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| | Here are a few quotes from the Public Editor's inbox that resonated with us. You can share your questions and concerns with us through the NPR Contact page. |
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‘Homeless people’ or ‘People without housing’? |
Sharlene Birdsong writes: Hello. I heard a story on Here & Now yesterday [Dec. 29] that referenced "homeless people." What is the NPR policy on Person-First Language? |
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You raise a good question about people-first language policy, which is designed to do exactly as it says and put people, not their circumstances, first. It’s clear that media institutions, including NPR, are trying to evolve and progress when it comes to language, and that often includes adapting people-first language. But there have yet to be universal rules consistently followed across the board. This piece uses the term “people experiencing homelessness” twice, but uses the term “homeless people” in a caption and as a tag. The Web headline on the page doesn’t even use the term “people”; it reads “California Struggles To House Thousands Of Homeless Placed In Hotels During Pandemic.” This piece uses people-first language, referencing “people with disabilities” throughout, but also uses the term “disabled people,” with additional variations. In the Dec. 29 episode of Here & Now, a segment does feature reporter Joanne Silberner saying, “a homeless person.” (Using people-first language, this might be changed to “a person without housing.”) Though, this particular story came from Tacoma, Wash.-based station KNKX, where the piece was originally edited. Here & Now Editor Eileen Bolinsky told me in an email that the team “will try to use other language where possible,” and thanked you for raising the issue. People-first language is apparent in the actual description of the episode, where this particular segment is summarized: “One clinic in Seattle has both veterinarians and doctors so people without housing can get care for their pets and themselves.” — Kayla Randall |
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Viktor Araque writes: Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this. In my normal routine Alexa connects me to NPR, which catches me up on the day's developments around the world. A report on the Christmas Day "bombing" was on, explaining how many buildings were damaged according to local city inspectors. Interesting stuff. But then it glared out at me. This was a terrorist act. Why was this not reported as such? |
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Was there a discussion behind the scenes to call this incident a domestic terrorist attack? I posed this question to Deputy National Editor Laura Smitherman, who told me in an email that there was. A few days after the bombing, Morning Edition actually ran a segment on how the incident revived a debate over which acts get labeled terrorism. The two-way featured Hannah Allam, a Washington-based national security correspondent for NPR. Allam told host Leila Fadel that “authorities require an ideological component to label it terrorism … And as we said, we don't yet know anything solid about Warner's beliefs.” “As with all criminal allegations, we report the way law enforcement officials characterize the alleged wrongdoing,” Smitherman wrote in her email. “Officials have said they need to know ideology or political motivation before they can label this as an act of terror. It was one of the first questions they were asked, and they have said they would need to know more about motive. And we don’t yet know the motive/extent of pre-meditation.” Andrew Sussman, supervising editor, national security, added that NPR did call it a suicide bombing, which is a factual term. “In determining whether or not to label this an act of terrorism, we look at a number of factors, including our own reporting on the background of the bomber,” Sussman told me in an email. “So it’s not all contingent on what authorities are saying — an important distinction.” As more details come in, we will see how NPR continues to shape the story and labels in its subsequent coverage. — Amaris Castillo |
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The Public Editor spends a lot of time examining moments where NPR fell short. Yet we also learn a lot about NPR by looking at work that we find to be compelling and excellent journalism. Here we share a line or two about the pieces where NPR shines. |
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Writer Jason Sheehan says that roguelike video games helped get him through 2020, embracing the pattern of “Run. Die. Repeat.” In the past, Sheehan writes, he’s used video games to find “moments of dissociative calm when the entire world seems to be crumbling.” Of course, last year lent itself to that in so many ways. Part of NPR's Join The Game, a column on gaming and gaming culture, this personal piece speaks to gaming in a way that feels intimate and truthful. Sheehan writes about eschewing vast open-world games in favor of Into the Breach, a turn-based strategy game that he played when he couldn’t sleep, in which “death isn’t death. Death is temporary.” He writes eloquently about his experiences with this game and others, and it’s an essay that can resonate with gamers and non-gamers alike. Reading it made me want to head Into the Breach myself. — Kayla Randall |
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Investigation advances Walmart opioid story |
Two weeks ago, the Justice Department filed suit against Walmart, accusing the company of failing to stop “hundreds of thousands” of improper opioid transactions at its warehouses and pharmacies. Major news outlets, including NPR, picked up the story. On Morning Edition this week, NPR Addiction Correspondent Brian Mann reported a story that gave listeners an up-close look at what was happening at Walmart through the story of one customer who became an addict and two pharmacists who tried to raise red flags. By crafting a narrative that introduces listeners to real people who can tell the story in the first person, Mann makes the story concrete and memorable for listeners. The Web version of the investigation is also a great complement, with PDF copies of two lawsuits and an illuminating graph of Walmart’s contribution to the opioid pipeline. — Amaris Castillo |
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| | The Office of the Public Editor is a team. Researchers Amaris Castillo and Kayla Randall make this newsletter possible. We are still reading all of your messages on Facebook, Twitter and from our inbox. As always, keep them coming. Kelly McBride NPR Public Editor Chair, Craig Newmark Center for Ethics & Leadership at the Poynter Institute |
Kelly McBride, Public Editor |
| | Amaris Castillo, Poynter Institute |
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The Public Editor stands as a source of independent accountability. Created by NPR's board of directors, the Public Editor serves as a bridge between the newsroom and the audience, striving to both listen to the audience's concerns and explain the newsroom's work and ambitions. The office ensures NPR remains steadfast in its mission to present fair, accurate and comprehensive information in service of democracy. Read more from the NPR Public Editor, contact us, or follow us on Twitter. |
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