How Safe Is Your Newsroom? Can election year inspire newsrooms to stop denying their biases -- and start benefiting from them? | |
| By Butch Ward (more by author) Poynter Institute Distinguished Fellow | |
What does it take to create an atmosphere in which everyone in the newsroom can feel comfortable enough with their views -- or in their skin -- to speak out on behalf of fairness, accuracy, better journalism?
Pronoun antecedent problem: Butch should make the the antecedent "people."
But I can't help thinking what an opportunity was squandered in that conservative editor's newsroom....
Passive verb, wordiness: "I think that conservative editor's newsroom squandered an opportunity...."
Can we identify that middle ground between overt politicking and hiding our biases, in order to utilize the expertise our biases and interests might have driven us to obtain?
The superfluous comma after "biases" cuts off a restrictive adverbial prepositional phrase. Three-syllable "utilize" should be "use."
Can we master an admittedly difficult balancing act: how to bring our whole selves -- biases and all -- to the office, and put them to good use on behalf of better journalism?
The comma after "office" separates a compound infinitive appositive: "how to bring...and [how to] put...."
Can they trust that their questions and observations won't be dismissed or ridiculed?
Passive verb: "Can we trust that colleagues won't dismiss or ridicule their questions and observations?"
Can they trust that they won't be labeled troublemakers –- or, in the current vernacular of pop management circles –- assholes?
Passive verb and prissy gloss for using vernacular: "Can we trust that their colleagues won't label them troublemakers or 'assholes'?"
In my newsroom, everyone is invited, encouraged, expected to speak up.
Passive verb: "In my newsroom, everyone gets encouragement to speak up."
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