The Globe and Mail wasn’t the first media outlet to report the number killed in Toronto’s Monday van rampage. It wasn’t first to report the name of the suspect or the first to report on a Facebook page purportedly operated by Alek Minassian that referred to dark online forums used by trolls and violent misogynists.…
Not enough time or not enough confidence? Why don’t women write more letters to the editor? Public Editor Kathy English wants to know. Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: Where are the voices of women on the letters page?
Many people are turned away by abusive language on online news sites but new research reveals that only 15 per cent of comments are “nasty.” Continue Reading Online news trolls not as bad as we think
Statistics Canada data shows that between 2001 and 2016 the total number of journalists in the country declined by only 7 percent – and it looks like hiring is starting to inch upwards again. Continue Reading There are fewer journalists in Canada than 15 years ago — but not as few as you might think
The complainant, Henry Heller, objected to a radio documentary recounting the experience of a Venezuelan doctor who fled the country. He said it represented a particular political view of a particular class and lacked wider context. It was the personal experience of a particular person whose background is mentioned against the backdrop of the current…
The complainant, Norman Swan, objected to an Opinion column critical of people having large families. He found it “disrespectful of family planning choices,” and he rejected the writer’s arguments for advocating for small families. It was a clearly-marked opinion piece on a contentious issue. Balance was provided by another article presenting a different point of…
In the wake of accusations of sexual impropriety involving teenage girls against Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore, CBC News provided a feature story about the phenomenon in some Christian fundamentalist communities that encourages marriage between older men and teenage girls. One of the interviewees was Canadian and described as a member of the Mennonite Brethren…
Today’s digital-driven world demands new media literacy skills to create understanding of powerful platforms. Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: Digital media literacy matters to all
The complainant, Nimra Amjad, asked that articles about her be de-indexed. She thought that this would protect her from harassment that she said arose from them, but still maintain the record. Ms. Amjad was a candidate for school board trustee in Calgary. She is still in the public eye related to that campaign. The material…
The complainant, Marjaleena Repo, thought that important information about an interviewee was absent. An Iranian exile who has been supporting a movement of women protesting mandatory wearing of hijab is also an employee of VOA – Voice of America. That information should have been included, she said, as well as the fact that it is…