fake news, writes Laura Hazard Owen, who conducted a test on whether posts identified as fake are flagged as false.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Unethical bosses: An editor pressures a web editor to gratuitously mention an advertiser in a story. From the Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists archives.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Freedom to offend: Toronto Star public editor Kathy English defends the freedom of columnists to express views that are outrageous and even offensive. “I must defend their freedom to offend,” she explains to readers.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

What teens want: “Ultimately, young people want the same thing from news organizations that adults do: the truth,” writes Lauren Harris. Attempts to emulate teens make them wince.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.