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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…
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…
Year of reckoning looms for Canada’s newspapers

As 2018 dawns, it’s clear that Canada’s news media are in danger of lurching into the abyss unless Ottawa takes action soon. Enforcing our country’s anti-trust laws to stop the corporate consolidation…
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…
Toronto Star Public Editor: What’s written in the stars?

Astrology is not science, so why do serious news organizations still publish daily horoscopes? Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: What’s written in the stars?
The news industry has always needed government support: A look back to the 1800s

It turns out that newspapers in the 1830s had extensive government support. Continue Reading The news industry has always needed government support: A look back to the 1800s
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…
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 Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: Journalistic standards protect against fake news
Globe and Mail Public Editor: The need to understand the context of words and how they evolve

Last week, TV columnist John Doyle wrote a column criticizing the CBC’s new show Great Canadian Baking Show. As a TV critic, he was not overly impressed by this re-make of a…
Toronto Star Public Editor: We need more women’s voices in the news

Studies continue to show news stories still quote more male voices than female — by a wide margin. Women’s realities need, and should, be reflected and it can be done Continue Reading Toronto Star Public Editor: We need more women’s voices in the news