Banning abused words and phrases: Alexandria Neason begins a campaign to ban words and phrases that “no longer mean anything at all,” like “woke.”
Tag Archives: Columbia Journalism Review
What Teens Want
What teens want: “Ultimately, young people want the same thing from news organizations that adults do: the truth,” writes Lauren Harris. Attempts to emulate teens make them wince.
Critique The Critics
Critique the critics: Columbia Journalism Review thinks critically about the role of criticism.
“Do we need professional critics?” it asks. “There is something useful they can do: Show people what’s missing in their culture.”
Retiring Superannuated
Retiring superannuated: Merrill Perlman traces the origins and uses of the word “superannuated,” and decides it should be used seldom.
Keeping the usage to once in an “annum” or so would be super, he writes.
Audience Engagement
Audience engagement: Chip Scanlan writes about the power of talking to people in person, “a step that might once have seemed banal, but now seems almost radical.”
“There’s no substitute, as any experienced journalist knows, for face-to-face encounters,” he writes. “Though phone or email interviews may sometimes be efficient or necessary…., only in person can an interviewer observe the nuances of body language, details of environment and give reassuring nods and smiles that create trust and intimacy.”
Combatting Disinformation
Combatting disinformation: How do journalists report on disinformation “without pouring gasoline on the fire?” asks Mathew Ingram.
Fact-checking efforts can have a boomerang effect and actually entrench a false belief in some cases, he writes.
Tech Companies Hide Behind Backgrounders
Tech companies hide behind backgrounders: Silicon Valley tech companies control information using “on backgrounder” briefings, writes Brian Merchant.
“This is a toxic arrangement,” he writes. “The tactic shields tech companies from accountability,” free of risk.
The Perils of Identification
The perils of identification: Obtaining permission is not the same as informed consent, writes Megan Frye.
A New York Times story about gang violence in Honduras including real names and photos is criticized for failing to recognize dangers.
Sex Crimes Victims’ Privacy
Sex crimes victims’ privacy: A Spanish woman kills herself when a sex video surfaces, causing a sensation in the Spanish press.
Meaghan Beatley reports a plea for ethics guidelines to cover gender violence. Spain’s Data Protection Agency moves to remove online revenge porn within 24 hours.
Making Sensible Decisions From Weather Reports
Making sensible decisions from weather reports: “When it comes to weather, there is no universal understanding of cautionary language,” writes Justin Ray, “and no single standard for alerting TV viewers — a fact that should raise more concern than it does.”
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 