Business Insider pulls column, adjusts editorial policies

Business Insider has pulled a column about Scarlett Johansson playing a transgender man in an upcoming movie after employees complained about its content and changed its editorial policies, writes Maxwell Tani of The Daily Beast.

Tani writes, “In an email to editors on Monday obtained by The Daily Beast, global editor-in-chief Nich Carlson announced that BI would create an internally available list of employees who had ‘volunteered to talk about culture and identity issues’ to other staff. Further, Carlson also announced that ‘culturally sensitive columns, analysis, and opinion pieces’ would now be reviewed by the company’s executive editors before publication.

“‘Editors should make sure we are not publishing shallow, ‘hot takes,’ but instead, fully thought-out arguments that reflect and respect the opposing view,’ Carlson said. ‘There should be no partisan name-calling, e.g. ‘social justice warriors,’ ‘libtards,’ or ‘rednecks.’ Opinion and arguments should feel reported and researched, and not like quick reactions.’

“‘This does not mean our argument-writers should not take big swings, or that they must have opinions shared by everyone in our newsroom.'”

Read more here.