E-mail yesterday from Bill Dedman, the investigative reporter who did the piece for MSNBC on journalists who give; three of the journalists profiled in his article have gotten in trouble for doing what they did.
One, a TV reporter from Omaha who not only supported a local congressional candidate but posted photos of her standing with him on her MySpace account was canned. So too was Paul Fell, and editorial cartoonist for the Lincoln Star-Journal and said he didn’t give a “rat’s *ss” what his employer’s policies are.
I don’t think anyone would argue too strenously that both crossed a line. You try telling your bosses you don’t give a “rat’s *ss” what their policies are and see how long you last.
The third instance involved Randy Cohen, who writes a column on ethics for the New York Times and is syndicated. One newspaper that runs his column, the Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman-Review, dropped the column, because Cohen donated to MoveOn.org - which he claimed, rather laughably, that he believed was a “non-partisan” organization.
And other news organizations have said they will review or update their policies. Said executive editor Jim Witt of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Our credibility is the most important thing to us, and if our current policy means that might be affected in an adverse way then we certainly want to address it. At the same time, I want our staff to enjoy the same rights and privileges that others in our society benefit from, and we want to be smart and fair about how we expect them to behave.”
Again I’ll say it: We’re expecting more from reporters and photographers - the hourly help - than we are of the people who sign their paychecks. This story insinuates that a $250 donation by an anchorwoman is somehow a bigger deal than a $2,500 donation by the corporate owners of the television station, because…
Well, just because.
So we should not pose the question of “bias” when it comes to those with the most money, those whose major contributions have more of a chance to influence elections and actual policy. But the help, no no, they give up their rights because we don’t want the organization to seem biased.
That’s one way you concentrate power in the hands of those who have the most money, isn’t it?
