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Ethical question

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by What Deadline, Nov 24, 2009.

  1. cyclingwriter

    cyclingwriter Active Member


     
  2. joe_schmoe

    joe_schmoe Active Member

    A couple of you have hit on the brunt of it: the perception of fair and balanced...the perceptions that accepting gifts gives the reader reason to believe that what we write is not free from bias.

    Except, it's flawed, especially in this case. Yes, doing something like accepting a new car to do a story on a car dealership would be rather shady.
    But let's look at the specific example, and the said NFL tickets I mentioned earlier.
    Who the hell knows where those tickets came from? You ever been at a concert and the guy next to you asks where you got your ticket? a football game? Maybe once in a blue moon someone asks. Even if they do, you're under no obligation to tell them.
    There's not some watchdog group out there watching every move you make, reporting that you had a free ticket to this event or that event.
    If it makes you feel better about yourself not to take the tickets, fine don't take them...that's your right. Once they are there though the musician/team/ whatever isn't exactly going to need them back.
    The difference is simply abuse. If you use your press credentials to get into events for free that's the ethical issue. If the event organizer freely offers you the opportunity to go, without you being prompted, that's their choice.
    If you think it opens up a slippery slope, if you think it blurs your vision and ability to continue to do unbiased reporting, then fine don't take it, and reconsider if you are cut out for this business to begin with if you can be swayed like that.

    Some people treat some things like we aren't supposed to have lives. We are sports journalists so we can't be seen rooting for our favorite team. We are food critics, so we can't be seen enjoying a dinner in a restaurant.

    Like cycling said up above, used to be journalists were chummy with the subjects they covered. Hung out together, dined together, took the same flights together. Those days are dead. You know what else is dead? Newspaper after newspaper after newspaper.
     
  3. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I might whore myself out for those with no shame. Note lack of smiley.
     
  4. expendable

    expendable Well-Known Member

    Every man has a price, FB. No shame in that.
     
  5. Fredrick

    Fredrick Well-Known Member

    I'm just saying it's not worth getting fired over and you could be fired for taking freebies.
    I wouldn't let free tickets affect my coverage, but clueless editors might fire you for doing so. The same editors who would easily take free tickets if nobody knew about it. There is a double standard in this business.
     
  6. joe king

    joe king Active Member

    Fixed. It's a variation of the Golden Rule -- he who has the gold, makes the rules. In business, the boss makes the rules. His are often different from everyone else's.
     
  7. Fredrick

    Fredrick Well-Known Member

    Excellent point, Joe. I shouldn't have said it was only newspaper bosses who have the double standard. The kings of all businesses rule the way they see fit which almost all times consists of a double standard.
     
  8. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Agreed (with Fredrick and the other Joe). It's just that the exchanging of little niceties in most of the business world is considered lubricant of future dealings and relationship-building, even at relatively low levels. In journalism, it's considered bribery and evidence of flawed integrity when the foot soldiers are involved, BAU (business as usual) for the honchos.

    I'm not in favor of journalists taking gifts. I'm in favor of their top bosses also behaving as if ethics matter. And being consistent, whether it's two tickets to Disney On Ice that might benefit the reporter's kid or if it's a "swap out" of a corporate suite for the publisher.
     
  9. sg86

    sg86 Member

    If you've already written the story and your involvement with the act is over, I don't see what the big deal is.

    The tickets can't influence anything if your work is done. At that point, you aren't compromising anything.
     
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