THE NUMBERS
AND ANOTHER PANDEMIC YEAR. In the midst of challenging times, we remain as committed as ever to expanding the impact of the Center for Journalism Ethics and fulfilling our mission of fostering debate and promoting high standards in journalism ethics. From our public-facing programs to the original reporting done by our student fellows, we provided meaningful and strategic ways for journalists, media leaders and the public to engage with some of the most critical media issues of our time. As always, thank you for being a part of this work. We look forward to an exciting year ahead.
FOSTERING VIGOROUS DEBATE
On September 29, 2021, we hosted our panel, "Just Narratives: Covering Criminal Justice," which featured panelists Keri Blakinger (The Marshall Project), James Causey (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and Keith Findley (Innocence Project & the Wisconsin Law School) discussing media ethics and the challenges of covering the justice system in the U.S. Blakinger also served as our journalist-in-residence, sharing her insights with UW–Madison students throughout the week.
Nearly 300 attendees
I went into this with the assumption that people in prison are people. And I don’t think everyone starts there. I think everyone can get there. - Keri Blakinger, staff writer at The Marshall Project
Our conference "Centering Equity: Journalism, Ethics & A Just Future" took place on Friday, April 29, 2022. We were thrilled to welcome keynote speaker and Texas Tribune editor in chief Sewell Chan, who gave the outstanding address, "Can Journalism Bring About Justice?" Attendees also benefited from an exceptionally strong roster of panelists who discussed inequities within the news industry, how to cover inequity in systems, how to responsibly represent all communities and the role of tech in driving inequities across many sectors.
Can journalism bring about justice? Maybe, sometimes. We must press forward to make it happen ... We need to argue loudly for journalism’s value, while also being transparent about our methods and, yes, our mistakes. We should align ourselves with and advocate for those who have the least power in society and don’t see themselves in the news — serving those who feel left out, disregarded, neglected, ignored. We should wake each day with a sense of possibility, approach each assignment with curiosity and humility. - Sewell Chan, Texas Tribune
415 attendees
PROMOTING HIGH STANDARDS
Jessica Contrera, a reporter at The Washington Post, won the 2022 Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics for her stories on child sex trafficking in the U.S.
The Shadid Award judging committee lauded the extraordinary thoughtfulness and care Contrera demonstrated in working with survivors of sex trafficking and showing how highly touted anti-trafficking laws are not being enforced. “The care and nuance the Post exemplified in bringing out the stories of sex trafficking survivors stood out even among our exceptional group of finalists this year,” Graves said. “The result was a project that challenges the categories our criminal justice system takes for granted, and the reporting is already building momentum for reform.”
Contrera accepted the award at a ceremony in New York City on May 17 that featured a keynote conversation with NBC Nightly News Anchor Lester Holt. In an interview conducted by award-winning journalist David Maraniss, Holt talked about covering tragedies, trust in news and transparency in journalism.
A special tribute to Anthony Shadid
To mark the ten years that have passed since the world lost Anthony Shadid, we also paid tribute to the person and the reporter in this short tribute video. It continues to be a profound privilege to recognize outstanding acts of ethical journalism and honor the incredible legacy of Anthony Shadid.
The Shadid Curriculum
We continue to build our Shadid Curriculum, which draws from the outstanding journalism of those who have won or been named a finalist of the Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics. Launched in 2021, the curriculum encourages student journalists to consider thorny ethical issues and place themselves in the position of making difficult journalistic decisions.
This year, five student fellows produced original reporting on current issues in media ethics, writing about engagement metrics, journalist burnout, pay inequities, the potential harm of conventional narratives on crime and justice, the challenges of covering judicial misconduct, gender-based harassment of local reporters and newsroom policies on journalists participating in protest. They also highlighted the work of the Dart Center's new guide on covering sexual violence in war zones and the work of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network.
SHARING OUR EXPERTISE
Center director Kathleen Bartzen Culver addressed media ethics in many local, national and international news outlets, with interviews focused on everything from potential conflicts of interest to the publication of mug shots in digital media.
Culver also penned an op-ed for USA TODAY on CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, writing that "Cuomo squandered his journalistic independence by getting involved in saving his brother’s political career."