Unfortunately, it’s all relative.

With respects to questioning the parents as they entered and exited court, Rodney Stafford has been quite willing to speak with the media.

Tara McDonald, Tori’s mom, hasn’t been quoted. She has been filmed entering the courthouse, but only a few seconds of that footage ran in the CTV video story.

I don’t think merely asking questions of the victim’s parents, if they’re willing to speak, is inherently insensitive. Badgering them if they clearly don’t want to talk is in bad taste.

I didn’t do screen grabs, but the Toronto Star’s final story online was more toned down in terms of detail than the mid-day version.

I’m not sure what to say about your last point, but what I read last night seemed to get the balance right.

Cheers
Bill D.

Can any of these pieces be “the most sensitive,” given the circumstances of the case?

How do we measure sensitivity: Who didn’t bombard Tori’s parents pre- and post-court yesterday? Who left out certain details? Who made the story more about Tory than McClintic?

Thanks for stopping by.

I guess my tone was prompted by a belief that many journalists sigh and say to themselves, “Why can’t we be more like the Guardian?”

Economic structure is part of the reason why, one that doesn’t get mentioned in these debates.

The Guardian isn’t alone in facing economic troubles. The shrinkage in U.S. newspaper revenues is astounding.

I’m not sure if the situation in Canada is as dire. Maybe we have better-run papers or that our time of reckoning isn’t fully here yet. That being said, major papers such as La Presse and the Toronto Star have suffered serious cuts; how much of that is recession-driven vs. structural is something I can’t say.

In any event, I would agree the future is digital. It’s a question of how best to get there, meaning with the least pain. You could be right that many newspaper companies have been too slow and conservative.

I remember suggesting to a Toronto Star person that its online classified should be beefed up. “Why?” he asked. Well, because you charge money while Craigslist is free, and Craigslist is better.

During his speech in Toronto, Digital First Media CEO John Paton blasted, as he put it, lousy newspaper executives who have done more to harm the industry than anything the Internet has wrought.

I’m supportive of open journalism. I just think that a trust newspaper has more room for experimentation — and that fact should be noted.

Your explanation that the move is borne of urgency might be more valid, but I would note you can be closed and digital (look at Apple).

In any event, thanks for the opportunity to converse on this.

Bill D.