Occupational hazards of journalism: An Australian court rules that newspapers are liable for psychiatric injury to journalists covering traumatic events, write Matthew Ricketson and Alexandra Wake.
Reporter sues for post traumatic syndrome injuries.
Lois Lane’s Enduring Conflict of Interest
Lois Lane’s enduring conflict of interest: James Grebey writes about the ethical dilemmas of comic book heroes, including revelations of mental health therapy for trauma.
The ethics of Lois keeping Superman’s identity secret is described as a subject of debate in journalism schools for 75 years.
Focusing On Good News
Focusing on good news: The Philadelphia Inquirer takes an idea from the Minneapolis Star Tribune to print a good news section, writes Kristen Hare.
“The work takes on tough topics, including justice, health, education and poverty, but with a solutions journalism approach,” she writes, also focusing on stories and people making the region better.
Defining Journalism And Activism
Defining journalism and activism: “Journalism has long been committed to unbiased reporting and to shining a light on injustices in society,” writes Michael Blanding.
The tension between these two mandates has become more apparent in the current polarized political moment, he says.
Weather A Star In News Coverage
Weather a star in news coverage: The Dallas Morning News finds that covering big weather events draws big audiences, writes Kristen Hare.
In an experiment, the newspaper created three new beats by shifting staff. The goal was to convert readers into subscribers.
Anonymity Exposed
Anonymity exposed: Anonymity is a con game played on the public by some of the nation’s leading newspapers, says a story from the Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists archives.
“Most reporters know that stories are only as good as the reliability of identified sources who are quoted,” says AdviceLine.
Brits Propose Global Tech Ethics Code
Brits propose global tech ethics code: Taking aim at fake news and disinformation, a United Kingdom parliament committee reports “our democracy is at risk” from election interference through social media.
A Plea For School Shooting Standards
A plea for school shooting standards: Education reporters should lead the way toward newsroom standards for covering shootings at schools, writes Emily Richmond;
“They should ask managers when their news outlets will name perpetrators and how often,” she writes. “They should also ask whether coverage of such an event will use tweets sent by students in lockdown, or share videos and photos from scenes of violence.”
High Ethical Standards In Pursuit of News
High ethical standards in pursuit of news: The Center for Journalism
Ethics names ProPublica a finalist for an ethics award.
In telling the story of a high school student trying to escape gang membership, ProPublica did not publish his last name or run photos that might reveal his identity.
Reinventing Local TV News
Reinventing local TV news: Local TV newsrooms can’t expect to attract new audiences by producing the same kind of content they have for decades, write Mike Baudet and John Wihbey.
Instead of short, fast-paced pieces, they say, try higher emotional impact, more context and a conversational styl
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 