Ethics AdviceLine

Doubting the fact-checkers: Pew Research Center finds that Republicans and Democrats react differently to fact-checkers. “Overall, Americans are split in their views of fact-checkers,” reports the center.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Bad year for journalism job cuts: The news business lost 3,000 jobs in the first five months of this year, writes Gerry Smith, worst since 2009. “While tech giants are often blamed for the news industry’s financial troubles,” writes Smith, “they have also become a destination for journalists who want […]

A scary state in newspaper journalism: Potential buyers pass on the fading Youngstown Vindicator, “and that’s scary as hell,” writes Joshua Benton. The energy in the newspaper business for the past half-decade-plus has been toward consolidation, he writes. Lack of interest in the 150-year-old Vindicator might indicate consolidators decided that […]

Use of graphic photos explained: iMediaEthics writer Sydney Smith tells why the Associated Press, The New York Times and USA Today published photos of a dead man and his daughter drowned in the Rio Grande. Deemed a moment in time showing the danger and desperation of immigrants from Central America. […]

Forcing change through fact-checking: Simply reporting fact-checks is not enough, writes Laura Hazard Owen. The “second-generation” of fact-checking includes not just publishing but also pressure and working for system change.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

High court favors secrecy: In a blow to freedom of information, the U.S. Supreme court expanded the federal definition of what can be deemed confidential, the Argus Leader reports. “At issue was whether confidentiality, as used in a section of the Freedom of Information Act, means anything intended to be […]

Ethics of showing horrifying images: Photos of the bodies of a drowned man and his daughter on the bank of the Rio Grande raise questions about how far media should go in using such images. They stir debates over news value, focusing public attention on tragedy and dilemmas and psychological […]

Photos of dead bodies: Images of the bodies of a man and his daughter drowned in the Rio Grande are examples of journalists showing a truth the public would prefer not to see, writes Kelly McBride. “Don’t exploit horrific photos without a journalistic purpose,” she advises. “But don’t hide them […]

Making sensible decisions from weather reports: “When it comes to weather, there is no universal understanding of cautionary language,” writes Justin Ray, “and no single standard for alerting TV viewers — a fact that should raise more concern than it does.”   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Public editors redux: Kyle Pope announces the appointment of public editors for The New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC. “As watchdogs for the biggest news organizations in the country, they’ll be ready to call out mistakes, observe bad habits and give praise where it’s due,” he writes. […]