"Accountable? Us?" Journalists' professional standards in an era of ungated content
Related Readings & Resources
Who are journalists, and who decides?
- Adams, Paul, “Who is a journalist? A judge’s ruling that two right-wing outlets should be given press accreditation raises questions about whether we should defend and enforce common values.” Policy Options (17 October 2019).
- Buckler, Grant: “What Justin Brake’s recent win means for press freedom in 2019.” J-Source(4 April 2019).
- Dickson, Annabelle, “Britain tries to work out what a journalist is”, Politico Europe (26 August 2021)
- Ignatius, David: “Is Julian Assange a journalist, or is he just an accused thief?” Washington Post, April 19, 2019.
- Johnston, Jane & Anne Wallace: “Who is a Journalist? Changing legal definitions in a de-territorialised media space” Digital Journalism (2016) 5:7, 850–867. (Requires subscription or library access.)
- Journalistic Sources Protection Act (S.C. 2017, c. 22). [S. 39.1 of the Canada Evidence Act.] (Includes Canada’s only federal statutory definition of who is a journalist: “Journalist” means a person whose main occupation is to contribute directly, either regularly or occasionally, for consideration, to the collection, writing or production of information for dissemination by the media, or anyone who assists such a person.)
European models of press freedom and journalists’ accountability
- Drobinski-Weiss, Elvira: “The status of journalists in Europe: Report for Resolution 2213 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. (2018)
- Harder, Raymond A & Pieter Knapen: Media Councils in the Digital Age: An inquiry into the practices of media self-regulatory bodies in the media landscape of today (Brussels: vzw Vereniging van de Raad voor de Journalistiek, 2020).
- Syvertsen, Trine: The Media Welfare State: Nordic Media In the Digital Era. [Free E-Book]University of Michigan Press, 2014.
Journalists’ Ethical Standards and Professional Status
- Craft, Stephanie: “Distinguishing Features: Reconsidering the Link Between Journalism’s Professional Status and Ethics Journalism & Communication Monographs (2017) 19:4 260–301. (Requires subscription or library access.)
- Jones, Tom: “Should journalists be allowed to protest? A legendary news organization tries to address that issue”, Poynter (30 July 2021).
Event Details
Ivor Shapiro in conversation with Susan Harada
Press freedom is a constitutional right because journalism is essential for democracy. Journalists have special access to official spaces and public events, and receive legal privileges. But who are “journalists” in this time of ungated information, and how are they accountable? CFE Senior Fellow Ivor Shapiro has spent 20 years investigating journalists’ self-understanding, professional status, and peer-accountability, which varies markedly amongst the world’s democracies. Join Ivor in conversation with Carleton journalism professor Susan Harada, a former CBC news reporter who now chairs J-Schools Canada.
Co-sponsors: Edmonton Public Library, Milton Public Library, Ryerson Journalism Research Centre, Toronto Public Library, Vancouver Public Library.
Zoom link to event ryerson.zoom.us/j/91941276567
This is a free event and no registration is required.
Please contact cfe@ryerson.ca if you require accommodation to ensure inclusion in this event.
