Jail for defying data terms of service: D. Victoria Baranetsky notes journalists face possible penalties when using data from public websites like Facebook and Twitter.
No journalists have been prosecuted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, she writes, “but their sources have, and some journalists have been asked to stop using specific reporting tools by Facebook.”
The enduring weather person: Andrew McCormick observes that weather reporters entertain audiences in fair weather and counsel them in bad.
“It isn’t completely surprising that they would be in demand as storms loom,” he writes. “But it is notable, in the age of Twitter and smart phones, that the broadcast TV weather person — analog, local, old-school — has stayed so viable.”
Messy case of Twitter account ownership: Jonathan Peters writes about a sports reporter sued by a former employer for failing to hand over his Twitter login information when he changed jobs.
“It’s unclear how the case will turn out,” writes Peters. “The problem is twofold: Few cases have addressed social-media ownership in an employment context, and the most relevant ones have settled out of court.”
Stress management training for reporters: Tiffany Stevens writes that reporters covering tragic events might suffer depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder or greater risk of substance abuse.
“Even journalists who don’t experience secondary trauma may lose enthusiasm for their profession or undergo burnout, leading to less productivity and a decreased sense of well-being at work,” she writes.
Guarding against online trolls: James Ball reports that journalistic thoughtfulness often “goes out the door when it comes to reporting events that begin on social media.”
Online celebrities and people on the internet often are manipulators with agendas, Ball writes.
“And journalists fall into their trap, time and time again; something about online messaging turns off our reporting instincts.”
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.
Reporting on opioids: Maia Szalavitz reports that journalists fail to understand the complexities of opioid addiction and alternative treatment for pain or addiction.
The pharmaceutical industry “flooded the country with opioids and excellent journalism has exposed this part of the problem,” she writes. “But journalists need to become more familiar with who is most at risk of addiction and why — and to understand the utter disconnect between science and policy — if we are to accurately inform our audience.”
More on covering hate: Amanda Darrach finds a culture gap between young technology reporters who think trolling rhetoric is funny, while older reporters take it “totally seriously.”
“Our system is geared towards media manipulation on a massive scale,” she writes. “There are a lot of reasons why we’re in the mess that we’re in. Some of it has to do with reporters making bad choices, but the system is just set up to be manipulated.”
Bottom line: “It’s our job to document the human condition, and that includes the ugly parts.”
Creating an online portfolio: Rachel Schallom says think about your unique skills when creating an online portfolio that shows your work history.
“It’s a common challenge for many journalists,” she writes. “There are many roles in journalism that don’t lend themselves to traditional clip packages — editors, strategists, engagement producers, product managers.”
Keep words small for big ideas: Merrill Perlman notes a trend toward journalists using big words to “sound smart.”
“But a journalist’s job is to inform,” writes Perlman, “and information will not come through if the audience doesn’t understand the words.”
Rather than sending readers to a dictionary, “a writer wants to keep readers reading, to keep them engaged in our stories.”
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 