UW Center for Journalism Ethics
We encourage the highest standards in journalism by fostering vigorous debate, providing resources to journalists
and news consumers, and honoring the best in ethical journalistic practice.
News
Ethical labor, broken institutions: Journalism amid financialization
There’s the familiar story about the decline of local news: the internet arrived, audiences left and newspapers slowly faded. But Margot Susca’s book reveals a far more unsettling reality — local newspapers were hollowed out long before digital disruption fully arrived.
It’s political, not medical: Rethinking coverage of political leaders’ health
How should the press cover the health of political leaders? The stakes are high — political office carries real power — but so are the risks of reinforcing ageism or ableism.
Reporting on addiction? Maia Szalavitz has some advice.
Framing addiction as a developmental issue rather than a moral failing or criminal problem reduces stigma and opens the door to more effective treatment approaches — a perspective Szalavitz believes should also guide the way journalists cover the topic.
Q: What's the point of journalism now? A: History
These days, even the most tenacious digging by journalists makes very little difference in public policy and the workings of government. In such a climate, what is the point of practicing journalism? Is there any point at all? Those are not rhetorical questions.