DOJ seizes reporter’s records: Pete Vernon takes a cautious stance on the justice department’s seizure of a New York Times reporter’s records.
“The press freedom issues raised by the case aren’t new, and they aren’t limited to the current administration,” he writes.
Paying sources akin to paying for sex: Canadian editor Erica Lenti argues for reconsidering the staunch rule against paying sources for information.
“What’s important — for editors, writers and all journalists in this countryh (Canada) — is to make considerations and break the rules when they need to be broken,” she writes in This Magazine, a Canadian political publication based in Toronto.
Americans and the news media: The Media Insight Project finds the erosion of Americans’ trust of news media is a failure to communicate.
Many Americans think what they see in the news media looks largely like opinion and commentary. The project is a collaboration of the Associated Press, the American Press Institute and the AP-NORC Center.
Suicide coverage best practices: Kelly McBride reports that the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain prompt a look at best practices in reporting on suicide.
Suicide is not a natural or logical outcome of adversity, she writes. “Instead, include a message of hope: Recovery is possible. In fact, most people who think about suicide do recover.”
Following the money: Mya Frazier reports that an obscure accounting rule change allowed an alert reporter to discover how millions of dollars were siphoned from public services through tax breaks.
“Although Statement 77 was not intended as a tool for the press, the new disclosures have become a font of valuable information for journalists,” she wrote.
Doubts about AP poll guide: David W. Moore casts doubts on new chapter in the AP stylebook on reporting election poll results.
“My sense is that however well intentioned, they will have little effect on how much coverage is given to polls,” he writes. “As superficial as it might be, we all want to know who’s winning the horse race.”
“Dead” journalist is alive: Al Tompkins ponders the credibility impact of a Ukrainian ruse to nab a contract killer by saying a reporter was killed.
“Generally, journalists should not be part of a government deception plot,” writes Tompkins. “Generally, journalists should not be part of something that will produce untrue global coverage.”
Everyone who published or broadcast the false information has a stake in knowing the decisions that led to creating a fake news story, he adds.
FOI audits reveal flaws: Daniel Bevarly reports government FOI audits in Florida, Illinois and Tennessee find poor open records compliance.
“The independent findings from state FOI coalitions and a university disclose an ongoing challenge to government agencies to comply with their state’s open government laws and demonstrate consistent policy practices,” he writes.
Papua New Guinea faces a month without Facebook, following the example of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and North Korea.
Benny Geteng reports that the PNG communications minister wants time to investigate abuses and the possibility of creating a national social network site.
Using the “L” word: Daniel Dale explains that a lie is a false statement made intentionally.
“If we journalists are going to present ourselves as arbiters of truth, we have to stick to what we know is true,” he writes. “And that means not calling something a lie when we don’t have a reasonable certainty that Trump’s intention is deception.”
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 