It was a big year for the media, as well as for CJR, so we wanted to reflect on some of our most-read stories from the last 12 months. We’ve also been keeping an eye on what you had to say—so enjoy some of your Twitter comments paired with our top five pieces of 2015.
The media’s reaction to Seymour Hersh’s bin Laden scoop has been disgraceful
Columnist Trevor Timm dished out this piece chastising the media for being quick to turn on the award-winning reporter.
Before dismissing Seymour Hersh on Bin Laden’s death, remember: he broke the My Lai massacre and Abu Ghraib. @CJR https://t.co/qgdRjWyAVq
— Brent Staples (@BrentNYT) May 15, 2015
Sy Hersh is being slammed for using anonymous sources, as major media orgs use them every day https://t.co/J8gxgXlVJH pic.twitter.com/amoosyxt1I
— David Sirota (@davidsirota) May 23, 2015
Rolling Stone’s investigation: ‘A failure that was avoidable’
Columbia Journalism School deans Steve Coll and Sheila Coronel and researcher Derek Kravitz investigated the disastrous piece by Sabrina Rubin Erdely.
Fact-checking and solid reporting keeps investigative journalism strong, read @ColumbiaJourn report on @RollingStone: https://t.co/9FFUtTdypb
— WisconsinWatch.org (@WisWatch) April 8, 2015
Still reeling from Columbia J-School’s dissection of @RollingStone UVA rape story. There’s a lesson for all journos. https://t.co/sgX1L5GIGh
— Mark Orwoll (@orwoll) April 7, 2015
The transformation of David Brooks
CJR Delacorte Fellow Danny Funt profiled The New York Times columnist, and discovered he’s got a new purpose in life.
Astute, sympathetic profile of David Brooks, & his shift from an interest in politics to morality. https://t.co/GmNbN2tFYk via @emmaogreen
— Ruth Graham (@publicroad) November 4, 2015
‘@dannyfunt‘s profile of David Brooks is on point. Central q: What’s the role of morality, as a lens, in journalism? https://t.co/EY5vjat57x
— Emma Green (@emmaogreen) November 4, 2015
Former CJR Delacorte Fellow Chris Ip peered inside the inner workings of the millennial-focused media company.
Great paradox here: “@Vice has mastered the mass production of authenticity for profit.” https://t.co/boezliCEp3
— Kevin Douglas Grant (@kevindgrant) July 6, 2015
.@cjr‘s Vice analogy: imagine MTV’s Jackass producing exclusive documentaries about ISIS from Syria and Iraq. https://t.co/DwCT8KGfrz
— Megan Hess (@mhess4) July 14, 2015
Why journalists have the right to cover the University of Missouri protests
United States Project correspondent Jonathan W. Peters explained the legal reasoning behind reporters’ access to the Mizzou protest.
Everyone should read this article. I support #Mizzou students yet know that journos are obligated to cover it: https://t.co/PFyXqftB44
— Ragdoll (@MissusBojangles) November 11, 2015
Grace under pressure. That’s photojournalist Tim Tai @nonorganical, who (rightly) stood his ground @mizzou https://t.co/ArSTIZNi9K
— Andrea Panciera (@andreapanciera) November 11, 2015
Looking for more year-end content? See our list of best and worst journalism, the Hits and Misses of sports journalism, and great science writing you may have missed.
