Journalism That Matters

Students sometimes see journalism as little more than entertainment. But at its best, journalism can reveal harsh truths, stand up to government, and present an unbiased viewpoint. For the last two years, the Washington Post has traced police shooting in the U.S. and has compiled statistics more complete than even the federal government has compiled. NPR reports.

Questions...

•Why is this valuable journalism?

•Are the Post's statistics more believable than police statistics or Black Lives Matter statistics? Why or why not?

•Why are cellphones and social media important in bringing this issue to the public's attention?

•How is live streaming of a confrontation with police an example of disintermediation?

•How can footage from officer cameras or social media posts be misleading?