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    CBC Ombudsman: Privacy vs. The Public Good – Covering Personal Tragedy

    By Esther Enkin, CBC Ombudsman The complainant, Paula Vallee, had a relative die in a car crash. While she herself was not contacted, she alleged the reporter was insensitive and insistent with other family members. She also said some reports had errors and her messages were ignored. CBC News staff in Edmonton acted appropriately in…

  • What’s at stake for journalists who use social media? Photo courtesy of Sydney Jones.

    Blessing or curse?

    By Sydney Jones for The Signal On the morning of Halloween, 2014, adults disguised as ghouls and witches carried briefcases and purses as they walked to work, crunching across the leaves in front of Stephanie Domet’s house. Normally by this hour on a Friday the CBC Radio Mainstreet host would be getting ready for work,…

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    Toronto Star Public Editor: Democracy depends on confidential sources

    By Kathy English for the Toronto Star It would be ideal if every person who has something important – and largely, secret — to reveal to the public through the media about matters of public interest could be fully identified. Clearly, readers would prefer that: numerous credibility studies tell us readers most believe news reports…

  • The 13 per cent of adults who don’t follow news at all are almost four million people. By Francesca Handy.

    The worrisome 13 per cent

    By Francesca Handy for The Signal Midafternoon on a Tuesday, the food court in Scotia Square shopping centre in Halifax is full of people sitting alone. Professionals working in the area are on their lunch breaks. If they aren’t only focused on their food, they’re holding a newspaper or cellphone. Some are looking at news apps or online…

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    CBC Ombudsman: Bias by Omission

    By Esther Enkin, CBC Ombudsman The complainant, Art Toft, thought that merely reporting about the closing down of an activist group’s space because the building was being torn down was unacceptable. He believed it was biased not to mention the political positions taken by Beit Zatoun. He felt the article praised the organization. The politics…
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    Toronto Star Public Editor: This is no job for the faint of heart

    By Kathy English for the Toronto Star I would like to welcome Sophie Borwein to the ranks of us public editors tasked with the responsibility and privilege of holding news organizations to account for high journalistic standards on behalf of their readers. We are a relatively small group of public editors, readers’ editors and ombudsmen…
  • The Public Policy Forum’s report The Shattered Mirror recommended Ottawa step up to help preserve Canadian news coverage. Screenshot by J-Source.

    Don’t touch that chequebook! A second look at The Shattered Mirror

    By Madelaine Drohan Traditional media firms are undoubtedly suffering in the digital age. But does it follow that the public is being harmed? The Public Policy Forum’s recent report on the state of Canadian media conveys a great deal of information about journalistic jobs lost, newspapers shuttered and the giant sucking sound of advertising revenues…
  • Canadian Journalists for Free Expression hosted a rally outside Osgoode Hall during the appeal. "We're not facing a brave new world, but a frightening new world," CJFE executive director Tom Henheffer (left) told a small crowd. Right: Ben Makuch.

    Vice Canada’s ongoing legal case is about bigger issues in Canadian journalism

    By Kat Eschner Third-party intervenors in yesterday’s appeal by Ben Makuch and Vice Canada provided broader context into the importance and dangers of this case. Vice Canada and Ben Makuch’s lawyer Iain MacKinnon argued that forcing the national security reporter to give up records of his Kik messenger chats with alleged ISIS member Farah Mohamed…
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    Ten ways to build a new Canadian media ecosystem

    By David Beers and Robyn Smith “Ailing,” “beleaguered” and “being murdered” — according to its own headlines, 2016 was a rough year for journalism in Canada. Entering 2017, it shows no signs of recovery. Legacy media are still struggling with the digital transition. Advertising dollars are all but gone, sucked up by American web platforms…