Sins of journalism

Worse than fabricating, stealing content and being on the take are managers who look the other way when some people do it.

 

Damn, wish I'd put that on the list, Frank.

 

Exactly. That's using poor business ethics compound poor journalism ethics.

 

Having vouched for someone to get hired at my last shop, who then got hours cut from full-time to part-time and lost benefits within two months of getting hired ... let's just say that this one is a little higher on my list, personally, than it might be on yours.

Doesn't necessarily mean the hiring editor is at fault (mine wasn't, in that case.) But it's a despicable move on somebody's part.

 

My top (bottom) three are ...

1. Fabricating
2. Being on the take
3. Plagiarism

 

I'm right there with you. If you lift quotes or info, you're just stealing which is bad enough.

But just outright making up stuff is just unforgivable.

 

1. Fabricating







2. The rest.

 

I find this Fabrication vs. Plagiarism angle is interesting.

Neither are acceptable to me.

I guess the industry sees the latter more of an internal issue while fabrication affects the reader more directly.

Right? Or is there another vein of thought on why fabrication's worse than theft (in this poll)?

 

Apples, oranges and oranguatans have been mixed here.

That said, fabrication would be the greatest sin.

 

That's how I see it, Six. Though, it goes without saying that both are wrong.

 

You're welcome.

The management-related options have nothing to do with journalism per se, more with general personnel management issues. That's why I left them off my list.

 

I didn't see "Extra! Extra! Todd Smells" on the list, so I had to vote other.