Set in stone

No. 94 — Set in Stone
It is November 14, 2024, and you are reading the newsletter from Médianes.

Hello, everyone,

How can we draft and promote a code of ethics that strengthens credibility and provides a framework for commitment, both internally and with the public? Today, we set our ethical principles in stone to build trust and transparency.

Also in this issue: an investigation into how femicides are covered, the importance of reporting on internet culture, a map of the far right, print editions from Brittany, and a StreetPress Club.

Finally, our latest in-house article is by our reporter Owen Huchon. He explores the opportunities and limitations the Fediverse presents for the media, with a vision of a more open and decentralized Internet.

Enjoy the read,

— MARINE SLAVITCH, JOURNALIST AT MÉDIANES

Why not?

IDEAS FOR YOUR MEDIA

At a time when everything and everyone claims to be committed, it is no longer enough to simply profess this stance. Far from being a mere formality, a code of ethics can be a valuable tool for putting that commitment into practice: a way to lend credibility to the media outlet’s vision by anchoring its stated values in concrete actions and clear responsibilities.

Ensuring Editorial Independence

The daily newspaper La Provence adopted a charter of editorial independence after being acquired by the influential shipping company CMA CGM. This charter establishes a set of principles that prevent the newspaper’s executives and owners from interfering with editorial content. In Canada, the independent media outlet The Narwhal is also using this platform to detail all of its revenue sources to its readers.

Bringing Values to Life

To translate values into concrete actions, a charter can formalize commitments to equality and representation. For example, the Belgian feminist magazine Axelle details its practices in this “draft” (since it is always imperfect and subject to change), which demonstrates that its values are not limited to mere statements of intent. These values are reflected in visible, measurable, day-to-day decisions that strengthen the publication’s credibility with its readership and demonstrate that its stance is rooted in genuine commitment.

Introducing the News Team

Since the beginning of the year, The New York Times has been introducing its contributors in three-part bios: “My Background,” “What I Cover,” and a third section dedicated to ethical practices. This section aims to reaffirm the principles outlined in their codes of ethics while confirming the absence of potential conflicts of interest. “When we tested it with readers, they felt that this was the most important thing to know,” the newspaper toldMédianes .

P.S.: Of course, we complied with the request. Click here to read our editorial and ethical guidelines.

From the studio's perspective

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

For three years now, we have been supporting StreetPress in developing a donation-based editorial and business model. But above all, for fifteen years, they have been investigating critical issues to shed light on today’s realities.

This fall, together Médianeswith the studio, we’re supporting them with marketing, web, and technical aspects with one goal in mind: to bring together 6,000 regular donors. With the launch of this Club, StreetPress is calling on its community to help build socially conscious journalism and contribute to the creation of new projects.

Marketing and technical strategy, creating the support page, sponsorship and direct-mail campaigns… we’re proud to continue working with the team.

On Our Radar

OUR MARKET RESEARCH TO SUPPORT YOUR PROJECTS

Clicks and Votes

STEVEN ASARCH / PASSIONFRUIT

On the night of Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, Dana White, head of the world’s leading MMA league and a staunch supporter of the new president, made a point of thanking… male YouTubers, streamers, and podcasters with millions of subscribers, who have now become major figures in American culture. Since the internet played a key role in this election, it is more urgent than ever that this culture be the subject of specialized journalistic coverage.

Better Handling of Femicide Cases

#ALLOFUS

The feminist collective #NousToutes has published a new study on media coverage of femicides. The study concludes that journalistic coverage has evolved to include less gender bias and that femicides are now considered a systemic social issue. Non-domestic femicides, however, receive less coverage and continue to marginalize marginalized groups. The collective recommends, in particular, that the media adopt a code of conduct to better address sexist and sexual violence.

Over at medianes.org

IT'S HOMEMADE

Everything You Need to Know About the Fediverse

OWEN HUCHON / MEDIANES.ORG

In the face of declining trust in social media and the companies that control them, the idea of a more open and decentralized Internet has gained traction: the “fediverse.” But how does it work, and can it truly live up to the expectations it has raised?

In Brief

THAT WAY, YOU'LL KNOW

• Mediapart, Picsou Magazine, Jeune Afrique: These media outlets are hiring. Check out their job openings.

• Who are the FAF members in your area? StreetPress maps out France’s radical far right and uses the opportunity to highlight its investigative reporting.

• The YouTube channel “Histoires Crépues,” which focuses on colonial history, is asking for donations to fund new projects and establish itself as “THE anti-racist media outlet.”

• The investigative media outlet Splann publishes its investigations in bilingual French-Breton booklets. This is a way to make its content even more accessible and to develop new forms of funding.

• Mediavivant is coming to Paris! The investigative theater group will be at Point Éphémère on December 4 to shed light on the suffering of the loved ones of drug trafficking victims.

• In Marseille, a collective is launching a new magazine of immigrant literature, *Comme nous brûlons*, and is calling for submissions through December 31 on the theme “Only Indigenous People in the BM.”

See you on November 14!

Thank you for your messages, which have helped us enrich this newsletter. We’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome the teams from Fooding, Ofalp, and Citizen Press, as well as everyone who has recently subscribed.

See you on November 28. Until then, take care of yourselves and your social media.

— THIS NEWSLETTER WAS PREPARED BY MARINE SLAVITCH IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MÉDIANES TEAM.