by Margaret Anderson | Aug 24, 2017 | Blog
I manage my exposure to news, aiming to strike a balance between staying sufficiently informed while also staying sane. I’m ready for a break from blogging about the news, and I bet you readers are ready for a break, too. So let me tell you a true story about how I...
by Margaret Anderson | Aug 17, 2017 | Blog
We’ve been talking about ethics and professional standards in journalism because of its power to influence. We focused first on news reporting, and next, on news commentary (or opinion journalism). On Aug. 17, I woke thinking about another news-related aspect of what...
by Margaret Anderson | Aug 13, 2017 | Blog, journalism
In my last post, I wrote about distinguishing between two kinds of journalism: (1) news reporting and (2) news commentary/analysis. Then, focusing on reporting, we looked at red flags. News reports should seek to inform, not to influence. By contrast, the very purpose...
by Margaret Anderson | Aug 3, 2017 | Blog, DADA
There’s fake news, and then there’s people confusing opinions with news. As unethical tactics for influencing people go, truly fake news is the easiest to uncover. In Feb. 2017, Donald Trump gave a 77 minute press conference that many people saw as rambling and...
by Margaret Anderson | Jul 27, 2017 | Blog
Decades ago, I took notes from my dad on his experiences in the US Navy in World War II. I intended to turn them into a book. In rereading my notes, I realize that Dad used some of the same skills I now teach. He kept sight of his primary interests. When things didn’t...