Poynter. » Diversity at Work

How journalists can stop the spread of misinformation when reporting on the occult

Beth Winegarner — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:24:39 +0000

Police in Fairfield, Conn., say new DNA evidence may help them catch the suspect who strangled a newborn boy and left his body by the banks of Lake Mohegan 26 years ago. But as police and reporters return… Read more

AP Stylebook updates entry on racial IDs in news stories

Mallary Jean Tenore — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:30:08 +0000

On Tuesday, the AP Stylebook updated its entry on when journalists should publish information about a person’s race.

The update says that race is pertinent in stories about crime suspects who have been “sought by the police or missing… Read more

3 things journalists can learn from ‘Linsanity’

Tom Huang — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:59:11 +0000

Like most sports fans (and many non-sports fans, for that matter), I’ve been caught up in Linsanity.

That’s the term fans use to describe Jeremy Lin’s stunning breakout performance as point guard for the New York Knicks.

For… Read more

How to interview, report on immigrants when you don’t speak their language

Phuong Ly — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:34:06 +0000

Growing up, I discovered the easiest way to get rid of someone soliciting from door to door: Just say your family doesn’t speak English. Most visitors turned away quickly.

Occasionally, a church group would really persist and invite… Read more

New Pew study confirms digital divide in mobile news interest

Herbert Lowe — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:42:05 +0000

Someone once joked that my wife and I, then still both working for Newsday, were bridging the digital divide all by ourselves. Between the two of us, we own an iMac, two MacBook Pros, an iPad and two iPhones.

As… Read more

Journalists value precise language, except when it comes to describing ‘minorities’

Mallary Jean Tenore — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:24:03 +0000

As journalists, we rely on details to enhance our stories. We “get the name of the dog” and try to be specific so we can offer clarity and tell the whole truth.

But when it comes to stories involving… Read more

As people of color become a majority, is it time for journalists to stop using the term ‘minorities’?

Phuong Ly — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:47:09 +0000

Is it time to stop using the term “minorities”?

The word has long been used to describe people who are not white. But changing demographics make the term outdated and oxymoronic.

Consider the word usage in these stories:

From the… Read more

Vargas’ essay renews attention to media’s use of ‘illegal’ & ‘undocumented’

Phuong Ly — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:35:24 +0000

Should journalists call Jose Antonio Vargas an illegal immigrant or an undocumented one?

Discussions about how to refer to an immigrant who isn’t authorized to live in the U.S. have popped up periodically in newsrooms. But Vargas’ recent New… Read more

Coverage of Japanese citizens’ ‘stoic’ response to tragedy both accurate, stereotypical

Tom Huang — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:58:45 +0000

A master narrative has developed around the media’s coverage of Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, leading us to believe that there are cultural roots in the Japanese citizens’ stoic response to all the horrors of the past few weeks.… Read more

Westboro Baptist Church protest raises questions about covering hate speech

Angie Chuang — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 21:22:59 +0000

When Charlie Szold, editor-in-chief of American University’s student newspaper, The Eagle, prepared his staff to cover a protest by a well-known hate group last week, he faced two age-old questions that seem more relevant than ever:

Should the… Read more