Masking the coronavirus: Seeing is believing, writes Al Tompkins, but “hospitals are blocking journalists from documenting what it’s like inside their walls….”
Imagery from inside hospitals is needed, though “no reasonable person would suggest journalists should sneak into hospitals to grab photos.”
Media climate coverage deemed lacking: Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope charge media with ignoring it.
“This journalistic failure has given rise to a calamitous public ignorance, which in turn has enabled politicians and corporations to avoid action,” they write.
They call for “Paul Revere” responsibilities to awaken, inform and rouse the people to action.
Covering deadly cold weather: Midwest reporters face a daunting challenge when temperatures drop to 30 below with wind chills at 55 below.
“So how do you cover a story about how dangerous it is to be outside when it’s too dangerous to be outside?” asks Tom Jones.
Reporting data with integrity: When inspecting raw data and statistics, writes Stephen Rynkiewicz, these are questions to ask:
Is it accurate? Is it timely? Is it relevant? Is it complete? Is it trustworthy?
From the Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists archives.
Bias seen in Facebook coverage: Mathew Ingram writes that “at least some of the enthusiasm with which media companies are covering Facebook’s trials and tribulations stems from their resentment over how the company has stolen their readers and advertising revenue.”
Media executives failed to adapt quickly enough to the internet, and then in a desperate attempt to catch up, handed too much of their business to Facebook and Google, he writes.
Why believe polls? asks Margaret Sullivan, who quotes a source saying: “Pollsters and prognosticators — and I would include the media — need to do a better job presenting the uncertainty.”
Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists 