Opinion

With Fresh Start, The Boston Globe Weighs News Value of Older Articles Versus Individual Harm

With Fresh Start, The Boston Globe Weighs News Value of Older Articles Versus Individual Harm

Should a single mistake define you for the rest of your life?That’s the central question behind “Fresh Start,” a new initiative at The Boston Globe where we allow people named…
True Newsroom Diversity Must Account for Disability Status, Too

True Newsroom Diversity Must Account for Disability Status, Too

I am one of a handful of openly disabled journalists. I have had to actively find every other disabled journalist I know. Some of us are closeted.It’s impossible to know,…
The Complexity of Reporting on Age, Race, and the Covid-19 Vaccine

The Complexity of Reporting on Age, Race, and the Covid-19 Vaccine

Something journalists need to better convey to our audiences: Because of demographic realities, prioritizing age in Covid-19 vaccination efforts is akin to prioritizing white Americans.White people live longer on average…
Public Exchanges on Race Are Healthy for News Outlets and Audiences

Public Exchanges on Race Are Healthy for News Outlets and Audiences

I’ve been stuck on the discussion about the resignation of New York Times science reporter Donald McNeil Jr. for the past few days. I don’t have a firm opinion on…
To Change Its Future, The Kansas City Star Examined Its Racist Past

To Change Its Future, The Kansas City Star Examined Its Racist Past

The evening before I headed out to cover a Black Lives Matter protest last May for The Kansas City Star, I listened to and read media coverage about out-of-control mobs…
Can We Restore A Collective Understanding of Reality, Please?

Can We Restore A Collective Understanding of Reality, Please?

“Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” —VoltaireThe carnage on January 6 was precipitated by a lie that the election was stolen from President Trump.…
How Can Journalists Better Serve Immigrant Communities?

How Can Journalists Better Serve Immigrant Communities?

Chicago is a city of immigrants. Over 1.6 million of them live in the metropolitan Chicago region I call home. And nearly one-third of households in Cook County, Illinois, include…
The Extremist Mob at the U.S. Capitol was America, Too

The Extremist Mob at the U.S. Capitol was America, Too

We began Donald Trump’s presidency debating whether it was fair to call lies lies, even though we knew he was the most prolific political liar of modern times.We end it…
Don’t Exoticize Latino Voters; Report on Them as Americans

Don’t Exoticize Latino Voters; Report on Them as Americans

If a candidate for high office carries a group of voters by more than 30 points, when do we call it “a loss?” When that same candidate flips five states…
The Post Office Helped Save Our Elections. It Can Help Save Our Newspapers, Too

The Post Office Helped Save Our Elections. It Can Help Save Our Newspapers, Too

While I was writing this, I read that another newspaper closed in Iowa. It’s likely you never heard of it, but the La Porte City Progress Review was 127 years…