Minority Reports
Social minority issues in perspective
Recent stories that flesh out important topics
By Jennifer Vanasco May 17, 2013 at 06:50 AM
The media covers social minorities regularly in the daily churn of news. A lot of that coverage just skims the... More
When only The Onion tells it like it is
Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna, and most “real” outlets keep overlooking it
By Jennifer Vanasco May 10, 2013 at 06:50 AM
The parody newspaper The Onion isn't a news organization, of course. But once in awhile, it tells a truth that... More
How not to report on a transgender victim
Cemia Acoff identified as a woman in life and should have been in death, too
By Jennifer Vanasco May 3, 2013 at 06:50 AM
Sometime between the end of March and the end of April, an Ohio transgender woman was brutally murdered--she was stabbed... More
Where is the media on ENDA?
An important bill that would protect gay workers from discrimination gets little media coverage
By Jennifer Vanasco Apr 26, 2013 at 06:50 AM
A bill that is crucial to the civil rights of the LGBT community was reintroduced in both houses of Congress... More
In marathon explosion coverage, avoid premature accusations
It’s easy to assume the perpetrator is muslim, but that’s a harmful thing to do
By Jennifer Vanasco Apr 18, 2013 at 06:50 AM
We don't know yet who planted the Boston Marathon bombs. Maybe it was a crazy loner. Maybe it was someone... More
Leave appearance out of it
Because she isn’t currently a candidate, Obama’s remarks didn’t necessarily hurt Kamala Harris. But if she had been running, a new study says that they would have hurt her
By Jennifer Vanasco Apr 12, 2013 at 06:50 AM
I wasn't planning to write about the dust-up after Obama called California's Kamala Harris the country's "best-looking attorney general." After... More
Tidbits in the news
Quick takes on social minorities in the recent news cycle
By Jennifer Vanasco Apr 5, 2013 at 06:50 AM
It seems like every day in the news cycle there is a fascinating tidbit I'd like to cover in Minority... More
Quotas get results
A chat with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on tapping sources more diverse than the usual pool of white dudes
By Ann Friedman Mar 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM
Let's face it: The conversation about diversity in journalism is mostly boring hand-wringing. With each new byline count, it's easy... More
Dismal Steubenville coverage
The media can, and must, do better when covering assaults
By Jennifer Vanasco Mar 22, 2013 at 06:50 AM
It isn't just CNN. Over the past few days, there has been a lot of anger directed at the cable... More
More women are needed in investigative journalism
It’s time for the media to counteract institutional barriers to women’s entry in the field
By Jennifer Vanasco Mar 15, 2013 at 06:50 AM
In a recent blog post, Lyra McKee tells a story that took place at a feminist-run charity when she was... More
Writing about powerful women
The media should stop treating Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer as though they represent their whole gender
By Jennifer Vanasco Mar 8, 2013 at 06:50 AM
Why do we in the media try to make some women standard bearers for all women? That's the problem, really,... More
Do we still need a black media?
A vibrant black media and a more inclusive mainstream media should both be available to the public
By Lori Tharps Mar 4, 2013 at 06:50 AM
At the end of January, I organized and moderated a panel at Temple University's School of Media and Communications called... More
Is the Washington Post pro-gay?
If they are, it shouldn’t be at the expense of covering anti-gay individuals
By Jennifer Vanasco Feb 28, 2013 at 02:50 PM
Last week, The Washington Post asked itself an interesting question in a headline: "Is The Post Pro-Gay?" Meaning, does it... More
Behind AP’s new ‘husband, wife’ guideline
It’s an attempt to fix a perceived slight to married gay couples
By Jennifer Vanasco Feb 22, 2013 at 06:50 AM
The Associated Press did the right thing on Thursday. After a week in which gay reporters, LGBT blogs, gay advocacy... More
AP’s first usage guidelines on ‘husband, wife’
The new entry comes in response to anger over a memo to avoid the words to describe gay couples
By Jennifer Vanasco Feb 21, 2013 at 01:00 PM
Last week, Jim Romenesko published an internal memo from the Associated Press about how to refer to gay and lesbian... More
‘See you on the other side’ - Meet Jessica Lum, a terminally ill 25-year-old who chose to spend what little time she had practicing journalism
#Realtalk: This is the best moment to be in journalism - The old stuff isn’t coming back, but that’s okay
Streams of consciousness - Millennials expect a steady diet of quick-hit, social-media-mediated bits and bytes. What does that mean for journalism?
Sticking with the truth - How ‘balanced’ coverage helped sustain the bogus claim that childhood vaccines can cause autism
An ink-stained stretch - Can Aaron Kushner save the Orange County Register—and the newspaper industry?
This is the best moment to be in journalism (25)
The WSJ editorial page hits rock bottom (19)
Public television’s attempts to placate David Koch
One journalist took matters into his own hands when a fellow audience member wouldn’t stop using her smartphone during a theater performance
Purchasing Tumblr is Yahoo’s flashy bet on a shift in social media
The shift from Facebook to more creative social networks
Gay Talese’s outline for ‘Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,’ 1966
Handwritten on a shirt board
CJR's Guide to Online News Startups
Uptown Messenger – Hyperlocal news for a neighborhood in New Orleans
Who Owns What
The Business of Digital Journalism
A report from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Questions and exercises for journalism students.
