Category Archives: Fairness

YouTube A Conspiracy Ecosystem

Accountability, Accuracy, Fairness, Media, Online News, Social Media, ,

YouTube a conspiracy ecosystem: Craig Timberg and Drew Harwell write about wild conspiracies that flood YouTube.

“Among the most popular genres in the collection were related to mass shootings, and especially the one in Las Vegas in October that killed 58 people,” they write. “Typically these portrayed the attacks as politically motivated hoaxes, so called ‘false flags’ intended to dupe the public into believing that gun rights needed to be curtailed.” The 50 most widely viewed mass-shooting conspiracy videos were viewed 50 million times.

 

Media Trust Down, Can Be Restored For Some

Accountability, Accuracy, Fairness, Independence, Media, Online News, Transparency, , ,

Media trust down, can be restored for some: Gallup and the Knight Foundation release new findings.

“These results indicate that attempts to restore trust in the media among most Americans may be fruitful, particularly if those efforts are aimed at improving accuracy, enhancing transparency and reducing bias,” they report.

About one-third of those on the political right have lost faith in the media and expect that to be permanent.

Images And False Portrayals

Accountability, Accuracy, Fairness, Media, Minimizing Harm, Online News, Social Media, , , , ,

Images and false portrayals: Rick Paulas reports that KTVU apologized for using an image from a murder victim’s Facebook account.

The news media often treat subjects differently according to race, writes Paulas, portraying black families as living in poverty and being involved in crime. This has “real-life consequences” and sways attitudes.

 

Good News On Media Trust

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Good news on media trust: Indira Lakshmanan and Rick Edmonds report that trust in media scored higher since last year and “the great majority of Americans trust their local news sources.”

A Poynter Media Trust survey finds “that the president’s attempts to discredit the news may be having less effect a year and a half into his presidency.”

Readers Ruffled By NYT Story On LA

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Readers ruffled by New York Times story on Los Angeles: Sydney Smith reports that two New York Times travel editors apologized for painting Los Angeles as “the source of all useless items in the world,” including Jesus statues.

Readers thought the article “dismissive of Latino culture and cliched in its portayal of the city.” This was considered offensive.

 

Journalists Are Not The Enemy

Accountability, Accuracy, Fairness, Freedom of Speech, Independence, Media, Minimizing Harm, , ,

Journalists are not the enemy: The Boston Globe’s editorial board publishes its response to President Trump’s attack on the media.

More than 350 news outlets joined the Globe’s move to support a free press.

“A central pillar of President Trump’s politics is a sustained assault on the free press,” writes the Globe. “Journalists are not classified as fellow Americans, but rather ‘the enemy of the people.’ This relentless assault on the free press has dangerous consequences.”

 

Media Mount Attack On “Fake News” Charges

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Media mount attack on “fake news” charges.

Cleve R. Wootson Jr. writes the Boston Globe urges American news groups to respond to the president’s scorn of the press.

“The rally calls for the opinion writers that staff newspaper editorial boards to produce independent opinion pieces about Trump’s attacks on the media,” he writes. The Associated Press reports that 70 news organizations agreed.

 

Unique Challenges Of Religion Reporting

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Unique challenges of religion reporting: Steven Potter writes about the difficulties of the religion beat.

“As they dive into different cultures and broach highly sensitive subjects with complete strangers, they face a number of unique challenges,” he writes.

Chicago Tribune religion reporter Manya Brachear Pashman says her mission “is to teach people about religions they may not be exposed to,” and put aside personal beliefs.

Domestic Violence Coverage Standards

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Domestic violence coverage standards: Justin Ray examines a conflict between Vermont State Police and the Barre Times Argus over a murder-suicide.

The local newspaper “ultimately pledged to improve its standards for domestic violence coverage — though the paper’s editor raised concerns about the (police) spokesman’s voluble criticism and the potential precedent it sets for the paper’s relationship with a prominent state agency,” Ray writes.

Solidarity Among Reporters

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Solidarity among reporters: Michael Grynbaum writes about “an unusual show of solidarity” at a White House press briefing when Jordan Fabian yields to Hallie Jackson.

It “seemed to signal a new approach by the White House press corps toward an administration that regularly uses briefings to deride, and divide, the news media.” Called a “classy move.”