A New Code of Ethics for a New Era of Journalism: Media 2070’s IG Live on Transforming the Crime Beat with the Philadelphia Safer Journalism Project

A recent conversation on Instagram gave viewers an exclusive look into how the Philadelphia Safer Journalism Project created the new code of ethics for crime and public safety journalism.

Tianna Manon, Cassie Owens and Manuel McDonnell-Smith discuss the crime beat and why it should be called Public Safety Journalism. Click the photo to watch the full Live.

Last week, Media 2070, the Philadelphia Safer Journalism Project and Mañón Media Management took to Instagram Live to unpack a bold new vision for how crime and public safety are reported in the U.S.

Hosted by journalist and founder of Mañón Media Management, Tianna Mañón, the conversation focused on making the topic of newsroom ethics and reporting standards accessible to everyday viewers — while spotlighting the brilliance and strategy behind the new Code of Ethics for Community Reporting in Philadelphia. Panelists included Cassie Owens, also a former journalist, and Manuel McDonnell-Smith of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.

The code — developed by a coalition of journalists, media experts, and advocates as part of the Philadelphia Safer Journalism Project — doesn’t just tweak existing newsroom practices. It offers a full-scale transformation of the “crime beat,” replacing outdated traditions rooted in fear-based coverage with community-centered storytelling rooted in care, accuracy, and accountability.

During the IG Live, Mañón guided viewers through a behind-the-scenes look at how the code was created, why it matters, and how it challenges journalism’s legacy of racial harm. The team also explored:

• The history and failures of traditional crime coverage

• What it takes to center public safety instead of police activity, from including more community voices to questioning press releases sent by police departments

• The intentional strategies behind building a standard that could reshape newsrooms everywhere

  
  

This moment marks five years since the murder of George Floyd — a moment when many in media promised reform. This code answers that call with something tangible, forward-thinking, and unapologetically reparative.

“We designed this IG Live to reach the people most impacted by this kind of coverage — community members, storytellers, and changemakers — and to uplift the deep strategy and care that went into creating the code,” said Mañón. “It’s a tool, yes, but it’s also a blueprint for the future of journalism.”