Six months after St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones’ administration promised to reconsider its defense of legal doctrines that protect abusive police, it is continuing to defend them, prompting charges of “betrayal” from civil rights lawyers. In campaigning for office, Jones spoke frequently about the need for greater police accountability, citing the deaths of George Floyd in … [Read more...] about City of St. Louis ‘betrays’ its pledge to alter legal positions protecting abusive police, critics say
ethics
Should this photo be published?
How should the media portray violent acts? When South Africa’s largest Sunday paper, the Sunday Times, on its April 19 front page published a photograph of a man in the act of being stabbed and killed, readers took to the social media and aired their views. Some commentators supported the move; others furiously condemned the decision claiming that the paper was only … [Read more...] about Should this photo be published?
St. Louis’ forgotten espionage case
Suppose you are an investigative journalist and you have a confidential source who divulges state secrets that you print. The government hunts down the leaker, arrests this person and charges him with a crime. You, the journalist, are the only person who can verify if the leak was actually this person or not. You are subpoenaed, but you won’t give up the name of your … [Read more...] about St. Louis’ forgotten espionage case
Parties and the press
JEFFERSON CITY – The Jefferson City press corps has voted to give the Missouri Times until the end of March to clean up the news organization's ethics mess or face the possibility of losing credentials to cover events in Missouri's state capital. Ten representatives of wire service, print and broadcast news organizations met Monday to discuss the lobbyist-sponsored parties … [Read more...] about Parties and the press
First Amendment is no refuge for Clippers owner’s remarks
Editor's note: This is an opinion article from William H. Freivogel, publisher of the Gateway Journalism Review. Whether viewed from a legal, moral or ethical vantage point, the lifetime ban that NBA commissioner Adam Silver imposed on racist Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was just and correct. After Silver announced the punishment, the Twittersphere exploded … [Read more...] about First Amendment is no refuge for Clippers owner’s remarks