Category / Columns / Commentary
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CBC Ombudsman: Election balance on Ontario today
The complainant, Marc Poitras, thought the host of Ontario Today behaved differently to the callers on the edition which focused on the Progressive Conservative party, during the recent provincial election. He felt…
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Toronto Star Public Editor: Western media’s failure to properly cover the developing world
Conflicts, coups and catastrophes: These are the stories Canadians are most often told about the world beyond our borders. Media coverage of international affairs has long been driven by dramatic breaking news…
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Globe and Mail Public Editor: When weighing anonymous voices, consider the source
Off the record, a source said; a senior government official said on background; according to an insider. How important are anonymous sources in reporting? Overuse or misuse can hurt credibility, but you…
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Can reporting on vulnerable people do more harm than good?
Journalists need more than good intentions when venturing into Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to tell its stories. Continue Reading Can reporting on vulnerable people do more harm than good?
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Public broadcasting, private boardrooms
Inside the push to put workers on CBC’s board of directors. Continue Reading Public broadcasting, private boardrooms
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The future of local news is one bound with our own
By illuminating both the values and challenges besetting local journalism, we can reimagine a new day for local news. Continue Reading The future of local news is one bound with our own
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CBC Ombudsman: Polish perspective
The complainant, Bodgan Gawroński, objected to an interview with historian Jan Grabowski on CBC Radio programme Day 6. He thought it was biased and that Mr. Grabowski represented an extreme position, blaming…
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Toronto Star Public Editor: The age old issue of reporting on age
The headline, published in the newspaper and online this week, reported on yet another victim of the terrible toll of Toronto’s deadly streets: “Elderly pedestrian killed at crosswalk,” it stated. Peter Pellier,…
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CBC Ombudsman: Framing creates balance
The complainant, Ira Zbarsky, objected to a story covering pro and anti-Kinder Morgan pipeline demonstrations. He said they were framed as equal. Programmers agreed with his assessment shortly after the story went…
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CBC Ombudsman: Pay the piper
The complainant, Christopher Budgell, wanted to know why Sunday Edition host Michael Enright was able to attend the Canadian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies’ week-long lecture series in Cambridge, England. He thought…