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…
A reader in London, Ont., wrote to me to say there really shouldn’t be corrections – because all information should be checked before publication. “Doesn’t anybody proofread stories any more before a paper is printed? … To misspell a person’s name (Smyth instead of Smith, or other examples) I can see, BUT to use the…
As the Star reported this week, the Toronto District School Board says it never discussed the implications of allowing an 11-year-old girl to speak to a barrage of reporters after she had made false allegations that her hijab had been cut. It was “not part of the conversation,” TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird told the Star…
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 “Media and ‘Fake News’” had the headline “NATO research centre sets sights on Canadian website over pro-Russia disinformation”. The article, by chief political…
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 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
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 British show. “If you’re a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you will not feel bamboozled, but you might feel bewildered by…
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
We are witnessing a campaign south of the border to diminish journalism. It is tactical: News reporting holds lawmakers and other powerful people accountable for their actions. At the same time, with the easy proliferation of conspiracy sites and Russian bots on social media, it is becoming more difficult to separate the real from the…