Joyce Smith

RJRC’s new academic director plans to build bridges between academics, journalists, public

By ALLISON RIDGWAY Staff reporter July 20, 2018 Joyce Smith, a researcher and associate professor at the Ryerson School of Journalism (RSJ), says she is excited to promote student and public engagement with journalism research as the new academic director of the Ryerson Journalism Research Centre (RJRC).  “We’re here to support the education of young journalists, but we’re also here…

Reporting on religion must go beyond war and conflict, says researcher

By ATARA SHIELDS Special to the RJRC Journalists’ tendency to report on religion in the context of war and conflict means society isn’t benefiting from an informed discussion about religious beliefs in general, says Ryerson journalism professor Joyce Smith. News stories are an important way for Canadians to learn about their own traditions and those outside of their own experiences,…

Beat journalism key to better reporting on extremist groups, experts say

By MADDIE BINNING Special to the RJRC Journalists reporting on extremist groups need to arm themselves with knowledge as neo-Nazi and terrorist organizations become more sophisticated in their messaging and media manipulation, a leading expert on radicalization told Ryerson journalism students. Amarnath Amarasingam, a research fellow at the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue and at George Washington University, made the…

How can journalists responsibly report on extremism? Join us for a panel discussion

Updated rules for language, terms for marginalized communities being discussed for new edition of Canadian Press Stylebook

By ALLISON RIDGWAY and ANIA BESSONOV Staff Reporters The Canadian Press (CP) is discussing how to update its stylebook to reflect changing language surrounding LGBTQ, Indigenous and disabled communities, CP’s editor-in-chief said during a Ryerson Journalism Research Centre panel earlier this month. But the national news agency must keep its clients and readers in mind when contemplating such changes, said…