The new battle over journalism’s digital legacy: Maria Bustillos finds that digital data is disappearing.
“When we consider that the internet is a library, and the community it serves is all mankind, the responsibility of digital archivists acquires a gravity that is hard to overstate,” she writes.
Journalist burnout: Alexandria Neason writes that her narrow understanding of work-induced burnout among journalists mirrored the way the industry has, until recently, treated the issue — a sign of weakness or personal failure.
First Amendment quiz: Jonathan Peters writes about common misunderstandings about the First Amendment and media law.
Importantly, there are very few constitutional protections for news-gathering, and virtually none that apply just to journalists, says a source.
Philanthropy becomes a larger part of revenue streams for newspapers and news companies, writes David Westphal.
“Until recently, it was unthinkable that newspapers would become major recipients of charitable subsidies,” he writes. “But as newsroom layoffs continue with no apparent end, increasingly they are seeking philanthropic support, and the nonprofit word is delivering.”
Opioid crisis collateral damage is a lesson for journalists, writes Byard Duncan.
Many states hit hard by the opioid crisis also are seeing a spike in foster care placements. In most cases, the broad designation of “substance abuse” is all that gets logged by social workers.
“Sometimes the information we don’t have is even more important than what we know,” writes Duncan. Think about who else is affected, keep an open mind.
“After three hours, I was the only reporter left in the room. Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
Hank Stephenson tells the story of an Arizona education beat reporter who discovers a blacklist of 1,400 school employees despite a teacher shortage. Patience and digging pay off.
European advocates for free speech and press are worried, writes Mathew Ingram.
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom are all either discussing or are already in the process of implementing requirements for social networks to take measures to remove or block online hate speech, harassment and so-called ‘fake news'” considered threats to social order.
America’s First Amendment protects even hateful speech.
International coverage of gender and power: Pete Vernon writes about BuzzFeed News’s global women’s rights and gender reporter.
Women spend much of their lives and energy preparing against being attacked by a stranger, she says, when in fact more than 95 percent of the time we are violated by people we know.
Touchy subject — using the term “racist” while covering President Trump.
“Placing labels on speech by any public figure runs the risk of editorialization, and newsroom decision makers are wary of overstepping conventional norms,” writes Pete Vernon.
Bottom line: It’s time reporters do what columnists and opinion writers do, says Vernon.
Basic digital security competence is now essential for all journalists, writes Joshua Oliver.
“These days, bad security habits could betray your sources, or the sources of the reporter sitting next to you,” by clicking the wrong link.
Journalism schools surveyed devote less than two hours to digital security training, writes Oliver. Security should become a habit.
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 