Re: Journalism Ethics

[Chuckigo@aol.com]

Dan,

  also, while out cutting the grass (i found Whitey Bulger!!!), i had a 
chance to think of one additional point:
   when a "commentator" slips on the mantle of news reporter/journalist, does 
he or she lose credibility when they report the facts?  you have, 
essentially, someone who does one thing trying to do the job of another.  is 
credibility lessened?  
   what of when a "commentator" provides us (paraphrasing here) "the true 
facts that would not be reported in a democratic liberal media"... yeah, i'm 
refering to Rush.  there are people who take his version of events (real or 
imagined ;-0)) as gospel.  yet there is no cry of ethical violation when he 
sells a self-penned tome on radio or tv.
   also, as i'm sure many of the legal minds who often add their expertise 
here, professionals of all types (lawyers & doctors for example) have ethics 
to which they suscribe.  when a "conflict of interest" arises, he or she 
recuses from the case.  journalists have been known to do the same thing.  
it's stuff that is done every day and it is the type of self-less action of 
which we do not hear that keep the standards of these various professions 
high, and hopefully beyond reproach.  when an ethical situation makes news, 
it's usually the lesser-instance of bad choices.
   in the situation of a news anchor inviting me to fork over 19.95 for a 
videotape of an info-tainment type of event...  no problem.  if he were 
selling the highlights of a hostage crisis in Bingham in which the 
hostage-taker winds up with one between the eyes?  yeah, that would be a 
crossing of the line.

- -Chuck Igo