The Latest

Publishing memes also means
knowing copyright rules QT14

Memes. Entertainment. Political statements. A way to comment on issues, events, people. And, if not done correctly, says Mark Goodman, Knight Chair in Scholastic Journalism, a way to violate the owner’s copyright. A violation several owners pursued. If it’s not considered fair use, student media could be sued for copyright infringement or receive a letter…

Fake news is like a social disease;
we need to treat more than its wounds

by John Bowen, MJE The spread of fake news is like a socially transmitted disease for which we now only treat the wounds, Kelly McBride, Vice President, The Pointer Institute, told those attending the Fake or Fact? workshop Sept.22 at Kent State University. What we figure how, she said, is how to stop the epidemic….

Takedown requests: when the right to preserve history conflicts with the desire to forget it QT13

Blog by Kristin Taylor As more student newspapers move to digital platforms, editors and advisers are facing a new and insidious form of post-publication censorship: takedown requests. The requests usually go something like this: “I was a student at [fill in name] high school [fill in number] years ago, and I was interviewed/wrote a story/was…

Allowing sources to preview content
is ethically questionable QT12

The newest reporter on staff chooses to cover the story about the Science Department’s new policy on studying animal life. To do so, she must interview the head about a new policy on studying animal life. It’s fairly controversial because People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is strongly opposed to dissection and the…

Fake or Fact? seminar available
via live-streaming, archived video

Looking for additional materials for Constitution Day and lessons about fake news  in addition to what’s available from JEA and the SPRC? The 13th annual Poynter-Kent State University Media Ethics Workshop is Thursday, Sept. 21, and focuses on fake news. The theme is “Fake or Fact?” Details about the workshop, including speaker bios and a tentative schedule, are here….

The issues with April Fools coverage QT 11

April Fool’s issues are fake news and can damage student media’s credibility. Yes, some find them acceptable, but their negatives far outweigh their positives. The ultimate question is are they worth the risks? As a publication that strives for authentic, storytelling journalism for your community, breaking that convention for a satirical, or even mean, publication…

So your student media
want to do senior wills? QT10

Because senior wills have minimal journalistic value and great potential for damage, they should not be used in school publications. Seniors wills have been dying a slow death in high school yearbooks. Yes, students love them, but can we defend them as a journalistic device? Do they represent the best of our work, and the…

Should student media publish
senior superlatives? QT9

Publishing senior superlatives, if seniors decide they are worthwhile at all, is one of those “traditions” best moved from student media to those who most clearly benefit – the senior class. Face it, publishing senior superlatives is akin to publishing fake news. They are not newsworthy, not in line with most student media mission statements…

When hatred speaks, we must speak back

Exploring the First Amendment on Constitution Day by Kristin Taylor In 2004, Senator Robert Byrd attached an amendment to a federal spending bill to create a new national observance: Constitution Day. This amendment required public schools and government offices “to provide educational programs to promote a better understanding of the Constitution.” “I hope that kids understand…

Avoid senior quotes; give them
to senior class for publishing, risks QT8

The question of using senior quotes in student media came up recently on JEA’s listserv. The Scholastic Press Rights committee would urge schools not to run them, but turn them over too the senior class as part of its responsibility. Senior quotes present too much potential for damage and turn over too much control of…

Balance and objectivity
are key to reporting QT6

Balance and objectivity don’t mean isolation and a lack of care about people and their stories. They do mean trying to report all points of view as best you can and providing background and context for the story. Today’s student journalists, just like their commercial counterparts, should care about people and issues, and should strive…

What do you do in the event of
student, faculty death? QT5

This guideline is the one you must have, but never want to use. It’s important to have a guideline in place before a student or staff member dies. Journalists should report a student or staff death in an objective, consistent manner that has been decided when the staff manual is being revised. Choosing what to…