This post is a bit more serious than many and is likely to generate a variety of comments. But it is getting to be election season.
An investigative reporter for MSNBC wrote an interesting column last week about TV, radio, and print journalists who contribute and openly support political causes: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113485/
The reporter listed 143 journalists who, according to public records, gave money to candidates or political causes, and some also had photos taken with candidates and openly endorsed them. Open political involvement and financial contributions are a violation of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics. Although it doesn't matter which party or cause was supported, it was noted by the reporter that nearly 90% of the contributions were made to Democratic or liberal causes.
One of the journalists on the list was Steve Bodinet of KTVK who contributed $400 to the Kerry campaign during the last major election.
This investigation only covered federal election contributions and not state candidates or PACs so local journalists like KNXV's news anchor Katie Raml weren't included this time. As we've noted before, Raml was caught during the last major election cycle leading political fundraising events and as the CJR put it, "using her professional credentials to support her personal politics" for a PAC that supports and endorses Republican pro-abortion women candidates: http://cjrarchives.org/issues/2004/4/dartslaurels.asp
Raml also posed for publicity photos with candidates, which were featured on the PAC's website until the CJR investigation. Later it was posted on the web that Arizona public records showed that she had also contributed money to this political group and listed her KNXV affiliation. The key members of this PAC and their election funding recipients included Raml's own Scottsdale state senate and house representatives, and, according to an earlier Repulsive article, Raml has a history of political activism for her party.
Since the MSNBC article last week, a number of the journalists listed have been fired by their employers. This includes a TV reporter in Omaha who, like Raml, had a photo taken with a congressional candidate which was posted on the web and also contributed money. The SPJ has issued a response to the MSNBC investigative report, http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=682#682 , urging journalists to expose these unethical practices by some journalists and other members of the news media. They also mention it is "disturbing to see that so many journalists don't see the problem here."
Of course unethical political behavior has always been a problem in journalism, but is it getting worse? Have J-schools like ASU's Cronkite School dropped professional ethics content from their required courses?
An investigative reporter for MSNBC wrote an interesting column last week about TV, radio, and print journalists who contribute and openly support political causes: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113485/
The reporter listed 143 journalists who, according to public records, gave money to candidates or political causes, and some also had photos taken with candidates and openly endorsed them. Open political involvement and financial contributions are a violation of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics. Although it doesn't matter which party or cause was supported, it was noted by the reporter that nearly 90% of the contributions were made to Democratic or liberal causes.
One of the journalists on the list was Steve Bodinet of KTVK who contributed $400 to the Kerry campaign during the last major election.
This investigation only covered federal election contributions and not state candidates or PACs so local journalists like KNXV's news anchor Katie Raml weren't included this time. As we've noted before, Raml was caught during the last major election cycle leading political fundraising events and as the CJR put it, "using her professional credentials to support her personal politics" for a PAC that supports and endorses Republican pro-abortion women candidates: http://cjrarchives.org/issues/2004/4/dartslaurels.asp
Raml also posed for publicity photos with candidates, which were featured on the PAC's website until the CJR investigation. Later it was posted on the web that Arizona public records showed that she had also contributed money to this political group and listed her KNXV affiliation. The key members of this PAC and their election funding recipients included Raml's own Scottsdale state senate and house representatives, and, according to an earlier Repulsive article, Raml has a history of political activism for her party.
Since the MSNBC article last week, a number of the journalists listed have been fired by their employers. This includes a TV reporter in Omaha who, like Raml, had a photo taken with a congressional candidate which was posted on the web and also contributed money. The SPJ has issued a response to the MSNBC investigative report, http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=682#682 , urging journalists to expose these unethical practices by some journalists and other members of the news media. They also mention it is "disturbing to see that so many journalists don't see the problem here."
Of course unethical political behavior has always been a problem in journalism, but is it getting worse? Have J-schools like ASU's Cronkite School dropped professional ethics content from their required courses?
