Deadlines and Diversity: Journalism Ethics in a Changing World

Geoff Hayes is Director, International Studies Option, University of
Waterloo.

This collection of 19 articles—the result of workshops involving
Canadian journalists, educators, and teachers—addresses both abstract
questions of ethical practice and the practical problems of getting the
news out.

Arthur Kent and Armande Saint-Jean call for a reassessment of the
boundaries of “ethical” journalism. Earl Winkler argues that the
work of ethicists and philosophers has a place on the newsroom shelf
beside the style guides and extra pencils. Articles by Frank Howard and
Pierre Mignault reinforce the sense that journalists are more
comfortable drawing lessons from the streets than from textbooks.
Valerie Alia and Bud White Eye address questions of diversity and
confirm that the voice of the journalist is often that of a white,
middle-class WASP. Articles by William Law (on sports reporting) and
Alia (on arts reviewing) confirm that questions of ethical conduct are
not restricted to social and political issues.

Deadlines and Diversity is a lively and provocative volume that should
interest both practitioners and students of journalism.