29th August 2014
By Stefanie Chernow

Ethical Journalism Newsletter: August 29th, 2014

 

Ethical Journalism News

Visions of Terror: Can Journalism and Self-Regulation Help Save the Web?

Journalism has many battles to fight in these troubled times, but the cause of Internet freedom and saving the web from destruction needs to be at the top of the agenda. The murder of journalist James Foley has sparked increasing talk about terrorism, free speech and control of the Internet. It’s a debate that should trouble all journalists and media.

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Podcast: Reporting Gaza – Why the Media Bias? Featuring EJN Director

The recent conflict in Gaza is just the latest chapter in a decades-long dispute, with the media facing accusations that they have become sucked up into the vortex of sensationalism and bias that surrounds the issue.This podcast from the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom looks at why there has been such a lack of balance in the press, and what the media should be doing differently.

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African Hate Speech Campaign a Regional Solution to a Global Problem

Media leaders, professionals and interested citizens came together in Nairobi on Wednesday evening to launch the pan-African Turn the Page on Hate Speech (#TurnthePageonHateSpeech) campaign.

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From Canada: Time to Regulate the News Media

We may never have a better opportunity to regulate Canada’s news media — and the case for doing it has never been stronger. There, now that I’ve sent a shiver through media mogul-dom, allow me a few words to explain how a former news reporter came to a conclusion that would have horrified her 20 years ago. And why I think the evidence shows press regulation is the only way to preserve journalism as a public service. (via The Tyee)

Impress Takes Another Step Forward by Selecting an Appointments Panel

The independent newspaper regulator, Impress, has announced the members of an appointment panel which is tasked with selecting members of the body’s board. The panel, all acting on a voluntary basis, are headed by Ethical Journalism Director Aidan White. (via The Guardian)

Five Lessons the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Learned from Covering Ferguson

The teamwork and quick thinking required to tell the biggest story in St. Louis transformed the newsroom at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. During a conversation with Poynter senior faculty Kenny Irby, Post-Dispatch director of photography Lynden Steele and video director Gary Hairlson discussed how covering Michael Brown’s shooting and the protests that followed forced the paper to reconsider its safety precautions, its policies for licensing photos and the way its reporters prioritized their coverage. (via Poynter)

When Algorithms Rule Our News, Should We Be Worried or Relieved?

Not long after the first protests [in Ferguson], people following the #ferguson hashtag noticed a sharp divide in what was being broadcast on Twitter and what made it on to their Facebook feeds. The former was bustling with news, commentary and anger about the brutal response from the police, while the latter was strangely quiet. (via The Guardian)

The Times of India’s New Social-Media Policy Completely Misses the Point

The Times of India’s attempt to control what its reporters post on social-media accounts isn’t surprising, but it is almost certain to fail — and the more it tries to exert control, the less effective those accounts will become. (via Gigaom)

Reports and Resources

#TurnthePageonHateSpeech Discussion Forum

Imagine a world where your race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation did not pose a threat to your existence. A world that valued and protected the rights of all its citizens. This Forum aims to engage media owners and leaders, journalists and citizens across Africa in the fight against hate speech, to share thoughts, opinions, ideas, experiences, achievements and expectations.

Events

African Media Leaders Forum

Johannesburg, South Africa

In a year marking two momentous events – 20 years since the end of apartheid in South Africa and 20 years since the Rwandan Genocide – African media leaders and owners will gather in Johannesburg in November to hold frank discussions on how to uphold high ethical standards in the tricky world of politics and business.

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