Ethical Journalism Newsletter: September 4, 2015

Ethical News And Debates

MOJO: The Mobile Journalism Handbook

It’s finally available – with a cautionary note that it’s not just technical skills that count, but a good basis in ethical journalism.

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Why I Shared a Horrific Photo of a Drowned Syrian Child

I thought long and hard before I retweeted the photo. It shows a lifeless toddler, lying face down on a popular Turkish beach, one of eleven Syrians who have almost certainly died as they tried to reach safety in Europe by boarding a smuggler’s boat. Instead they ended up as the latest victims of Europe’s paltry response in the face of a growing crisis. (Read more on the Huffington Post)

The Daily Mail’s hypocrisy on refugees knows no bounds

Of all the British newspapers, perhaps the most hypocritical is the Daily Mail. As with other papers today, the Mail seeks to have it both ways, lamenting the death of a child they wish had stayed in a warzone. (Read more on Left Foot Forward)

More Self-Inflicted Wounds

This column is not about me, but I start by acknowledging that I am something of a technological dinosaur. I still read printed newspapers and I don’t have a Twitter account or Facebook page. But the reason I don’t engage in social media is only in part because I’m a little challenged technologically. The real reason is that I’m the ombudsman at PBS and I don’t want to be glib or dash off something on Twitter that I would quickly regret, or that could easily be misunderstood, or could be used to either discredit me and my work or PBS. (Read more on PBS)

Americans Are Divided On How Media Outlets Should Handle Graphic Footage

Most think watching people die is disrespectful, but also see the news value in reporting on violent stories. (Read more on the Huffington Post)

How an Ohio reporter helped convict more than 100 rapists

An exemplary instance of local reporting, responsive government officials, and public support coming together to make a community safer. (Read more on Columbia Journalism Review)

15 tips for handling quotes

Quotes should be faithful to the words and intended meaning of the speaker. Not to trap a source into making a mistake. (Read more on Poytner)

Resources

An open phrasebook for refugees

The Refugee Phrasebook is a multilingual tool that provides basic useful vocabulary related to the most common immediate needs. It is a project of Berlin Refugee Help, a collective of volunteers based in Berlin. Once the translation is finished, the booklet will be designed, printed and distributed. The contents of the phrasebook are licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC-BY) and can be reused freely. See the project here.