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Published on Jan 08 2016Kathy EnglishPUBLIC EDITOR
When you were the editor: Public Editor
The almost 10,600 readers who played You be the Editor agreed with the Stars judgment calls intwo-thirds of cases.
It was a highly unscientic, overly simplistic survey, to be sure.
Certainly, to draw any signicant or serious conclusions about Toronto Star readers based on the resultsof my annual You be the Editor challenge, published in recent weeks, would be folly indeed.
But with almost 10,600 readers weighing in a record number of responses we can draw out some
Rick Madonik / Toronto Star
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interesting information about readers perspectives on some of the many deadline judgments made bynewsroom journalists 24/7.
The survey asked you to be the editor and determine whether to publish or not publish in 18real-life questions of ethics, taste, style and usage faced by Star journalists in 2015. In each, I provided areason to publish or not. Given space restrictions, these reasons were highly simplistic, representing anarrow aspect of journalistic reasoning.
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Not surprisingly, some readers told me their reasons for publishing or not publishing were somewhatdifferent than the pro-and-con arguments I offered. Thats understandable and reects the reality thatnewsroom debate about what to publish is always deeper and more wide-ranging than what this lightexercise in journalistic decision-making can depict.
Each of these scenarios had evoked some measure of reader complaint to the public editors office andin many cases the arguments for not publishing represent the gist of reader concerns.
Survey results show that readers were aligned with the newsrooms judgments in 12 of the 18 matters inquestion. That amounts to reader-newsroom consensus in 66 per cent of judgments or two-thirds of the time.
The highlights:
The Stars judgments
In all but two of the 18 scenarios, the Star published the content in question.
The rst exception was editorial cartoonist Theo Moudakis depiction of Tory in Pride attire showingToronto Mayor John Tory outtted in bare-butt chaps to celebrate Pride week. That was nixed by
Editorial Page Editor Andrew Phillips until the cartoonist added full trousers to the mayor. At the time, Iagreed with Phillips cautious concern that the cartoon might be regarded as a negative, over-the-topstereotype. But in looking more at this one, we have both come to lighten up and agree with those 60per cent of readers who said they would publish the cartoon as drawn.
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The Star also opted for a no-publishing judgment a year ago when 12 editorial cartoonists at the satiricalFrench newspaper Charlie Hebdo were shot dead. Following considerable newsroom debate, the Star
decided not to republish that organizations incendiary cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammed.Responding to this dilemma, a slim majority of readers 55 per cent say they would have publishedthese cartoons. I agree with the Stars decision and the 45 per cent of readers who would not havepublished the images because it would be offensive and hurtful to Muslims in this community.
Closest calls:
Readers were almost evenly split on cartoonist Moudakis satirical take on Justin Trudeaus campaignpromise to legalize marijuana, with 51 per cent opting not to publish A Justin Trudeau Halloween aweek after the election of the new PM. While we received a number of complaints about this cartoon, Iagree with the other half of readers here and consider it in line with the wide latitude of editorial
cartoonists to skewer public gures and satirize public issues.
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That same 51/49 split showed up in readers response to the question of whether the Star shouldsanitize the swear words in a column about the historical relationships of Canadian prime ministers andU.S. presidents. That column referred to two iconic quotes: Lyndon Johnson telling PM Lester PearsonYou p----ed on my rug and Richard Nixon calling Pierre Trudeau an a----le. The wee majority hereopted to publish the words, obscured by dashes. While the Stars taste policy calls for those dashes inswear words, given the historical import of these quotes I would have published the words in full.
Widest margins of consensus
An overwhelming number of readers 88 per cent agreed with the Stars decision to publish thebathing beauties picture taken in Torontos Beaches in 1984 by photographer Colin McConnell. As Itold those readers who had expressed concerns that the image is sexist, context is everything here. Thephoto was republished on McConnells nal day of work with the Star as part of a retrospective of hiswork over the past 30-plus years and is evocative of another era.
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Readers expressed almost the same margin of support 87 per cent for the Stars reference to ticketscalping in a Business article about Ontarios Ticket Speculation Act governing the ticket resale market.The minority lined up with the view of the reader who had expressed concern that scalping is offensiveto indigenous people. I was unfamiliar with this view and in researching this, I found little to support anargument to avoid the word scalping in stories about ticket reselling. But I will send this on to the Starsnewsroom style committee for further consideration.
Because it is 2016
Several questions focused on sexism concerns raised by readers. While readers who responded to thesurvey (and I) agreed with publishing a beefcake shot of our new PM following his election and theabove-mentioned beach cheesecake photo, a majority 66 per cent would not have published aheadline referring to a pretty actress. And 62 per cent would have nixed a quote from a man who saidhe was so frightened he ran away like a little girl. Im with the majority here. Readers were split 55/45per cent on publishing the headline HRH Princess Cutie with the rst photo of the royal couple Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge introducing their yet unnamed daughter tothe world. My view: cute baby, cute headline. I dont see sexism here.
On two questions concerning matters of sensitivity in how the Star portrays mental health matters,readers were almost evenly divided with 52 per cent opting not to publish a reference to mentalpatients but 53 per cent in agreement with the judgment to publish a readers letter expressing the viewabout former PM Stephen Harpers dyslexia on privacy matters. Neither of those references is in linewith media best practices for writing about mental health and, to my mind, neither should have beenpublished in the Star.
Trickiest question
Not surprisingly, few readers caught the error of law in the surveys nal question about whether topublish the headline: UK police capture vault busting thieves with a story that reported on British police
swooping down on suspected jewel thieves and making arrests in the notorious Hatton Garden heist inwhich thieves bored holes through the half-metre concrete wall to access a vault. A strong majority 83per cent would have published the headline.
The trick? Police captured suspected thieves, so labeling them thieves in the headline in effect convictsthem before they have had their day in court. Readers dont have to know this legal stuff, but journalistsmust. This headline should never have been published.
The full survey and results, with my votes added (+1):
1 . A story about reaction in the United States to the election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
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reports that America ogles photos of Canadas shirtless PM and refers to an image posted byNBCNews.com of a bare-chested Trudeau exing his biceps. Do you publish this photo in the Star?
Yes: It shows the image of Canadas new PM that was widely circulated and viewed by manyAmericans. 68% (+1)
No: The photo is sexist and demeaning to Canadas new leader. 32%
2 . Following several years in which former Toronto mayor Rob Ford refused to attend TorontosPride parade, Mayor John Tory participates joyfully in Pride events, including the parade. Do you publishthis editorial cartoon Tory in Pride attire depicting the mayor outtted in bare-butt chaps?
Yes: It is light-hearted cartoon that playfully captures the spirit of Pride and celebrates the Mayorsparticipation. 60% (+1)
No: It is demeaning to the mayor. Put on his pants. 40%
3. In running to be Canadas new prime minister, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau promises that hisgovernment would legalize marijuana. A week after he is elected PM, a few days before Halloween, doyou publish this editorial cartoon entitled, A Justin Trudeau Halloween?
No: Depicting the new PM as a parent willing to hand out drugs to children on Halloween crossesthe taste line. 51%
Yes: Editorial cartoonists have wide latitude to skewer public gures and satirize public issues.
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49% (+1)
4. On the last day of photographer Colin McConnells employment with the Star, a retrospective of his work over the past 30-plus years is published. Do you include this photo taken in Torontos Beachesin 1984?
Yes: The image is evocative of its era and presented in context with the photographersretirement. 88% (+1)
No: The photo is clearly sexist and should not be republished in 2015. 12%
5. The City Nights photo caption accompanying this photo taken at the opening gala of theToronto International Film Festival identies the woman, pictured second from left, as Jennifer Tory(Mayor John Torys sister). Do you publish this?
Yes: Tory is the mayors sister. 56%
No: Why should Tory, a highly accomplished RBC banking executive in her own right, be identiedby her connection to her brother? 44% (+1)
6. Do you publish this photo of bodies being removed from the Moka Espresso Bar in Vaughanafter a shooting that left two dead and two seriously injured?
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condence?
Yes: It accurately reects the story. 59%
No: In reporting on transgender people trans should not be used as a noun. It is an adjective.41% (+1)
11 . A Business article about a change to Ontarios Ticket Speculation Act governing the ticket
resale market refers to ticket scalping in the story and headline. Do you publish this?
Yes: The dictionary denes scalping as someone who buys things, especially tickets, to resell.87% (+1)
No: Scalping is a slang term from the late 19th century offensive to indigenous peoplethroughout North America. 13%
12. An editorial about Toronto budget deliberations headlined Voodoo budgeting states thatyear after year, city hall is stuck relying on voodoo economics. Do you publish this?
Yes: Voodoo economics is a well-known economic term used since the 1980s when George BushSr. used it to disparage Ronald Reagans tax cut promises. 80%
No: Voodoo economics is considered a racist, derogatory term that denigrates voodoo, thecommon term for the West African religion Vodun, (also practised in Haiti). 20% (+1)
13. An article about the number of patients that go missing at Torontos Centre for Addiction andMental Health (CAMH) includes a sub-headline that states: Centres stats far exceed other hospitals, butstaffer points to its large number of mental patients Do you publish this?
No: Mental patient is an offensive dehumanizing term. People are more than the challengesthey face. 52% (+1)
Yes: Whats the problem? 48%
14. A reader submits a letter to the editor critical of Stephen Harpers stance on privacy andtransparency, expressing the view that in his dyslexia Canadas Freedom of Information Act hasbecome Canadas Freedom from Information Act. Do you publish the letter and this headline: PMdyslexic on privacy?
Yes: The letter writer was expressing his opinion. 53%
No: This is inaccurate usage, insensitive to those with dyslexia. 47% (+1)
15. Following the news of the murder of 12 editorial cartoonists at the satirical French newspaperCharlie Hebdo, do you republish that news organizations incendiary cartoons that depict the ProphetMuhammed?
Yes: The provocative images at the heart of this tragedy are newsworthy 55%
No: These images are offensive and hurtful to Muslims in this community. 45% (+1)
16. A column expressing strong criticism of a Toronto Police tribunal hearing decision sparing
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Const. Babak Andalib-Goortani more serious punishment for his assault on a protester during the G20in 2010 opens with the columnist stating, Whats the use? What is the goddamn use? Do you publishthis sentence? Answers
Yes: Columnists have wide latitude to express their own views in their own voice and tone.70%
No: The profanity is offensive to many Christians and crosses the taste line. 30% (+1)
17. A column about the historical relationships of Canadian prime ministers and U.S. presidentsreferred to two iconic quotes in bilateral relations: Lyndon Johnson telling PM Lester Pearson Youp----ed on my rug and Richard Nixon calling Pierre Trudeau an a----le Do you publish these quoteswith the foul language obscured by dashes?
No: Why sanitize the historic words of prime ministers and presidents? Johnson told Pearson youpissed on my rug and Nixon called Trudeau an asshole 51% (+1)
Yes: The Stars taste policy states that swear words should be used sparingly and even then,obscured by dashes. 49%
18. A story reports that more than 200 British police swooped down on suspected jewel thievesmaking arrests in the notorious Hatton Garden heist in which thieves bored holes through thehalf-metre concrete wall to access a vault. Do you publish this headline: UK police capture vault-bustingthieves?
Yes: The headline accurately reects the story. 83%
No: The headline is not accurate. 17% (+1)
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