A number of readers were angry and upset by a headline and story online about the Winnipeg murder trial of the man charged with killing Tina Fontaine. Canadians were outraged by the death of this 15-year-old and the trial is a difficult one to follow. The story from the Canadian Press from that day’s testimony…
The complainant, Richard Reeleder, objected to an interview with an opponent of the herbicide Glyphosate. He thought he was presented as a scientific expert when he was not, and that his comments went unchallenged. He thought it was alarmist and unbalanced. This was one interview in ongoing coverage, but it raised the important question about…
Corrections are complex business these days when news organizations deliver information via print, on web and mobile apps, social media, video, newsletters, push notifications and voice personal assistants Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: Timeless principles guide corrections in digital era
In the midst of the #MeToo reckoning, let’s consider the role of journalism. Of course, the foundation of the movement is the brave women who have been abused and who have stood tall willing to reveal the most intimate details, willing to stand the questioning and trolling to tell their truth. Without them, there would…
Indigenous community members are doing the work to situate Colten Boushie’s life and death within the colonial context. Continue Reading Stanley trial highlights colonialism of Canadian media
While many journalists will be seeing the trust figures as a Valentine’s Day gift from the Canadian public, it isn’t all hearts and roses for the beleaguered business in this survey. Continue Reading Journalists see 17 per cent jump in public trust
“And when they ask, ‘Is that your relative?’ I will say, ‘Yes.’” (Sarah Rain) I remember the day Colten died. It was a hot summer day in Regina, Saskatchewan and I had enjoyed a leisurely summer, free of journalism work. I had decided to take a year off from reporting after my mother and sister…
The complainant, Mike Fegelman, the Executive Director of HonestReporting Canada, made two requests for reviews. One concerned a headline dealing with the sentencing of an Israeli soldier and the other questioned the use of an old photograph for a news report. He was concerned that the story behind the photo made it inappropriate, and he…
Some of my most challenging and rewarding access to information work has involved filing access requests with the consent of whistleblowers and individuals under tremendous duress. By way of background, Canada lacks strong whistleblower protection laws that give public (or private) sector workers free speech rights, adequate recourse to the courts, sufficient remedies against retaliation…
CBC Ottawa ran a story about a programme to match homeless people to rental housing. It documented a case where it went wrong, leaving the landlord with a trashed apartment. The story showed the damage, but focused on the gap between the promises and the delivery of the sponsoring agency. The complainant, Lorraine Cohen, questioned…