Saturday, July 25, 2015

Anti-terror law challenge creates journalistic dilemma: Star's Public Editor

A sort of "inside journalism" story by the Star's public editor, Kathy English:
"When Canadian Journalists for Free Expression joined with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association this week in launching a court challenge against Canada’s anti-terrorism act — the recently passed Bill C-51 — the Star and its national security reporter faced a dilemma.
"Michelle Shephard, a multiple National Newspaper Award-winning reporter who has covered national security and terrorism issues for the Star since 9/11, has been a member of the board of CJFE, the advocacy organization that “boldly champions” free expression issues in Canada and abroad. Given that the anti-terrorism legislation is a contentious political issue and will likely remain so through the fall federal election, that affiliation raised questions about whether the Star has some responsibility to disclose Shephard’s CJFE role to readers in its reporting on the constitutional challenge the organization launched with CCLA.

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