What we need to do, Ripley argues, is “complicate the narrative,” telling more complex stories that people will open up and respond to. “Complexity leads to a fuller, more accurate story. Secondly, it boosts the odds that your work will matter — particularly if it is about a polarizing issue,” she writes. “When people encounter complexity, they become more curious and less closed off to new information. They listen, in other words.”

Take a look at the article and discover new ways to cover controversial stories.

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Besides only questioning, it also provides explanations, advices and examples of best practices. The tool has been developed for media professionals. Registration is not needed: after answering the questions, you will immediately receive your results.

Take a look on their website and discover whether you are on the right track with your work, or not!

The post The Mediane Box: a Q&A on media diversity and inclusiveness appeared first on Media4Change.

The debate snowballed online, spurring questions about the contest’s rules and their enforcement. What are the judging procedures? What counts as manipulation? How important is context? The WPP’s guidelines were publicly thrown under the microscope—forcing the organization to unveil on Nov. 25 its first code of ethics.

The World Press Photo Foundation has a storied history that dates back to 1955 and has since grown into one of the most lauded awards in the industry. Their annual exhibitions are seen by more than 3.5 million people worldwide, with photojournalists dedicating hours, even years, to stories that might be worthy of the envied prize. But while WPP has had some giant hiccups this year, they are determined to re-establish their role as a leader in the industry.

“When I started, everything was already in place so I went with what was there,” says managing director Lars Boering. “During everything that happened, it strengthened my vision that we needed to take a close look at everything, so we did.”

Boering and WPP’s team manager Micha Bruinvels spearheaded a five-month review of the foundation’s activities and previous photo contests, examining similar codes of ethics from journalism associations and media organizations. The primary findings came from 17 consultations with photographers, editors and publishers at events in 15 international locations, from Beijing to Perpignan, New York and Kathmandu (TIME participated in that process). “It was a very consultative process,” says David Campbell, who worked on the contest overhaul team. “It was very much about engaging the community, presenting drafts and getting feedback on those things to come up with solutions.”

The team posed questions about the editor-journalist relationship, photo specifications, image standards and the role that WPP plays in determining the mechanics of an award. “Awards set a standard of what is acceptable, what is good and what should be done,” said Gary Knight at the Image Truth/Story Truth conference at Columbia Journalism School, during one of the 17 consultations. “If that standard falls short of fairness and accuracy, it is problematic because many replicate and produce similar imagery.”

The new code of ethics offers a description of the judging and verification process, as well as clarification on usage rights. They also list a set of guidelines that range from staging to post-processing and manipulation. Image caption requirements specify what is expected sentence by sentence, ensuring accuracy and fair representations of the contextual details.

As for adding and removing content, participants almost unanimously agreed that doing so under any condition was unacceptable. When it comes to toning, however, the lines become hazy. “How do you make that clear without limiting the creativity of photographers to tell the best story?” Campbell asks. “If you apply enough heavy toning to certain areas, you can actually obscure details in the background to the point where you’re taking out content. That’s where we drew the line.”

WPP will implement a verification process in the five days between the jury’s decision and the public winners announcement. An independent fact-checking team will scrutinize metadata, captions and supporting information for accuracy. For those who need further clarification, short, two-minute videos with visual examples will be included on the website.

Additionally, WPP will be launching an online channel that will commission and curate new work, report on the opportunities and challenges of photojournalism, conduct analyses and lead debate. The channel will be on a stand-alone website coordinated by foundation staff along with an external group of contributing editors.

The main goal is to break out of the photo bubble and bring in a broader community as a leader in the field. “We wanted to be a think tank that wasn’t afraid to have an opinion or take a stand—on everything from new business models for visual journalism to the necessity of opposing restrictions on free speech; even if that made us more vulnerable,” Boering said in a statement. “We want to help lead the visual journalism community by offering quality information, rigorous analysis, informed debate, and the most creative approaches to reporting and storytelling.”

Despite past obstacles, WPP is working to re-establish its place as a leading curator of good photography. The skeptics will surface, but Boering says they are prepared. “We’re ready to answer their questions,” he says. “But we are ready for it because we are very clear and we’ve worked on this so hard that we are confident that we have found a way to make the WPP contest stay on top of things.”

Boering hopes the WPP’s actions will help spur greater trust in photojournalism. “With such a big audience of people who have not been confronted with great stories, it is our duty to serve that to them and provide insight about the people who made the pictures,” says Boering. “If you do that then you lift up the whole structure and people will value even more the art of visual journalism and the people behind it who are driven in such a beautiful way.”

The 2016 World Press Photo Contest submissions will be open from Dec. 2 to Jan. 13. Entries may be submitted at the World Press Photo entry website. To view the full code of ethics or information regarding the 2016 Photo Contest, click here.

Rachel Lowry is a writer and contributor for TIME LightBox. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @rachelllowry.

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European Commission Launches Open Data Portal

240,000 Data Sets from 34 Countries

From an Introductory Blog Post:

“Currently, the portal includes over 240.000 datasets from 34 European countries. Information about the data available is structured into thirteen different categories ranging from agriculture to transport, including science, justice, health and so on. This enables you to quickly browse through categories and feel inspired by the data made accessible.

“To help access the data made available in different languages, we’ve set up a multilingual search interface. In order to translate also the metadata, the important descriptors of data machine-translation technology is used. This should help the you (developers, companies, journalists and interested users) to find data from around Europe on subjects of your interest. Re-use of data will get this way easier, allowing for example a developer in Bratislava to be in a better position to develop an app based on data published by the City of Oslo with Norwegian metadata annotations.”

Direct to New European Data Portal

Open Data Inception Project’s Online Directory

Links to 1,600 Open Data Portals Worldwide

A directory of open data portals from such sites as OpenGeocode, DataPortals, Quora, and StackExchange. According to a blog post by OpenDataSoft: The OpenDataSoft platform allows users to add different data sources to a single dataset. Thus, we added the data that we collected, as well as a link to an online table where we were able to add data by hand, keeping them permanently synchronized to their main dataset.”

Direct to OpenDataInception.io Directory

New Research Reports

World Migration Report 2015

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

From an IOM Introduction:

“The first two chapters of the report set out the main trends in cities and migration, examine the various urban settings which have experienced recent growth of internal or international or even both types of migration flows, highlighting the diversifying migration flows. Chapter 3 looks at aspects of urban vulnerabilities in general – livelihood and mobility strategies, barriers to accessing resources and specific forms of vulnerabilities, as they affect the populations most at risk including migrant women. Chapter 4 explores how urbanization and new mobility patterns can contribute to urban poverty reduction, growth and development and enhance migrant well-being. Chapter 5 studies some of the urban governance conditions for migrant inclusion and partnerships.”

Available in: English, French, and Spanish

From the European Parliament Research Library

Fingerprinting Migrants: Eurodac Regulation

Migration: An Unprecedented Challenge to the EU

EU Approach to the Paris Climate Conference

The European Council and the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris 2015 (COP 21)

Additional Environmental and Climate Resources from the EU

From the UK House of Commons and House of Lords Libraries

Seeking a Negotiated Solution in Syria

Egypt 2015

From the U.S. Congressional Research Service

The Islamic State — Frequently Asked Questions

Coalition Contributions to Countering the Islamic State

Special Section: Terrorism

Terrorism in Mali

Source: START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses)

Mass-Fatality, Coordinated Attacks Worldwide, and Terrorism in France
Source: START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses)

Global Terrorism Index

Source: Institute for Peace and Economics

Suicide Attack Database

Source: University of Chicago

Global Terrorism: Trends in 2014/2015
Source: European Parliament

Country Reports on Terrorism

Source: U.S. State Department

Global Terrorism Database

Source: START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses) (Note:methodological problems in the GTD’s data on suicide attacks have been reported.)

The post Research Desk: Open Data Guides, Migration, Terrorism appeared first on Media4Change.

Think beyond the science

When covering environmental journalism, reporters can’t just think about the science.

Religion, politics and other disciplines play a huge role in how a reader will interpret a story and the type of impact it will have on them.

“There’s a very real connection between what people have been raised to believe and how to process information,” Yancey said. “There can be all kinds of triggers that we don’t know about that predispose [our readers] to doubt and be skeptical.”

Make your stories relevant for your readers

In a 2014 Gallup poll on Americans’ interest in national news topics, the quality of the environment and climate change were third and second to last on the list, respectively.

“You can get geeked out about the science…but then you forget to connect the dots to the consequence on your reader’s lives,” Yancey said. “How do you connect that with something that has relevance and meaning?”

How do you make these stories matter to readers? Tell stories that are relevant to the community – local government stories, zoning laws in new neighborhoods, conservation efforts in the local school district, etc. “The more you get to that personal level, the better,” she said.

Always look to the source of the study

Dive deep into your source’s background and intention, as scientific studies have to be funded by some person or company that could have a vested interest in the results.

“For every story and scientific study that you’re trying to explain to the public…be aware of other people and types of interest motivated to cast doubt upon those findings,” Yancey said. “Everyone’s got a motive for talking to us.”

And with minimal federal funding toward scientific studies available, more researchers are getting funding from different types of industry that could lead different news angles depending on the outlet and audience, Yancey explained.

Yancey listed off a few questions, which she covers in her NewsU course on environmental reporting, to ask of your intel and sources when writing about study findings:

• Who did the study?
• Who funded the study?
• Who funds the journal in which the study appears, and who peer-reviewed it?
• Who controlled the study?
• How big was the sample size and who recruited them?
• What other variables were findings adjusted for? Why?
• Did the study confirm or deny your hypotheses. How and why?
• What conclusions can people draw from your work?
• Were the researchers surprised by the results? Is there other evidence that supports the study results? Is it the first study of its kind?

If you come across a nonprofit presenting information related to your study, first check where it gets its funding. This could be a front group for an industry. Check publicly available tax forms that list funders, like 990 forms for U.S. nonprofits.

You can also avoid using erroneous sources by building relationships early with researchers and groups that have been vetted and that you can trust.

The post How environmental journalists can tell more effective stories appeared first on Media4Change.

1. 84 UNESCO Member States out of 121 studied (69 per cent) for this report demonstrated noteworthy developments, mainly with negative impact, concerning journalistic source protection between 2007 and mid-2015.

2. The issue of source protection has come to intersect with the issues of mass surveillance, targeted surveillance, data retention, the spill-over effects of anti-terrorism/national security legislation, and the role of third party internet companies known as ‘intermediaries’.

3. Legal and regulatory protections for journalists’ sources are increasingly at risk of
erosion, restriction and compromise.

4. Without substantial strengthening of legal protections and limitations on surveillance and data retention, investigative journalism that relies on confidential sources will be difficult to sustain in the digital era, and reporting in many other cases will encounter inhibitions on the part of potential sources.

5. Transparency and accountability regarding both mass and targeted surveillance, and data retention, are critically important if confidential sources are to be able to continue to confidently make contact with journalists.

6. Individual states face a need to introduce or update source protection laws.

7. It is recommended to define “acts of journalism,” as distinct from the role of “journalists,” in determining who can benefit from source protection laws.

8. To optimise benefits, source protection laws should be strengthened in tandem with legal protections extended to whistle-blowers, who constitute a significant set of confidential journalistic sources.

9. Source protection laws need to cover journalistic processes and communications with confidential sources – including telephone calls, social media, and emails – along with published journalism that depends on confidential sources.

10. Journalists are increasingly adapting their practice in an effort to partially shield their sources from exposure, but threats to anonymity and encryption undermine these adaptations.

11. The financial cost of the digital era source protection threat is very significant (in terms of digital security tools, training, and legal advice), as is its impact on the production and scope of investigative journalism based on confidential sources.

12. There is a need to educate journalists and civil society actors in digital safety.

13. Journalists and others who rely on confidential sources to report in the public interest may need to train their sources in secure methods of contact and information-sharing.

The post UNESCO Report Calls for Stronger Source Protection appeared first on Media4Change.

The post Watchdogs Under Watch: Media In The Age Of Cyber Surveillance appeared first on Media4Change.

As media is constantly at the risk of becoming a vehicle for hate speech, the need for accurate and truthful reporting becomes vital. Furthermore, media needs to report reliable and unbiased information to the public with a deep understanding of conflict. Therefore it is of crucial importance to promote conflict-sensitive journalism practices, says UNESCO.

“Young women and men must have confidence in themselves, in their communities, in their futures,” said the UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova adding: “They must know their own histories to defend those of others. Their rights must be respected, to share these with all humanity.”

UNESCO will, firstly, support global research on linkages between youth, Internet, radicalization/ de-radicalization, as well as research-informed policies and actions. It will than strive to empower youth online communities and key youth stakeholders on topics relevant to counter-radicalization, by building their competencies and skills and by equipping them with creative tools and knowledge.

It will aslo aim to strengthen mobilization and cooperation between media professionals and practitioners to fight radicalization and online hate speech, with a focus on countries suffering tensions.

In light of the framework proposed it is also of crucial importance to promote cross-cultural dialogue among journalists, since media reflects tensions in society (religion, diversity, etc.) and plays an essential role communicating such sensitive issues to the citizens.

Journalists need to be able to objectively report and improve understanding of such issues without contributing to “fanning the flames”. Lastly, in light of increased violent attacks around the world, priority will be also be safety of journalists through serious of project involving young journalists.

Finally, UNESCO will support creative media campaigns and outreach strategies targeting policy-and opinion-makers as well as the general public. Building on the #Unite4Heritage campaign this project will support the communication campaign to share powerful stories of young victims of radicalization; to create and distribute new counter-narratives that would undermine the appeal of extremist messages; to harness the power of social networks to mobilize young people to raise their voice and put them at the center of the solution. Communication and outreach will take place through a combination of Internet and social media use, partnerships with traditional media engagement of renowned experts and offline activities.

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The International Journalists’ Network, inspired by the story of a Ukrainian reporter, Anton Skyba, published a list of manuals, resources and guidelines for journalists covering conflicts. Each of them is available online.

• Journalists Safety Guide: Covering the News in a Dangerous and Changing World – Committee to Protect Journalists. Handbook has a section on domestic journalism and deals with practical issues such as approaching checkpoints and hostile subjects. Available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, Somali, Farsi, Portuguese and Chinese.
• Handbook for Journalists – Reporters Without Borders. Lists of useful tips and excellent chapter on safety behind the lines. Available in English, French, Urdu and Kurdish.
• IWPR Training Manual – Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Contains chapter on journalist safety and is available in English, Arabic, Russian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Tajik.
• Disaster and Crisis Coverage – International Center for Journalists. Contains chapters on managing crisis coverage, reporting crises and staying safe.
• SEEMO Safety Net Manual – South East Europe Media Organization. Includes chapter on reporting during demonstrations, social unrest and other violent situations. Twelve different language versions available for all SEEMO countries.
• The Journalist Survival Guide – SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom at the Samir Kassir Foundation. The guide will prepare you for action in case of a tear gas attack, shooting, injury and other risks. Available in English and Arabic.
• Reporting Atrocities: A Toolbox for Journalists Covering Violent Conflict and Atrocities – Internews. The 7-chapter guide features a whole section on practical strategies for keeping yourself safe in a warzone.
• Tragedies and Journalists – Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. The free PDF lists ways for journalists to battle the psychological effects of covering traumatic events.

The post Tips for Ukrainian reporters covering conflict and free safety manuals for journalists appeared first on Media4Change.

• Successfully reflect the diversity of the community in their coverage
• Provide quality coverage of issues of interest to the community
• Succeed in recruiting and retaining diverse news staffs’.

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