Website Feature: Journalists's Resource

I thought I'd check out Journalist's Resource, a project of the Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center, since it was named (with 25 others)  “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013” by the American Library Association. I was not disappointed. While the site is for practitioners, it is rich in research, research journalists need on the topics they are reporting on. By extension, non-journalists interested in wading deeper into an issue are welcome as well:

We invite all those interested in policy and public affairs to use the site’s materials. No registration is required; the materials are free and are under a Creative Commons license. Our open-access project is designed to provide state-of-knowledge information on topics of public interest. In an era of information overload, we hope you’ll see us as a useful tool that condenses quality information from authoritative sources and presents it succinctly. - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

We invite all those interested in policy and public affairs to use the site’s materials. No registration is required; the materials are free and are under a Creative Commons license. Our open-access project is designed to provide state-of-knowledge information on topics of public interest. In an era of information overload, we hope you’ll see us as a useful tool that condenses quality information from authoritative sources and presents it succinctly. ...Establishing and promoting the concept of “knowledge-based reporting” animates the project; the philosophy is articulated in the new book Informing the News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism, by Tom Patterson, our research director. Many of the nation’s top journalism educators and thinkers have been promoting the idea of bringing journalism closer to the research world — both to meet the profession’s social mission and to ensure its high value in an increasingly crowded marketplace — and our site strives to provide a structure for accomplishing this.

Establishing and promoting the concept of “knowledge-based reporting” animates the project; the philosophy is articulated in the new book Informing the News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism, by Tom Patterson, our research director. Many of the nation’s top journalism educators and thinkers have been promoting the idea of bringing journalism closer to the research world — both to meet the profession’s social mission and to ensure its high value in an increasingly crowded marketplace — and our site strives to provide a structure for accomplishing this. Our project has been partnering with the New York Times, for example, to help create more research-related resources for readers. We also actively foster the improvement of Wikipedia pages relating to policy topics. - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.UFIkxch7.dpuf

The meat of the website is the “Studies Database” which can be key-word searched or one can browse the list of topics in the following areas: economics (banks, jobs, real estate), environment (food, climate change, pollution) government (budget, infrastructure, Congress), international (human rights, globalization, China), politics (elections, digital democracy, campaign finance), and society (race, education, internet). Searches will produce research articles from academic journals, some of which are otherwise behind pay walls. A research roundup piece on Twitter, Politics and the Public provides articles from Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Social Science Computer Review, Duke Law & Technology Review, Information, Communication & Society, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Microsoft Research, Pew Internet and American Life Project, various society conference papers, and so on. 

The site also has the beginnings of a rich syllabus section, only nine so far, all addressing coverage skills (business reporting, political reporting, science reporting, etc.) but they may add critical journalism and media studies related syllabi in the future. 

I was wondering this very question posed in the FAQ: Can I suggest a study? "Definitely. If you know of scholarly material that meets our research criteria, send it to... Also, if you feel that material that we’ve included doesn’t meet these standards or if better research on a similar topic is available, feedback is always appreciated."

As we are wont to bemoan the level of the discourse in our media culture this initiative offers some hope for raising the bar a little. It is also a much needed bridge for journalism scholars and practicing journalists to cross from both directions.

We invite all those interested in policy and public affairs to use the site’s materials. No registration is required; the materials are free and are under a Creative Commons license. Our open-access project is designed to provide state-of-knowledge information on topics of public interest. In an era of information overload, we hope you’ll see us as a useful tool that condenses quality information from authoritative sources and presents it succinctly. - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

We invite all those interested in policy and public affairs to use the site’s materials. No registration is required; the materials are free and are under a Creative Commons license. Our open-access project is designed to provide state-of-knowledge information on topics of public interest. In an era of information overload, we hope you’ll see us as a useful tool that condenses quality information from authoritative sources and presents it succinctly. - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

Based at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, the Journalist’s Resource project examines news topics through a research lens; we focus on surfacing scholarly materials that may be relevant to other media practitioners, bloggers, educators, students and general readers. The American Library Association named it a “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013.” - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

American Library Association named it a “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013.” - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

American Library Association named it a “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013.” - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

American Library Association named it a “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013.” - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

American Library Association named it a “Best Free Reference Web Site 2013.” - See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/about#sthash.gMmiM669.dpuf

Shorenstein Center

Shorenstein Center

Shorenstein Center

Shorenstein Center

October CommQuote

There are many hotbeds around the world where it is dangerous to work as a journalist. Honduras is one of them. In the past ten years at least 32 journalists have lost their lives and many more have been violently attacked or threatened. It doesn't seem to matter if they work for mainstream newspaper and broadcasting outlets or alternative/community media outlets. One of the most shocking and recent cases is that of television journalist Anibal Barrow, abducted on June 24, 2013 only to be discovered, his body dismembered, days later (pictured below is his grieving son). The message to journalists is clear. Writes Dina Meza in the latest Index on Censorship (Volume 42, No. 3), in a piece titled Reign of Terror : "Those reporting on human rights violations, drug trafficking, organised crime, US intervention in Honduran politics and corruption are clearly vulnerable. Land issues are also highly contentious topics. Whether it’s the destruction of the environment for profit, particularly by mining and hydro-electric companies, land ownership or land-grabbing, these live issues galvanise communities and journalists alike, who use both traditional media and social networks to spread information."

So our CommQuote this month is our saddest one to date. It is a list, one compiled by the Honduran Human Rights Commissioner.

Honduras’s murdered journalists, 2003–2013Anibal Barrow, Globo TV, Cortes – 24 June 2013 Celin Orlando Acosta Zelaya, freelance, Olancho – 31 January 2013 Angel Edgardo Lopez Fiallos, journalism student, Francisco Morazan – 8 November 2012 Julio Cesar Cassaleno, Direction Nacional de Transito (Transport) – 28 August 2012 Jose Noel Canales Lagos, Hondudiario and SEPROC, Tegucigalpa – 10 August 2012 Adonis Felipe Bueso Gutierrez, Radio Naranja, Cortes – 8 July 2012 Erick Martinez, Asociacion Kukulcan, Francisco Morazan – 7 May 2012 Noel Alexander Valladares, Maya TV, Francisco Morazan – 23 April 2012 Fausto Elio Valle, Radio Alegre, Colon – 11 March 2012 Fabiola Almendares Borjas, journalism student, Cortes – 1 March 2012 Luz Marina Paz, Honduran News Channel, Francisco Morazan – 6 December 2011 Medardo Flores, Radio Uno, Cortes – 9 September 2011 Nery Jeremias Orellana, Radio Joconguera, Lempira – 14 July 2011 Adan Benitez, 45TV and Teleceiba Canal 7, Atlantida – 5 July 2011 Luis Mendoza, Macrosistema Company and Canal 24, Danli – 19 May 2011 Hector Francisco Medina Polanco, Omega Visión, Yoro – 10 May 2011 Henry Orlando Suazo, HRN, Atlantida – 28 December 2010 Israel Diaz Zelaya, Radio Internacional, Cortes – 24 August 2010 Luis Arturo Mondragon, Canal 19, El Paraiso –14 June 2010 Luis Chevez Hernandez, Radio W105, San Pedro Sula – 09 April 2010 Victor Manuel Juarez Vasquez, Canal 4 de Juticalpa, Olancho – 26 March 2010 Bayardo Mairena, Canal 4 de Juticalpa, Olancho – 26 March 2010 Nahum Palacios, Canal 5 de Aguan, Colon – 14 March 2010 David Meza, El Patio and Radio America, Atlantida – 11 March 2010 Joseph Hernandez, Canal 51, Francisco Morazan – 1 March 2010 Nicolas Asfura, Construction Company, Francisco Morazan – 17 February 2010 Gabriel Fino Noriega, Radio America, Atlantida – 3 July 2009 Osman Rodrigo Lopez, Canal 45, Francisco Morazan – 19 April 2009 Rafael Munguia, Radio Cadena Voces, Cortes – 1 April 2009 Bernardo Rivera Paz, Freelancer, Copan – 14 March 2009 Fernando Gonzalez, Radio Mega FM 92.7, Santa Barbara – 1 January 2008 Carlos Salgado, Radio Cadena Voces, Morazan – 18 October 2007 German Rivas, Corporacion Maya Vision Canal 7, Copan – 26 November 2003 To date, no one has been prosecuted for the above crimes Source: Honduras Human Rights Commissioner.

Government Shutdown: Comparing Newspaper Front Pages

Whether you have a fervent or just passing interest in front page coverage of big stories, the best place to start is the Newseum's Today's Front Pages Web site. Today's sampling includes 908 front pages from 87 countries, all weighing in in some fashion on the US government shutdown. Each day's  selection of front pages is available on the site by 8:30 a.m. Each morning editors choose a min-exhibit of that day's top 10 front pages. You can ignore such pre-selection and wade through them all yourself or, for more organized browsing, papers are sorted by region with lists and maps.

Today's Front Pages is also a permanent "bricks and mortar" exhibit residing on the 6th level of the museum (located in Washington, DC). The  museum as a whole is this librarian-blogger's favorite non-art museum on the planet. Good stuff for all ages!