Ethics: Spirit of the Game

Same. I'm conflicted about a lot of the tenets of our profession, but I don't have much trouble standing behind that one.

 

I don't think that's entirely true.
If a sports reporter's only job was to report and clarify there would be no Pete Rose betting scandal, no Wade Boggs affair, no steroids investigation, no mlb drug problem (see 1980s Pittsburgh Pirates). Sports reporters should and are whistleblowers.
A news reporter's beat and job is really the same as a sports reporter's, only much, much more boring. A meeting is the equivalent of a game.
I know we are simplifying things here, but I don't think there should be much difference between a sports and a news reporter. The tools and tenets should be the same.

Why is it OK to object during a meeting, but not a meet?
Again, playing Devil's Advocate here, To expect a news reporter to inject themselves into the process but not a sports reporter covering a game who witnesses some form of cheating or the game run afoul is demeaning to sports.
Maybe the council meeting is more important to the town as a whole, but why should the ethics of journalist be split on the basis of sports v. news? Shouldn't it be applied equally?

 

"If a sports reporter's only job was to report and clarify there would be no Pete Rose betting scandal, no Wade Boggs affair, no steroids investigation, no mlb drug problem (see 1980s Pittsburgh Pirates). Sports reporters should and are whistleblowers."

Evil, everything you mentioned happened or was researched away from the playing field and after the game had finished.

 

It should be. I have problems with news reporters injecting themselves into the story, too.

 

Right,
It wasn't part of the game. It involved asking questions outside of "talk about that ninth-inning rally."
Which, if I understand your perspective, is what sports reporters are limited too - reporting the game and clarifying it; how would that description fit into developing any of the above-mentioned story lines?

My basic point is I don't think there should be two schools of thought on this; one for news and another for sports. You are either on one side of the fence (get inolved) or the other (shut up and report)... you can't straddle it.

Devil, what I wouldn't give to discuss with you over some Yuengling and wings!
First round is on me.

 

I think one can "shut up and report" while also asking questions other than those about ninth-inning rallies.

I believe, and I'm going to say this is an assumption on my part, that all of us on this side of the argument are arguing against ONLY the interjection of our views on the actual contest happening. Not that we shouldn't ask questions afterward.

 

Obviously, you don't play golf, do you? Sorry, you're wrong.

 

Just covered state golf today. Saw at least five examples of cheating.

The worst was from the team that won's No. 1 player (not in our coverage area). He took an illegal drop and after a player said he had to take a drop at the drop area, he argued and said he was dropping it where it went out. He played out the hole. I witnessed the entire thing.
No one in the group brought it up at the turn. The kid ended up posting a score that helped his team tie for first, then his team won on the first playoff hole.
If the story affected anyone in my coverage area, I would have asked the player and officials about the play.
I mentioned it to a reporter who covers the kid's area, and he brushed it off. I would have brought it up to the big paper, but they don't care about things like that.

 

Thank you, sc. You said it all.

If you put your "duty to golf" ahead of your duty to journalism ... time to go work for the PGA.

 

The two sports are VASTLY different in this regard. There are no provisions in basketball for people other than the officials to make a call.

In golf, the rules are expressly and purposely written to permit this.

 

Where are your own ethics to do what's right?

 

If you see an obvious or verifiable rules infraction (cheating) that goes uncalled, it's not your role as a reporter to inform tournament officials. It's your role to report about it and inform the public.