Minimum Standards for News Reporting
Reporting News in a Disbelieving Age
Minimum Standards for News Reporting is an exploratory, multi-institutional project aimed at building consensus on journalistic practices in an era defined by media consolidation, declining diversity in reporting, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence. The project seeks to identify what a minimal set of standards for responsible journalism might look like, and how such principles could help distinguish credible reporting from less reliable or manipulative information.
The initiative brings together scholars from the University of Montreal, Laurentian University, Toronto Metropolitan University, Mount Royal University, and other partners. It combines academic research with public engagement through a dedicated platform, as well as a series of high-profile knowledge mobilization activities.
Recent outputs have included presentations at Congress 2025, including the Canadian Communication Association and the Canadian Political Science Association, a workshop at the Canadian Association of Journalists Conference 2025, and the colloquium Reporting News in a Disbelieving Age to be held in Toronto in June 2025.
Current stage: Sub-project Designing Reality underway
Check back for updates and future publications from this project.
Designing Reality
Minimum Standards for News Reporting
Within this broader initiative, my subproject, Designing Reality, focuses specifically on the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping journalism. AI increasingly prioritizes speed and engagement in ways that often undermine accuracy, fairness, and public trust. This work investigates how algorithmic systems influence every stage of the news cycle, from production and circulation to audience reception, and asks how a minimal set of standards might safeguard credibility in this shifting environment.
Drawing on academic research, editorial practice, and public discourse, Designing Reality explores how design and technology shape journalistic integrity and how standards might serve both practitioners and the public. This project is supported by Mount Royal University through the BCSA Research Assistant Fund, which enables student collaboration on research activities.
Current stage: Completion of data collection and literature review.
Check back for updates and future publications from this project