(Credit: Flickr/Sam Churchill)

Check out iMediaEthics’ ten most read stories published in 2018 (based on unique views in Google Analytics).

10. “What the Generic Ballot Does — and Doesn’t — Tell Us about the 2018 Midterm Elections”

In July, iMediaEthics’ polling director David W. Moore examined the generic ballot and the midterm elections. 

9. “News & Observer found 14 cases of ‘plagiarism or inadequate attribution'”

The News & Observer in North Carolina cut ties with staff writer Anne Blythe after finding “plagiarism and inadequate attribution” in 14 articles by Blythe.

8. “Houston Chronicle: 122 Sources Can’t Be Found, 8 Mike Ward stories retracted”

In November, the Houston Chronicle revealed the results of its review into reporter Mike Ward’s work. The paper said it couldn’t find 122 of his sources and retracted eight stories.

7. “Texas paper sorry for reprinting ‘Field Guide to Liberals’ cartoon; cartoonist is not sorry”

Texas newspaper the Fort Worth Star-Telegram apologized in the fall for publishing a cartoon titled the “Field Guide to Liberals: Helping You Identify How They Identify.” The cartoon, syndicated from the Augusta Chronicle’s Rick McKee, depicted a man in make up, jewelry and pigtails labeled as a woman, former NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal who is white labeled as black, Sen. Elizabeth Warren labeled as an Indian, and a dog labeled as a cat.

6. “Cleveland.com’s new ‘right to be forgotten’ program removes names from some expunged crime stories”

In October, iMediaEthics reported on Cleveland.com’s new “right to be forgotten” program, which allows people to request the site remove their names from older stories naming them in minor crimes, if the crime was expunged. Cleveland.com’s president and editor Chris Quinn explained to iMediaEthics what types of stories the site would consider removing names from and how the process works.

5. “Christine Blasey Ford Cartoon ‘Offended Many Readers,’ Indy Star Admits”

The Indianapolis Star apologized in September for publishing a cartoon about Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who accused then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in high school. The cartoon depicted Ford saying to Senators “Here are my demands: No questions from lawyers, dim the lights, I want roses, sparkling water, a bowl of green M & M’s…”

4. “NPR Retracts, ‘Reporting Mistakes Substantially Undercut the Story'”

In April, NPR retracted a story headlined, “The Man Who Spent $100K to Remove a Lie from Google.”  NPR explained that the article had significant “reporting mistakes.”

3. “TV Anchor resigns after Brett Kavanaugh Facebook post”

In October, iMediaEthics reported on California TV news anchor Kris Long, who resigned from Palm Springs CBS-affiliate KESQ after a controversial September Facebook post about then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. 

2. “Who are anonymous sources that used NY Daily News to attack FDNY Chief Leonard?”

This December story, about the New York Daily News’ reliance on anonymous sources to attack Fire Department of New York Chief James Leonard, quickly made it to the second most-read spot.

1.”Top 10 Media Ethics Issues of 2017″

Every year, iMediaEthics assembles the top ten most significant issues in media ethics for the previous year. This January 2018 list looks back at 2017 and identifies issues like offensive commentary, the hacking scandal, BuzzFeed’s publication of the Pres. Donald Trump Russia dossier, and misbehavior in the workplace as top issues.