Covering wildfires: The devastating California fires change the landscape and journalism, writes Audrey Cooper.
“There is a perception that journalists simply take from the victims,” she writes. “We do take their stories, their photos. We do these things not because we relish it but because the public must know. There is power in the truth, even if it is a truth some would rather not see.”
Bilingual reporting and translation: President Trump’s zero tolerance policy on border immigration makes bilingual reporting important, writes Alice Driver.
“Because language enables reporting — and comprehension of complex subjects in the news — it is essential for local and national media outlets to have bilingual journalists,” she writes.
Hexing tax collectors: Sydney Smith offers a roundup of recent media corrections.
Historical facts, names and numbers trip journalists, including Romanian witches.
“Stories aren’t the only content that needs editing,” writes Smith. “Case in point, an NPR graphic on the midterm elections had numerous errors.”
Quoting too many men: London’s Financial Times is using a bot to warn its journalists against quoting too many men, writes Jim Waterson, forcing writers to look for women experts.
“The paper, which covers many male-dominated industries, is keen to attract more woman readers, with its research suggesting they are put off by articles that rely heavily on quotes from men,” he writes. Only 21 percent of people quoted in the newspaper were women.
American bias: David W. Moore explores American racism.
“It is in the realm of possibility, I think, to suggest that most of us, and maybe all of us, are afflicted to some degree with implicit bias — but the notion that we all share the same biases seems completely implausible,” he writes. There may be a dominant culture related to race, but there also are many subcultures that produce different feelings.
Reporters making statements: CNN’s Jim Acosta lost press credentials after questions for Trump ended with a statement, note Al Tompkins and Kelly McBride.
“Ask tough questions, avoid making statements or arguing during a press event and report the news, don’t become the news,” they write.
Covering elections: The Reporters Committee For Freedom Of The Press offers an election legal guide.
“Generally, the First Amendment protects journalists’ right to gather news outside of polling places for the purpose of reporting on early election results,” says the exit polling guideline.
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….”
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 time for a refresher for citizens on what constitutes a healthy, constructive conversation about the work we produce,” Eil writes.
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.”
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 