Update from the Complaints Desk – September 14, 2023
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is an industry self-regulatory organization that receives and evaluates complaints about possible breaches of journalistic standards from members of the public against member news organizations. Another critical element of our organization’s mandate is to promote a news literate public that is aware of journalism’s critical role in a democratic society. In this latest dispatch from our complaints desk, you’ll find several summaries of recent reader complaints that the NNC has received and which have been addressed …
Update from the Complaints Desk: Use of term ‘book ban’ appropriate in light of campaign to defund libraries in rural Manitoba community
Earlier this summer, the National NewsMedia Council (NNC) received multiple complaints related to coverage of attempts to defund libraries over allegedly sexualized content published in children’s books in rural Manitoba. In all cases, complainants were concerned about language use and what they considered a lack of context in the reporting. In one complaint, for example, an individual objected to the story’s coverage by the Winnipeg Sun. This April 13, 2023 article reported on a presentation made to city councilors in …
Notice of 2023 National NewsMedia Council Annual General Meeting
Please note that the National NewsMedia Council will be holding its 2023 Annual General Meeting on June 15, 2023, at noon (12 pm) EDT. This year’s meeting will be held via tele/videoconference. Members can access a PDF of the meeting notice, agenda, and proxy forms by clicking here. All current members in good standing who wish to attend the AGM should RSVP to Brent Jolly, the NNC’s managing director, at bjolly@mediacouncil.ca as soon as possible. Upon receipt of your request …
Update from the Complaints Desk: Breaking through allegations of ‘bias’
The National NewsMedia Council regularly receives complaints alleging bias in the news. Bias in journalism is a widely-debated topic in both academic and popular literature. It is also one of the most cited concerns in reader complaints submitted to the NNC, and it may come from all sides of the political spectrum, particularly in the lead up to elections. Among the many complaints the NNC receives, the use of the term ‘bias’ often reflects a desire to see a specific …
The NNC invites members to participate in its first general membership survey
The National NewsMedia Council is distributing its first general membership survey to its nearly 600 members. The objective of this survey is two-fold. First, the NNC is keen to identify what additional guidance or resources, related to journalism standards, member publications would find helpful. The second objective is to gauge the current state of news literacy efforts within Canadian publications and how those efforts could be strengthened. The survey is composed of nine (9) questions. We expect it should take …
Update from the Complaints Desk: The importance of editorial discretion
A cornerstone of a free and responsible press is journalists’ ability to report information that is significant, interesting, or new. Reporters and editors are tasked with deciding which details are needed for readers to understand the broader context of a given story. In exercising this editorial discretion, journalists follow standards of accuracy and fairness, and take care to avoid undue harm. While quality journalism seeks to provide readers with a full account of events, occasionally it is also possible that …
The National NewsMedia Council begins 2023 by welcoming three new directors
The National NewsMedia Council begins the new year by welcoming three fresh new faces to its board of directors. Two of the new directors are professional directors who hold senior editorial positions at their respective news organizations. One is a public director with expertise in both the legal and financial sectors. Sophie Gaulin joins the NNC board as the executive director and editor-in-chief of the Franco-Manitoban newspaper La Liberté. She strongly believes in the need for a free, strong and …
Update from the Complaints Desk: A snapshot of complaints about published images
While most complaints relate to specific statements contained in a story, sometimes the NNC will hear from individuals concerned about other elements of a piece, including the photographs used. As with any journalistic content, there are standards and best practices surrounding the publication of images. Below are some of the complaints that the NNC assessed that dealt with concerns about photos. News organizations take care when sharing images of tragic accidents An individual filed a complaint stating concern about sensitive …
National NewsMedia Council releases new best practice guidelines for reporting on police and minor crime
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is pleased to announce the public release of its latest best practice guidelines for reporting on police and minor crime to reflect and further inform newsroom discussions on these issues. The release of this report comes after several years of discussions between readers and news organizations about the public’s growing concerns surrounding the news value, and the long-term impact, for example, of being named in a news report on what could be considered a ‘minor’ …
Update from the Complaints Desk – July 14, 2022
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is an industry self-regulatory organization that receives and evaluates complaints about possible breaches of journalistic standards from members of the public against member news organizations. Another critical element of our organization’s mandate is to promote a news literate public that is aware of journalism’s critical role in a democratic society. In this latest dispatch from our complaints desk, you’ll find several summaries of recent reader complaints that the NNC has received and which have been …
The National NewsMedia Council welcomes three new directors
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is pleased to announce it has confirmed three new directors to its board following its annual general meeting held last week. Two of the new directors are professional directors with editorial positions at their respective news organizations, and one director is a public director with expertise in the regulatory field. Paul Samyn, the editor-in-chief of the Winnipeg Free Press, joins the NNC as an industry director on a one year term. Samyn has been part …
Protected: Notice of 2022 National NewsMedia Council Annual General Meeting
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Update from the Complaints Desk – May 5, 2022
All four complaints summarized in this latest ‘Update from the Complaints Desk’ relate to journalistic sourcing. NNC staff regularly hear from engaged readers who critique stories that appear in member publications for a variety of reasons, sometimes because the stories do not hear from certain sources or other times because they do not include specific research findings or examine particular angles. Council has long supported the view that journalists have the prerogative to select the story’s sources and scope. Standard …
Thank you, Tim!
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) would like to express its most sincere gratitude to Tim Shoults, a stalwart of our organization and a tireless champion of community news, who will be departing our board on April 22, as he moves on to a new role outside of journalism. Shoults has been one of the NNC’s professional directors since ‘Day One’. Prior to the creation of the NNC in 2015, he served as a director on the British Columbia Press Council. …
Update from the NNC’s complaints desk: March 24, 2022
Below are several complaints that the National NewsMedia Council received and addressed through reader education about journalism standards and best practices over the past few weeks. Readers express strong opinions on opinion polls Two individuals complained about what they felt was inappropriate reporting about a public opinion poll that gauged Canadians’ attitudes about people who are not vaccinated. The poll showed the majority of respondents were in favour of mandatory vaccination, and that more than a quarter of respondents favoured …
Update from the NNC’s complaints desk: February 17, 2022
Below are several complaints that the National NewsMedia Council received and addressed through education over the past few weeks. Satirical column falls flat for reader – distinguishing opinion from news An individual complained that an opinion column about attitudes toward COVID vaccination was insensitive and promoted hateful views. The NNC noted that the role of opinion writing is varied, and may include seeking to persuade, entertain, or enlighten readers. An ordinary reading of the article in question indicated that it …
‘Mother trucker’, our email just exploded!
In addition to the regular volume of complaints the National NewsMedia Council receives from the public about the editorial standards of the journalism produced by our member titles, we also hear from individuals who are concerned about what they see as insufficient coverage of a particular subject, or those who would like to see a specific story appear in the news. Over the last week, as a convoy of trucks and other demonstrators descended on Ottawa to protest COVID-related restrictions, …
Adjusted working hours during the holidays
2021 has been a hectic year. That’s why during this year’s holiday season, the NNC’s standard hours of operation will be adjusted. Our operations will close at the end of the day on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 and re-open on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. All relevant queries will be responded to upon re-opening. Staff will be spending their holidays re-charging their batteries for what promises to be an exciting 2022!
Oh editor, where art thou?
As a self-regulatory industry association, the National NewsMedia Council frequently hears from Canadians who express concerns about how our member news organizations report, or opine, on news and current affairs that have a public impact. Some of the most popular refrains from complaints include keywords such as: “bias”, “omission”, “inaccuracy”, etc. As a matter of process, before the NNC gets involved, we encourage complainants to attempt to find a resolution to the concern with the news organization at the ‘local …
The National NewsMedia Council is recruiting new directors
In 2022, the National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is looking forward to welcoming new public directors to strengthen its educational mandate. Public directors are members of the public who are not affiliated with news organizations that are members in the NNC and form a simple majority on the Council. Past public members have included teachers, lawyers, faith leaders, or those with expertise in business and/or management. To learn more about current NNC directors, please click here. All public members receive a …
What happens when editorial choices surrounding a story about divisiveness and lack of empathy are subject to the same criticism?
Over the past two months, the has NNC received more than 50 complaints, and dozens more phone calls, from people who expressed their concerns about a front-page layout of an August 26th edition of the Toronto Star. Readers were incensed over the front-page presentation of a story featuring strongly-worded tweets about people who chose not to get the COVID vaccine. The front-page tweets were, in many readers’ words, “divisive and hateful.” That day’s edition of the Toronto Star featured an …
Carleton University’s Rachel Watts named the 2021 Fraser MacDougall Prize winner
Rachel Watts, a fourth-year undergraduate journalism student at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting for her story Pandemic intensifies silent sorrow of Canada’s asylum seekers, published in Capital Current. This year’s judges agreed Watts’ story was thorough and eloquently written. The story’s compelling focus on chronicling the challenges asylum seekers face, even after overcoming horrific challenges in their …
Balancing competing views, listening to readers, and exercising editorial judgement
How many perspectives should be included in a brief news piece? When are letters considered an appropriate remedy to showing another side of an issue? These are questions that reporters and editors face every day as they exercise their editorial judgment to determine the angle of the story, the people interviewed, and the evidence used to provide an accurate account of events for readers. The National NewsMedia Council recently reviewed a reader’s concerns about accuracy and lack of opportunity to …
Announcing the four finalists for this year’s Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC), in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), is pleased to announce the short list of four finalists for the 2020-21 Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. This year’s shortlist was chosen from numerous outstanding submissions made by campus news organizations spread across the country. “It is so encouraging to see student journalists embracing the best standards in reporting, especially in the crucial area of human rights,” said John …
NNC members invited to apply for accreditation to federal leaders’ debates
Earlier this week, shortly after the launch of the 44th federal election, the Leaders’ Debates Commission released an open call to all news organizations inviting them to apply for accreditation to attend one (or both) of the two upcoming leadership debates that will take place as part of the campaign. As part of the newly-released process, journalists from all NNC member publications will automatically be eligible for accreditation. The deadline for accreditation applications is Wednesday, August 25 at 23:59 EDT. …
Complaints we heard: Concerns about reporting on COVID-19 vaccines reaches fevered pace
How news organizations report on vaccines has been the subject of numerous complaints submitted to the National NewsMedia Council over the years, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the volume of those concerns has increased over the last year. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some individuals have expressed concern that any reporting on vaccine side effects could lead to vaccine hesitancy and, therefore, all critical coverage should be avoided. Others have alleged that the information reported is ‘biased’ and therefore should …
Protected: National NewsMedia Council Notice of 2021 Annual General Meeting
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A new chapter begins at the National NewsMedia Council
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is pleased to announce enhanced roles for its two staff members following the retirement of Pat Perkel, the organization’s inaugural executive director, effective April 30, 2021. One can go to the Outlook Wealth Advisors to plan and manage your finances efficiently during the retirement days. Effective today, Brent Jolly has been appointed to serve as the NNC’s new managing director and will oversee day-to-day operations. Cara Sabatini will continue to serve in her role as …
Competition for fourth annual Fraser MacDougall Prize now open
The National NewsMedia Council, in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights, is pleased to announce the opening of the fourth annual Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Voice in Canadian Human Rights Reporting. The prize is awarded to an exceptional piece of student journalism, with a human rights focus, that is published in campus-based media during the 2020-2021 academic year. Winners (typically, the story’s writer and editor) receive a cash prize of $1,000. Previous award winners of the Fraser MacDougall …
An evening to celebrate public service journalism (and an industry legend!)
It’s not every day that one is presented with the opportunity to reflect on a career of more than 60 years in the news business, but for the NNC’s executive chair, that rare moment will be taking place on Thursday evening. This past June, the Michener Awards Foundation announced that John Anderson Fraser would be receiving the prestigious Michener-Baxter Special Award for long-term achievement in public service journalism. This special award, established in 1983 and presented at the discretion of the …
Complaints we heard: Freedom of expression or misinformation?
Over the past several months, the NNC has been hearing a great deal about pandemic-related reader comments and letters to the editor. “Yet another (letter) praising (a writer’s) comments has appeared in this week’s (paper). Large numbers of protestors have started to protest measures based on this type of misinformation that they believe affects them,” is one lament we heard. “It concerns me that misinformation, and disinformation for that matter, would even get published.” Some readers have told us they …
Complaints we heard: There’s more to the story than just its headline
The NNC has received several complaints this year about headlines. In two recent examples, both complainants were concerned that the headline of the story contained misleading or insufficient information. The NNC found no breach in either case, but instead identified relevant points for the purpose of reader education. In one case, an individual was concerned that the headline of a Globe and Mail article incorrectly attributed the statement that ‘Mi’gmaq students [were] no longer welcome’ in the province to the …
Complaints we heard: Moderating comments
The NNC recently reviewed a complaint from a reader who was displeased that Sudbury.com had removed a message posted to the comment section at the foot of June 23, 2020, article under the headline, “Graduate students say request to LU to waive tuition fees met with ‘basically silence’”. The complainant expressed concern that the news organization acted unethically by removing the comment, and stated that the act amounted to “unlawful censorship” and violation of Charter rights to free expression. In …
Michener Foundation honours John Fraser
The Michener Awards Foundation today announced it is presenting its prestigious Michener-Baxter Special Award for long-term achievement in public service journalism to John Anderson Fraser. This special award, established in 1983 and presented at the discretion of the foundation’s board of directors, has only been bestowed on eight Canadians in the past three decades. “It seems fitting that Mr. Fraser — an icon of Canadian journalism — receive this honour in our 50th anniversary year,” said Pierre-Paul Noreau, President of the Michener …
Complaints we heard: Reader concerned about ‘bias’ in analytical article
The NNC reviewed a complaint about a feature article, “How Beijing’s Coverup Led to a Global Pandemic,” published in an April 2020 edition of the Epoch Times. The complainant was concerned with the accuracy of statements in the article, in particular, with the premise, “Thus began the coverup by the Chinese Communist Party of one of the most deadly outbreaks in recent history.” In reviewing the article in question, the NNC noted that it adhered to the journalistic conventions of …
Working (remotely) to support quality journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic
Dear NNC members, We’re reaching out with huge congratulations to each of you for your dedicated commitment to public service during these uncertain times. We know your readers appreciate very much your heroic efforts to serve the needs of your communities by providing steady access to accurate, reliable, and trustworthy information. Your hard work in extraordinary circumstances is concrete evidence of how vital the news media is during a time of crisis. For our part, NNC staff are in the …
Complaints we heard: Calgary Herald announces that syndicated cartoon will no longer be published
The National NewsMedia Council received a complaint about a racially insensitive syndicated cartoon that appeared in the Calgary Herald. Concern was expressed that the cartoon, “Close to Home,” published on February 21, 2020, was racist against Indigenous people in its depiction of a character. The cartoon showed the Lone Ranger and Tonto at a bar, with the words “‘Kemosabe! Tonto hear last call coming! Maybe eight or ten minutes away…’” A number of news media subsequently reported on objections to …
Reader outraged, but columnist correct to make social commentary
The National NewsMedia Council recently received a strongly-worded reader complaint about an opinion column published in the Vernon Morning Star that commented on expectations related to women in public, in particular, the assumption that an unaccompanied woman must be a sex worker. In the November 22, 2019 column, “Nothing wrong with being mistaken for a sex trade worker,” the writer humourously described her experience of being mistaken as a sex worker by virtue of where she was—alone—and how she was …
Happy Holidays from the National NewsMedia Council
The staff at the National NewsMedia Council, along with our board members, would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous holiday season. Our offices will be closed from December 24, 2019 and we will re-open on January 3, 2020. All questions, complaints, and other concerns will be responded to promptly upon our return. See you in 2020! Best wishes, John, Pat, Brent, and Cara.
2019 Fraser MacDougall Prize laureate explains why winning story matters to her and her community
This past Monday, the National NewsMedia Council and Journalists for Human Rights honoured the work of Olivia Robinson, a rising star in Canadian journalism, with the 2019 Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. Robinson won this year’s award for her submission ‘Raising a stink about public washrooms in Ottawa: Why you should care about toilet privilege’ which was published in the online-only publication Capital Current, based at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication. In this short …
Reader objected to newspaper’s endorsement of candidate
A complaint to the National NewsMedia Council during the recent federal election campaign questioned a news organization’s right to endorse a political candidate. The complainant insisted that Postmedia’s endorsement of Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer demonstrated bias, and was an unethical attempt to influence the electorate. The complainant noted that the newspaper’s editorial listed concerns with Liberal party policy and leadership, and explained its reasons for supporting Scheer and the Conservative Party. However, the complainant argued that editorial endorsement amounts …
‘Who are you calling dumb?’ – Nov 14 2019
Following the federal election, the National NewsMedia Council received a complaint about a reprinted opinion article that referred to Western separation as a “dumb” idea. The complainant stated that the article failed to provide reasons that Western Canada is unhappy, and objected to their being described as “dumb” for wanting to separate from a federal relationship that he argued isn’t working. The NewsMedia Council responded to the complaint by stating as a general principle that opinion articles are allowed to …
Are you equipped to decipher today’s ‘information disorder’?
The NNC has been discouraging the term ‘fake news’ for a long time now. Still, it’s difficult to push back against an easy term that has come to mean everything from an honest mistake, to the other guys’ opinion, to a fact that undercuts your preferred point of view. Most dangerously, the term denigrates and strips away the important work journalists do. The more accurate terms are misinformation, disinformation and mal-information. Over the past handful of years, a number of …
The NNC cited in the newly-launched Local Journalism Initiative
The Local Journalism Initiative, a program to help Canadian media organizations hire reporters to cover civic institutions and local news in under-served communities, is open for applications. Membership in the NNC is cited as one of the identifiers for news publications applying for the program. The program is being administered by News Media Canada, which is the publisher’s trade association. As a self-regulatory journalistic standards organization, the National NewsMedia Council is not affiliated with the Local Journalism Initiative, but is …
Young journalist from Carleton University wins 2019 Fraser MacDougall Prize
The National NewsMedia Council and Journalists for Human Rights are pleased to announce that Olivia Robinson, a master’s student in the journalism program at Carleton University, has been awarded the 2019 Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. Robinson won this year’s award for her submission ‘Raising a stink about public washrooms in Ottawa: Why you should care about toilet privilege’ which was published in the online-only publication Capital Current. This year’s jury was impressed …
What we heard: Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us of another way that words matter
A member of the public recently contacted the NNC, expressing concern about the language used in a news article and the way mental health issues were being reported during Mental Health Awareness Week. The NNC often receives queries and complaints related to language use in news and opinion pieces. It’s crucial to address such concerns, especially in the context of mental health, to ensure that people receive appropriate and sensitive treatment. You can find a reliable and high-quality los angeles …
Finalists announced for 2019 Fraser MacDougall Prize
The National NewsMedia Council and Journalists for Human Rights are pleased to announce the short list of finalists for this year’s Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting.
The National NewsMedia Council welcomes two new directors
The National NewsMedia Council (NNC) is pleased to welcome two outstanding journalists to its board of directors, Janice Neil and Natasha Hassan.
A short note from the National NewsMedia Council
Dear Readers, Over the past few days, the National NewsMedia Council (NNC) has received complaints about an op-ed published in the Vancouver Sun and the Province this past weekend under the headline: ‘Ethnic diversity harms a country’s social trust, economic well-being, professor argues.’ As you are aware, the NNC is a voluntary, self-regulatory body that deals with complaints about news and opinion reporting published by our member newspapers and digital news organizations in Canada. The Vancouver Sun and the Province, …
Decision Release: 2019-57 Holmes vs Chilliwack Progress
The National NewsMedia Council mediated and found that corrective action was taken to address a complaint about the headline for a June 24 2019 news article in the Chilliwack Progress, “Heroism medal for Chilliwack woman who tried to save man in a wheelchair stuck on rail tracks.”
FYI Complaints We Heard: Explanatory journalism – July 9, 2019
The NNC mediates complaints and issues decisions on breaches of journalistic standards. In cases where there is no evidence of a breach, readers may still have questions about a journalistic issue. Part of what we do at the NNC is to provide explanations to those questions. Here are some of the issues we’ve heard and how we handled them. JULY 9, 2019 – The National NewsMedia Council recently reviewed a detailed complaint about a February 18 2019 article that was published …
Competition for third annual Fraser MacDougall Prize now open
The National NewsMedia Council, in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights, is pleased to announce the opening of the third annual Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. The prize is awarded to an exceptional piece of journalism with a human rights focus that is published in campus-based media during the past academic year. Winners (typically, the story’s writer and editor) receive a cash prize of $1,000 and are recognized for their achievements at the …
FYI Complaints We Heard: Distinguishing sponsored content from news – June 26, 2019
The NNC mediates complaints and issues decisions on breaches of journalistic standards. In cases where there is no evidence of a breach, readers may still have questions about a journalistic issue. Part of what we do at the NNC is to provide explanations to those questions. Here are some of the issues we’ve heard and how we handled them. JUNE 26, 2019 – The National NewsMedia Council recently reviewed a complaint about a supplement in the May 6, 2019 Star Metro …
New guides promote best practices for reporting on difficult subjects
Good reporting on difficult subjects comes with unique sets of challenges—whether covering mental health issues, trauma, or complex social service systems. Fortunately, there are several resources journalists can consult to guide them in their work.
FYI Complaints We Heard: News vs advertising – May 1, 2019
One of the regular categories of complaints to the NNC involves the distinction between news and advertising. While standard practice consists of clear distinctions between advertising and journalism, emerging niche markets and new forms of sponsored content sometimes make these distinctions more difficult for readers to identify.
Ryerson University and the NNC release new report: Good News, Bad News: A snapshot of conditions at small-market newspapers in Canada
TORONTO, April 29, 2019 – Ryerson University’s Local News Research Project, in partnership with the National NewsMedia Council of Canada (NNC), is pleased to announce the publication of its new report: Good News, Bad News: A snapshot of conditions at small-market newspapers in Canada. The report’s findings provide invaluable insight into questions about workload, audience engagement, the use of digital tools, and journalistic ethics and standards for print publications with a daily/weekly circulation below 50,000 copies. Some of the report’s …
FYI Complaints We Heard: Photo of tragic event, editorials and letters to the editor – April 11, 2019
The NNC mediates complaints and issues decisions on breaches of journalistic standards. In cases where there is no evidence of a breach, readers may still have questions about a journalistic issue. Part of what we do at the NNC is to provide explanations to those questions. Here are some of the issues we’ve heard and how we handled them.
Canadaland hosts NNC on latest podcast episode
Canadaland’s Jesse Brown sat down with Executive Director Pat Perkel and Executive Chair John Fraser of the National NewsMedia Council to discuss the NNC’s role in upholding accountable journalism, and the challenges involved in issues raised by some recent complaints.
Journalism Standards and Branded Content – Updated
The National NewsMedia Council is of the view that branded content is within its mandate.
Working with the public to differentiate between facts and opinions in news
Journalism is frequently criticized for being ‘biased’, often because the distinction between news and opinion is not made clear to the reader.
Decision Release: 2019-02 Engel vs National Post
February 6 2019 – The National NewsMedia Council considered and dismissed a complaint against two opinion articles published in the National Post on November 15 2018 and November 16, 2018.
Decision Release: 2018-72 Dawson vs National Post
The National NewsMedia Council has mediated and resolved a complaint about identification of a photo in the November 27 2018 edition of the National Post. The complaint was resolved due to corrective action taken.
Alberta’s Great West Newspapers join the National NewsMedia Council
(TORONTO, ON and ST. ALBERT, AB, Jan. 22) — The National NewsMedia Council of Canada is pleased to announce that all of Great West Newspapers’ 19 Alberta titles are now members of the NNC. “This is yet another sign that editorial transparency and accountability are defining characteristics of quality journalism,” says John Fraser, the NNC’s executive chair. “And quality journalism lives at the heart of a strong democracy.” Great West Newspapers had agreed to join the NNC after the Alberta …
Exploring ‘branded content’
Brand journalism is as old as time itself, but how it is identified for public audiences is more important than ever.
Decision Release: 2018-66 Masanovich vs Windsor Star
The National NewsMedia Council has upheld a complaint about journalistic standards surrounding poll reporting and attribution in an October 11 2018 article in the Windsor Star.
Happy Holidays from the National NewsMedia Council of Canada
The staff at the National NewsMedia Council, along with our board members, would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous holiday season. Our offices will be closed from December 21, 2018 and we will re-open on January 2, 2019. All questions, complaints, and other concerns will be responded to promptly upon our return. Best wishes, John, Pat, Brent, and Cara.
Young journalists from Queen’s Journal selected as winners of 2018 Fraser MacDougall Prize
TORONTO (September 11, 2018) – The National NewsMedia Council and Journalists for Human Rights are pleased to announce that Jasnit Pabla and Nick Pearce, from The Queen’s Journal, have been awarded this year’s Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. These two young journalists have won this year’s award for their submission ‘Truth & Reconciliation at Queen’s, a year later’. This year’s jury selected this piece because of the story’s thorough reporting, and how it …
Finalists announced for 2018 Fraser MacDougall Prize
TORONTO (July 11, 2018) – The National NewsMedia Council and Journalists for Human Rights are pleased to announce the short list of six finalists for this year’s Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. This year’s shortlist was chosen from a record number of 28 nominations from campus news organizations spread across the country. The finalists for this year’s awards are (in no particular order): “The forgotten legacies of Queen’s Black medical students”, The Queen’s Journal …
National NewsMedia Council and Canadian University Press announce new partnership
TORONTO (June 26, 2018) — The National NewsMedia Council of Canada (NNC) and the Canadian University Press (CUP) announced today a partnership that will enable CUP member publications to access the NNC’s suite of training and support services. “This partnership is a clear statement that the future of journalism in Canada is collaborative,” says John Fraser, executive chair of the NNC. “Whether one is working at a campus news organization, community publication, or in a major Canadian newsroom, a commitment …
Competition for 2018 Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian in Human Rights Reporting now open
TORONTO, March 27, 2018 – The National NewsMedia Council, in partnership with Journalists for Human Rights, is pleased to announce the opening of the second annual Fraser MacDougall Prize for Best New Canadian Voice in Human Rights Reporting. The Prize is awarded to an exceptional piece of human-rights-focussed journalism published in campus-based media during the past academic year, as determined by a panel of distinguished judges. Winners (typically, the story’s writer and editor) receive a cash prize of $1,000 and …
National NewsMedia Council debuts new ‘True Confessions’ podcast
The National NewsMedia Council is proud to present the first episode of our Acts of Journalism podcast. The first season of the Acts of Journalism podcast is titled True Confessions, which riffs off of the imagery of the renowned 1940s and 1950s noir magazines often placed near grocery store checkout counters. The series offers a frank discussion about the professional and ethical dilemmas encountered by many of Canada’s most prominent journalists during their storied careers. During the in-depth conversations, journalists …
NNC and Ryerson University launch ‘2018 Local News Survey’
Ryerson University, in partnership with the National NewsMedia Council, is officially launching a survey geared to small-market Canadian newsrooms. The objective of the survey is to gather data to better understand innovation and engagement at the local level. Ryerson University’s April Lindgren and the NNC’s Cara Sabatini tailored the survey to reflect the Canadian context, and the results will be used to compare data to similar surveys that have been conducted in the United States, Spain, and Austria. We’re asking …
Checking our Work: Bringing Global Lessons Home
As the only media council in North America, the NNC checks with peers in Europe and Australia to monitor emerging issues and evolving standards in journalism. In that light, a recent speech by Neville Stevens, chair of the Australian Press Council, highlights some issues that might resonate with members of the Canadian news industry. “Accountability requires quality journalism that has the trust of the community,” Stevens says in a refrain that will ring familiar. “It is the local media—the suburban or …
Former Ontario Press Council executive director passes away
A message from John Fraser, President and CEO, National NewsMedia Council of Canada: On behalf of the National NewsMedia Council, we were saddened to hear of Don McCurdy’s death today. Don was the last executive director of the Ontario Press Council and it was his initial push to create a litigious-free national news media dispute resolution organization that ultimately led to the creation to the NNC. On a personal level, I will always be grateful for his generosity and loyalty …
John Fraser appointed as National NewsMedia Council’s Executive Chair
The National NewsMedia Council of Canada today announced that its new Executive Chair will be John Fraser, the veteran journalist, author and educator who was the founding president and CEO of the three-year-old institution. He succeeds Shelley Chrest of British Columbia who now resumes her former role as vice chair (Western Canada). The other vice chairs are Joanne De Laurentiis (Central Canada) and Miller Ayre (Eastern Canada). In the position of Executive Director is Pat Perkel who will continue as …
Decision: 2018-07 – Stephen Greig vs Globe and Mail
The National NewsMedia Council has dismissed with reservation a complaint by Stephen Greig about a January 10, 2018 Globe and Mail article, “Probe at Toronto performing-arts school raises questions for theatre community.”
2017-82: Korski vs Canadaland
The National NewsMedia Council has considered and dismissed a complaint claiming conflict of interest related to a September 2016 Canadaland podcast.
Decision: Louise Yasinchuk vs Timmins Daily Press
For immediate release – The National NewsMedia Council dismissed a complaint about bias, inaccuracy and a lack of opportunity to provide a response related to the Timmins Daily Press article, “Perp avoids jail while victim haunted by assault”.
Decision: Denise Davy vs Burlington Gazette
September 14, 2017 – For immediate release – The National NewsMedia Council has upheld a complaint that the Burlington Gazette breached journalistic standards in printing a correction that was inaccurate and did not provide opportunity to respond to an allegation.
New Newsletters!
The National NewsMedia Council is pleased to bring you our latest newsletters. Please click here to read a copy of our Spring 2017 edition. You can also click here to read our May 2017 edition.
February 2017 Newsletter
The National NewsMedia Council is pleased to bring you our latest newsletter. Please click here to read a copy of our February 2017 dispatch.
Public Policy Forum’s report ‘The Shattered Mirror’ released
Earlier today, the Public Policy Forum released its much anticipated report on the Canadian media industry. The report establishes a concrete public policy framework to address the long-term health of the Canadian media ecosystem. You can download a copy of the report here.
Documents for December’s AGM now online
The entire suite of documents that members will require for the NNC’s first annual general meeting, to be held on December 8, 2016, are now available. Please see the appropriate links below. For a copy of the AGM Agenda, please click here. For a copy of the Nominations Ballot, please click here. For copies of the auditor’s report and other financial documents, please contact Brent Jolly, NNC’s community manager, at: bjolly@mediacouncil.ca immediately.
NNC’s by-laws approved
Members, We are happy to be able to distribute a copy of the NNC’s by-laws, which we approved by the board at our meeting on September 22, 2016. You can download your copy in PDF format here.
National NewsMedia Council will hold its first AGM
Annual General Meeting of the National NewsMedia Council to be held on December 8, 2016 at 12 noon EST at the NNC office, 37 Front Street East, Toronto. You can read a full copy of the official notice of meeting. Please also find a copy of the proxy voting form.
National NewsMedia Council logos
Dear Members, As promised in our most recent quarterly statement, we have made available high-resolution copies of the Council’s logo for each of you to display in your respective publications. We would like to encourage, even urge, all NNC members who haven’t done so thus far to start carrying both our logo and promise to your readers in an appropriate place in your publication. – NNC logo RGB (JPG format) – NNC logo PMS.pdf If you have any problems downloading …
Shelley Chrest succeeds Frances Lankin as NNC Chair
TORONTO (23 September 2016) — John Fraser, President and CEO of the National NewsMedia Council of Canada (NNC), announced today that Shelley Chrest of Victoria, B.C., the former director and chair of the British Columbia Press Council, and an inaugural vice chair of the NNC, has succeeded the Hon. Frances Lankin as Chair of the year-old council. Ms. Lankin was named to the Senate of Canada earlier this year. At that time she announced she would step down from her …
Notice of upcoming meeting
The next meeting of the National NewsMedia council will be held on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 9:30 am EDT, in Toronto. Please find below the meeting’s agenda and other documents that will be discussed. Meeting agenda Minutes from previous meeting Financial reports Nominations Committee report Bylaws for approval Governance Policy Manual Draft agenda for December 2016 AGM Updated complaints report
Australian Press Council upholds complaint over implied direct rebuttal
Adjudication 1672: Wade Laube/The Australian 22 Jul 2016 The Press Council considered a complaint by Wade Laube, on behalf of Senator Sean Edwards, about an article published by The Australian on 13 March 2015. The article was headed “Nukes never free, senator told” in print and “Nuclear energy never free, senator Sean Edwards told” online. It followed an announcement by the Senator on 12 March that urged governments to investigate the importation and recycling of spent nuclear fuel. The article …
Truth and accuracy are top complaints to Irish Press Council
(Credit: Press Council of Ireland) Almost 50% of the 278 complaints to the Irish Press Council in 2015 were over truth and accuracy, Ireland’s press ombudsman revealed, according to the Irish Times. Nearly a quarter of complaints focused on privacy. The ombudsman’s report was released in late May, noting the council’s ninth year in existence. “The critical functions of the Press Ombudsman’s Office and the Press Council is to offer an independent complaints handling service,” the statement from press ombudsman Peter Feeney says. “I have …
National NewsMedia Council is moving
The National NewsMedia Council office is moving. We will continue to share space with Newspapers Canada (CCNA and CNA), but effective July 1, 2016, our new office address will be: National News Media Council 37 Front Street East, Suite 200 Toronto, Ontario M5E 1B3 Our telephone number remains unchanged: 416-340-1981 or 1-844-877-1163 Our email address is also unchanged.
Canada Post ordered to stop delivering controversial Your Ward News
Mentions the state of living of the minority communities
Court makes award in 2008 defamation case
Bill Graveland Calgary — The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, Jun. 08, 2016 1:31PM EDT Last updated Wednesday, Jun. 08, 2016 8:40PM EDT Former television war correspondent Arthur Kent choked back tears Wednesday after winning an eight-year-old lawsuit against one of Canada’s largest media companies over a column that called him “Dud Scud.” A judge ruled that Postmedia and its former columnist Don Martin defamed Kent while he was running for a seat in the Alberta legislature in 2008. “I’m feeling …
World Press Freedom Day, May 3
World Press Freedom Day, May 3: Canada plummeted ten points in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index, a list that is compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders. The plunge, which takes our country out of the top ten and into a lackluster spot number 18, is attributable to lack of access to information imposed during “the dark days” of the Harper government. See: https://rsf.org/en/ranking. RSF says that worldwide, journalists face increasing violence targeted at the media, state control that threatens …
Australian Press Council 40th Anniversary
The Australian Press Council celebrated its four decades of serving both the public and the news media industry with a major international conference in Sydney between May 4-6. At 40, the APC is a model for the new National NewsMedia Council of Canada and its assistance in helping set up digital access to the NNC has been much appreciated. The NNC lags behind the APC in convincing digital media to take on responsibility for community standards and ethical journalism, but …
World Press Freedom event examines Freedom of Information
UNESCO’s flagship celebration of World Press Freedom Day (3 May) will take place in Helsinki, Finland, this year from 2 to 4 May. The agency says the overarching theme of the celebration is Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms. The event will focus on Freedom of Information and Sustainable Development, Protecting press freedom from censorship and surveillance overreach, and Ensuring safety of journalists online and offline. In its news release, UNESCO says “freedom of information is a fundamental freedom and …
Coverage violated broadcast codes, but prompt correction respected code requirements: CBSC
Ottawa, April 7, 2016 – The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) today released its decision concerning news reports broadcast on CTV Kitchener (CKCO-DT) about a female teacher who had been accused of inappropriate sexual comments towards a 16-year-old male student. The CBSC found that one report contained inaccurate information, but CTV Kitchener had quickly corrected the error and thus respected the requirements of the broadcast codes. Two reports were broadcast on July 15, 2015 and provided updates on the teacher’s …
NNC concerned that court decision will hurt journalism
The National NewsMedia Council is deeply concerned about an Ontario Superior Court decision that forces Vice Media reporter Ben Makuch to hand his background material to the RCMP. Police want screen captures of Makuch’s online conversations with Farah Shirdon, a Canadian who has been charged in absentia for terrorism-related offenses. The court has now ruled in favour of the RCMP request, saying that the reporter’s material is “important evidence in relation to very serious allegations” and that there is “strong …
Council decisions now available for review
A summary of adjudications made by the National NewsMedia Council at a meeting in Toronto on February 25th is now available for review. They are divided into three categories: decisions upheld, decisions dismissed with reservation and complaints dismissed. A searchable archive will be implemented as the new council continues its work.
Technical error resulted in the faces of two children appearing on Facebook
A technical error resulted in the faces of two children appearing on the Facebook site of an Australian newspaper. That error also underlined the importance of “appropriate checks and balances when using new technologies particularly when publishing images of children”, the Australian Press Council said in a recent adjudication. A print story in The Queensland Times on 1 July 2015 contained an image of an accused person, but the Facebook version, headed “Goodna dad accused of drug, weapons and robbery …
Australian Press Council adopts Reconciliation Action Plan
Australia, like Canada, has the task of facing racism and rebuilding relations with its indigenous peoples. The Australian Press Council recognizes the powerful role of the media in that process, and has adopted its own reconciliation plan. Over the next three years, the APC will promote understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous groups. In practical terms, that means encouraging membership by Indigenous newspapers, magazines and online news and current affairs sites; engaging and consulting with Indigenous groups, individuals and organisations regarding …
YOUR RIGHT TO PROTECT ANONYMOUS SOURCES
“In neither Canada nor the United States do reporters have a blanket right to keep sources anonymous based on constitutional rights of free expression. Nevertheless, in applying common law or statutory shield laws, courts north and south of the border have acknowledged that reporters should be able to do so where there is not a compelling reason to override that right. So, what should reporters know about promising anonymity to their sources?” – Grant Buckler, CJFE http://www.cjfe.org/your_right_to_protect_anonymous_sources
NNC expresses concern at events unfolding in Ontario Superior Court
The National NewsMedia Council of Canada (NNC) expresses its concern at events unfolding in Ontario Superior Court as the RCMP seeks to compel VICE journalist Ben Makuch to hand over his notes connected to an interview with suspected Canadian ISIS fighter Farah Shirdon. NNC president and CEO John Fraser said that although police have responsibility to investigate, they should be extremely wary of co-opting the media to serve as assistants in that work. “News media in Canada either have the duty and right …
National NewsMedia Council believes Alberta Premier Rachel Notley made a fundamental error
February 19, 2016 The National NewsMedia Council believes Alberta Premier Rachel Notley made a fundamental error by banning The Rebel from parliamentary briefings on the basis that its representatives are not “real journalists”. “I am relieved that Ms Notley has apologized for the initial decision and withdrawn the ban, but we are deeply concerned that the issue remains on the table,” said John Fraser, president and CEO of the new council. The NNC, which represents the public and media in …
Retirement Luncheon for Don McCurdy
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, the NewsMedia Council will host a small luncheon to honour Don McCurdy, the last executive director of the Ontario Press Council. Don has been a great friend to the new National NewsMedia Council. In fact, it was originally his idea to bring the regional press councils together, a task driven with great conviction by our chair, the Hon. Frances Lankin. For the past six months, Don has been the gentle and ever-helpful Sherpa to Executive Director Pat Perkel …
Media Council Co-Hosts Spotlight on Publishers
(Left to right: Phillip Crawley, Pierre-Elliott Levasseur, John Cruickshank, Kelly Toughill) On February 3rd evening, the NNC co-hosted a very interesting discussion between Phillip Crawley, publisher of the Globe and Mail, John Cruickshank, publisher of the Toronto Star, and Pierre-Elliott Levasseur, Chief Operating Officer of La Presse. The evening, co-hosted by the Canadian Journalism Foundation, was entitled “Spotlight on Publishers: The Challenge of Making News Pay”. Between the publishers and the well-attended audience (everyone is more than …
Recent decisions from our colleagues at the Conseil de Presse du Québec
The Quebec Press Council is our sister organization and its scope extends to all media organizations that publish or broadcast in Quebec, whether they belong to the print or electronic media. You can view their recent decisions here. http://conseildepresse.qc.ca/decisions/ Please note that this section is available in French only.
UK press councils, post-Leveson
“This week saw a major step forward for genuinely independent press regulation in the UK. The new press regulator IMPRESS (Independent Monitor for the Press) has announced that it has not only signed up a dozen publishers but that it has submitted an application for formal recognition,” writes Steven Barnett in the January 22, 2016 edition of The Conversation. “The raison d’etre for IMPRESS is trusted journalism, which every survey of public opinion tells us – certainly for the printed press – is in …
National NewsMedia Council launches
Canada has a new press and newsmedia council thanks to a refreshed and renewed commitment to the newsmedia industry by publications across the country, as well as the successful amalgamation of several regional press councils, including the Ontario Press Council, the Atlantic Press Council and the British Columbia Press Council.
National NewsMedia Council to launch this September
After two-plus years of discussion with their industry members, the press councils of British Columbia, Atlantic Canada and Ontario are merging their organizations to form the new National Newsmedia Council (NNC), effective September 2015.