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The Capitol Connection
College of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Illinois Springfield
Public Affairs Reporting
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  • Trump Controversies Raise Journalism Ethics Questions

    Sep 15, 2020 9:15 am29 views

    An analysis:  two recent news stories that make President Trump look bad have launched important discussions about journalism ethics. 

  • We Don’t Want to Hear about Kamala Harris’ Shoes

    Aug 18, 2020 10:15 am62 views

    When vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris delivers her prime-time speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, pay attention to the words used to describe her.  Unfortunately, commentators, opinionmakers and sometimes even news reporters have a bad habit of describing female politicians in ways they rarely or never do about male politicians.

  • ‘Make a little noise with your pens, your pencils, your cameras’

    Jul 21, 2020 9:00 am19 views

    John Lewis had a familiar directive when it came to standing up against racial injustice – get yourself into some “good trouble” while doing it.  As tributes to the civil rights icon and congressman pour in following his death on July 17 at age 80, journalists need to remember those words apply to them, too.

  • Trump targets Twitter; what will happen to free speech?

    Jun 16, 2020 9:00 am59 views

    "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."  Back when I was the online editor of The State Journal-Register, this sentence went through my mind often as I kept track of the flood of reader comments that appeared under the online version of our journalists’ news stories.

  • Saving Local News

    May 26, 2020 8:45 am116 views

    Local journalism was in serious trouble before anyone heard of COVID-19, but amid a worldwide shutdown intended to stem the spread of the dangerous virus, the financial struggles of your local media outlet are even more serious now. So how can we fix this?

  • Local News – Needed Now More Than Ever

    May 19, 2020 8:30 am83 views

    Trif Alatzas discusses the need for local news in today’s world.  Alatzas led The Baltimore Sun team that was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting "for illuminating, impactful" investigations into city and state government.

  • May Public Affairs Minute: The Role of a Free Press in a Democratic Society

    May 12, 2020 9:00 am65 views

    Journalists are trained to be objective observers, uncover the facts, keep sources confidential and question stakeholders, citizens, politicians, corporate and military leaders, and their institutions. The purpose is to shed light, provide transparency, ferret out lies and insure accuracy. Indeed, this focus on the truth is the fundamental role of a free press in democratic society.

  • May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day. Thank a Journalist.

    Apr 30, 2020 11:30 am53 views

    World Press Freedom Day -- established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 and observed annually on May 3 -- is a chance to celebrate the free press principles we enjoy in the United States.  America’s journalists -- from the largest national outlets in New York and D.C. to the tiny newspapers in rural towns throughout the country -- work hard to reveal the truth the public needs.