The data deluge

Here's the "leader" from this week's Economist on the wealth of information out there (and for us, the challenges this poses for newspapers). This week's magazine contains a much longer feature on the topic:

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=15579717

Access of Mobile News Rises 500%

How are folks getting their news these days? Check out this short report in Editor and Publisher:
Access of Mobile News Rises 500%

Gomery to preside over Quebec Press Council

John Gomery, the retired judge who headed the federal inquiry into the sponsorship scandal, has been named head of the Quebec Press Council. He held a press conference to announce it:

Gomery to preside over Quebec Press Council

Commenting on tragedy

A thoughtful adjudication from the U.K. Press Complaints Commission. Thanks to Mel Sufrin at the Ontario Press council for circulating it http://www.pcc.org.uk/news/index.html?article=NjIyOA==?oxid=h0h11q51bb9n7kb152o9p0v956

More on plagiarism

A recent high-profile case of journalistic plagiarism in the United States has sparked fierce discussion. For a list of the top dozen excuses plagiarists use, check out this link. Thanks to former colleague Jordan Press for pointing it out:
http://www.slate.com/id/2245030/

Can news be ojective?

Journalists sometimes argue about this question. And one point-of-view publication recently parted ways with a reporter over the issue:
freshloaf/2010/02/15/atlanta-progressive-news-fires-reporter-for-trying-to-be-objective/

Plagiarism matters

In journalism, as in academia, plagiarism is considered one of the cardinal sins. Yet even among the best in the world, accusations of plagiarism and story theft arise. For a current case involving the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, go to:
Robert Thomson's Letter to Bill Keller about Zachery Kouwe's 'Apparent Plagiarism'

What the Shaw-Canwest deal means

Here's a simple, layperson's look at the deal announced Friday through which Shaw Communications takes over voting interest in Canwest's broadcasting properties:
CBC News - Money - Shaw goes back to the future with Canwest purchase

Critical thinking for students

A group of journalists and educators in the United States hopes to help young people figure out what to believe and how to thoughtfully read the barrage of media messages now available to them.
http://www.thenewsliteracyproject.org/

Can journalism be taught in universities?

Read one journalist's point of view on the link between journalism, academia and professions or trades:
http://www.journalism.co.uk/13/articles/537537.php

Learn social media or quit, BBC says

How important is the phenomenon known as "social media" in the journalism world? According to the honchos at the BBC, if journalists aren't conversant with social media tools and aren't using them, they should leave:

www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/feb/10/peter-horrocks-social-media

Who will publish the new news?

Check out this take on the future of newspapers as the main conveyor of news. Probably not, suggests this piece in the Montreal Gazette.

Who will publish the new news?

Estok exits

Folks at the Ontario Press Council are well acquainted with David Estok, editor-in-chief of the Hamilton Spectator. David's moving on, as this story in The Spec reports:

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/717089

The rules of "athlete journalism"

Former Olympian Alison Korn offers a different perspective on the issue of bloggers and journalists in this post. Korn, who will be at the Vancouver games, notes Olympic officials have laid down stiff rules about when a blog written by an athlete is more than a blog:

http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/vancouver2010/news/2010/02/05/12748696-sun.html

A senator speaks to the media

Conservative Senator Hugh Segal is a sharp observer of the news media. In this article in the most recent edition of Policy Options, he urges newspapers to resist the urge to "get it first" and instead, ensure they "get it right." Access "The Media Through a Looking Glass" at this site:
http://www.irpp.org/po/