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CBC Ombudsman: The Pit Bull Controversy

The complainant, April Fahr, is the Director of Education and Advocacy for the HugABull Advocacy & Rescue Society. She was concerned that a Fifth Estate episode on whether pit bulls should be banned was biased and cherry-picked data and information.…
Globe and Mail Public Editor: Would you have caught these Globe and Mail slip-ups of 2017?

A reader in London, Ont., wrote to me to say there really shouldn’t be corrections – because all information should be checked before publication. “Doesn’t anybody proofread stories any more before a paper is printed? … To misspell a person’s…
Toronto Star Public Editor: Children in the news always require special consideration

As the Star reported this week, the Toronto District School Board says it never discussed the implications of allowing an 11-year-old girl to speak to a barrage of reporters after she had made false allegations that her hijab had been…
CBC Ombudsman: Following Fortress

The complainant, Jenni Byrne of Bayfield Strategy, Inc., wrote on behalf of her client, Fortress Developments. She stated that one of the reporters involved in ongoing coverage of Fortress was biased and sensationalistic in her reporting. She complained that there…
CBC OMBUDSMAN: Balance and Perspective

The complainant, Jackie Thipthorpe, objected to a story about visitors at a veterinary school open house. The research project featured involved a cow with a fistula which enabled participants to reach into its stomach. She questioned the judgment of reporting…
GLOBE AND MAIL PUBLIC EDITOR: The fight against ‘fake news’

Earlier this week, I received a complaint about a Globe investigation into a fake news site. The writer, who is a Canadian professor, called the article “fake news.” The Globe story labelled “Media and ‘Fake News'” had the headline “NATO…
CBC Ombudsman: Truth Over Time

The complainant, Mary Spensley, disputed the accuracy of a story about an LGBTQ teaching tool created by the Alberta Teachers’ Association. She was also concerned that hostile politicians were using the information to attack the toolkit. The CBC News stories…
Toronto Star Public Editor: What’s written in the stars?

Astrology is not science, so why do serious news organizations still publish daily horoscopes?
CBC Ombudsman: Keeping Cool in the Twittersphere

The complainant, Lara Dutton, objected to a CBC online writer expressing opinion while using the @CBCToronto twitter account. She wanted to know what the consequences were for the employee. There was a violation of policy and CBC management dealt with…
Toronto Star Public Editor: Journalistic standards protect against fake news

The Washington Post provided journalists and readers with a textbook example of journalistic due diligence, writes the Star’s public editor