[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We asked several media experts to weigh in on some of the ethical dilemmas facing journalists as they report on the Trump administration. From dealing with dishonest sources to using the term “lie” to describe falsehoods, …
media ethics
How to teach the ethics of using eyewitness video
When journalism students visit our offices at WITNESS to learn about video and human rights advocacy, the most common questions we hear are on the ethics of using eyewitness footage: How do you verify a …
Engaged journalists need to confront ethical questions
I’ll go ahead and admit it: In early December, as I finished drafting this “Redefining Engagement” series, I began wondering if I’d missed something big along the way. “I’m still uneasy about some of the …
The search for sensitive coverage of the tragedy of suicide: An Australian story
One of the toughest situations a journalist can face is reporting on tragic events, especially the delicate matter of suicide. In this article, professor and longtime Australian journalist Leo Bowman tells the story of one newspaper’s unique campaign to start an open conversation about the complex issue of mental health.
Of Vultures and Watchdogs
Nelson Mandela is a national treasure for South Africans. Our government recently issued new banknotes with Mandela’s face on it, a daily reminder of the social, cultural and political capital that the country’s first democratic president created. Mandela is also globally admired. So it’s understandable
Brand Journalism
In this article, journalist Ira Basen asks a pointed question: Is the growing trend of ‘brand journalism’ — corporations producing ‘content’ to promote their brands – good or bad for journalism and the public sphere? Is it ‘really’ journalism, and how do we define journalism anyway? If skilled journalists produce accurate articles for corporation web sites and magazines, who cares if it is not produced by the mainstream news media?