With the 2018 public service award, The Pulitzer board recognized the significance of the reporting that led to the #MeToo movement. The New York Times and the New Yorker shared this year’s medal for public service for their work covering sexual predators, including Harvey Weinstein, and the systems that conspired to protect them.
That work set off a cascade that continues to unfold today of corresponding stories in newsrooms everywhere as journalists expose authority figures in government office, colleges and universities and influential businesses for abusive behavior.
Both news organizations set a new standard of quality for reporting on sexual misconduct. The work is rooted in reporting sexual violence, harassment and discrimination.
New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and The New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow show us what can happen when reporters tell complete stories on sexual misconduct. Their bulletproof research, compassionate interviewing and clarity of purpose produced stories that jolted the world into dealing with the issues of power, equality, opportunity and safety in the workplace.
Learn best practices, think about innovative ways to tell #metoo stories and take a look at your newsroom policies with our roundup of Poynter resources for reporting on sexual misconduct.
Resources on Poynter’s NewsU
- Reporting on Sexual Violence
- Covering Sexual Assault
- Covering Child Sex Abuse: Lessons from the Sandusky Story
- Reporting on Rape? Follow Ethical and Humane Practices
- Journalism and Trauma
- Trauma Awareness: What Every Journalist Needs to Know
Articles & Tools
- Kelly McBride: To tell the stories of sexual assault victims, it's time for a new look at anonymity policies
- Kristen Hare: 11 resources for responsibly reporting on rape
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