NAJA Calls for Ethical, Informed ICWA Reporting - ICTMN.com

27.3.16

NAJA Calls for Ethical, Informed ICWA Reporting - ICTMN.com - The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) is disheartened by some of the mainstream reporting on the recent adoption case involving a Choctaw Nation child and a non-Native adoptive couple in Los Angeles County. While NAJA understands that the court-ordered custody change attempted by the California Department of Children and Family Services was emotionally charged, it is our steadfast belief that journalistic standards of reporting must prevail. Indeed, when reporting about issues with great emotional and human impact, honoring the ethical values of accuracy, fair sourcing and the proper provision of context should be the guiding principles that ensure good journalism. When reporting on this case specifically, NAJA urges all media to include essential background on this case and the Indian Child Welfare Act in order to provide the context necessary for their audience to fully understand this complex story.