A new report proves that humanitarian crises are going underreported in English, French and German media across the world. Here’s why we need to rethink how we approach these stories Continue Reading Suffering outside the headlines
Rather than bolstering the corporations that have decimated Canada’s media ecosystem, the federal tax incentive package should be used to fund journalists’ work Continue Reading Bail out the journalists, not their bosses
When Maria Ressa learned, via Twitter, that she was among the group of journalists Time magazine recognized as “Person of the Year” — “Guardians” in the “war on truth” — her immediate thought was sobering, indeed. Continue Reading Toronto Star public editor: Filipino journalist Maria Ressa’s powerful defence of truth is truly inspiring
Why the controversy surrounding Jill Abramson’s newly released book puts the spotlight squarely on the valuable research department Continue Reading The missing fact-checker: Merchants of Truth’s Achilles heel
Living in the eye of a global media storm of coverage of an alleged serial killer for the past year, Karen Fraser has learned more than she ever could have imagined about today’s journalists and how they work. Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: Lessons from the eye of a global media storm
The complainant, Robert Muir, says there were flaws in an article CBC Toronto published in the aftermath of flooding the city experienced last summer. He felt the article left readers with the wrong impression about the municipal government’s ability to prevent damage caused by heavy rainstorms. COMPLAINT You are a professional engineer responsible for developing…
This post was originally published on the CBC’s website on Jan. 7, 2019. This is my first day as CBC’s new Ombudsperson. I’d like to tell you a bit about how I plan to do the job. It starts with a pretty fundamental question: why have an Ombudsperson at all? I could go on about…
Are you a media whore? Or do you worry you might be labeled one by your colleagues – if not to your face, then behind your back? In the process of delivering hundreds of media engagement workshops, I’ve heard dozens and dozens of you express this fear, using precisely this language. You’ve made it clear…
I regularly advocate for journalists to tell stories they see as newsworthy in the manner they see fit, because a key element of the journalistic skill set is the ability to determine news value. Making principled decisions about what is or isn’t news is a vital public service, and news value should be assessed by…
Over the last three years, I’ve had some version of this conversation with countless young Canadian journalists. “I’m so anxious right now.” “My work laid off 15 per cent of the staff and I’m really scared I’m next.” “I’m pretty sure I’m not good enough to be here.” The journalists I have had these conversations…