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News media found more divisive than Trump: A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll compares President Trump with national news media, writes Steven Shepard. Fifty-six percent say Trump divides the country, writes Shepard. “Even more voters, 64 percent, said the media have done more to divide the country….”   Visit the Ethics […]

Criticizing journalists responsibly: Don’t make it personal, writes Philip Eil. “In all cases, stick to the work, not the person,” he writes. Journalists are perfectionists. If your goal is to cause emotional pain, pointing to flaws in their work is often more upsetting than a personal attack. It’s “a good […]

How rape is covered by news media: News reflects rape culture, or local norms toward sexual assault, writes Meg Dalton. “Rape culture is difficult to measure,” she writes, “but there are a few common characteristics like victim blaming, implying victim consent, questioning victim credibility and empathy for the alleged perpetrator.” […]

Medill spotlights local news collapse: As newsroom jobs disappear, writes Mark Jacob, some areas of the country are virtually uncovered by journalism and plagues all news consumers with more superficiality and mistakes. “Which means there’s plenty to read and view, but it might not tell us very much,” he writes […]

Rage and the media: There is some merit to Trump’s claim that the media contributed to the current climate of fear and anger, writes Matt Lewis. “Tell the truth, but in a way that is responsible,” he writes. “Eschew things that are salacious or done simply to gin up excitement. […]

Ethics of publishing mugshots: Is it preying on human suffering? Corey Hutchins reports that mugshots are a staple for some local newsrooms, while others avoid them. “Some of those accused said they lost jobs and housing or relocated because they couldn’t find work,” writes Hutchins. Outcome of the cases often […]

Freelancers: Beware the “rights grab:” Jack Davies warns freelancers to guard against rights grabs, “shorthand for a move by publications of all stripes to demand full moral and intellectual rights to freelance reporters’ work.” Remove that from contracts.   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.

Tips on pitching freelance stories: Knowing exactly what your story is about is crucial to piquing an editor’s interest, writes Tim Herrera. Write “a solid, clear, powerful nut graf,” he advises. Impress the editor. “Get me interested to learn more, but more important, make me want to tell this story […]

Youths are best at telling fact from opinion: A Pew Research Center news analysis finds younger Americans are better than elders at separating factual statements in the news from opinion. “This stronger ability to classify statements regardless of their ideological appeals may well be tied to the fact that younger […]

Click-driven reporting a bad idea: “For many in the media, analytics rule,” writes Jim Shella. It’s all about clicks. “News judgment and gut feelings are replaced by analytics,” Shella writes, but “leadership sometimes requires turning a blind eye to analytics.”   Visit the Ethics AdviceLine blog for more.