The Joys and Oys of Ethics
the 2008 edition
Lois Boynton – UNC-Chapel Hill
2008 Midcareer Copy Editors’ Conference
July 14, 2008
Dealing with Dilemmas - Sissela Bok

Consult your conscience



Seek expert advice


How do you feel about the action?
Intent
Other means that don’t raise ethical issues?
Conduct public discussion as feasible

How will others respond to the proposed act?
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Plagiarism…still!

Blatant – oy!

‘Four paragraphs taken almost word for word from
Wikipedia’ (Diana D'Abruzzo) – oy2!

Editors’ inaction – not enough proof – ouch!

Lack of values or sloppy? Or maybe both?

PS: we hammer the point home with UNC students!
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
When does sloppy attribution
become plagiarism?

‘In rewriting a press release, honest journalists can
disagree about how to credit the company and how
much rewriting is enough.’

‘*** Wait. How do "honest journalists" appear in the
same sentence as "rewriting a press release"? Last I
checked, "rewriting a press release" was not
"journalism." ***’

‘We all know the price of plagiarism: You lose your
job; your offense is publicized in Romenesko, the
sex-offender registry of journalism ethics ...; your
career may be over.’
http://www.testycopyeditors.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7112&highlight=ethics
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
The public you

Should copy editors be bound by the same
rules as reporters for political activity outside
the workplace?
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Political participation survey:
Should news organizations allow journalists to
make political contributions?
No way. It hurts their credibility if journalists
are giving money to candidates.
 Certainly. It's no one's business what citizens
do on their own time.
 Only if the journalists disclose the donations
to their readers, viewers or listeners.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19313708/
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
MSNBC.com Live Vote says…





No way. It hurts their credibility if journalists
are giving money to candidates = 34%
Certainly. It's no one's business what citizens
do on their own time = 30%
Only if the journalists disclose the donations
to their readers, viewers or listeners = 37%
*20,988 votes (7/1/08).
Disclaimer: “not a scientific survey. Results may not total
100% due to rounding.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19313708/
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
The list:
Journalists who wrote political checks

‘The following 143 journalists made campaign
contributions from 2004 through the first
quarter of 2007, according to Federal
Election Commission records studied by
MSNBC.com’ - Bill Dedman, investigative reporter for
MSNBC, wrote story July 15, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Who gives a dime…

‘I was scolded. I made the point that I
worked only in features, and I never
edited any stories that have to do the
election. I was told not to do it again. I
wouldn't do it again. But at the time my job
was focused on the doings of Britney
Spears.’

(D) Detroit Free Press, Susan Hall-Balduf, copy
editor, $300 to John Kerry in July 2004. Now
editing news copy, she gave when she was in
features.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Balduf
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Consequences…



(D) Richmond Times-Dispatch, Pam
Mastropaolo, copy editor, $1,650 to the
Democratic Party of Virginia in February 2007, and
$1,165 in February 2006.
Mastropaolo didn't reply to messages. Nor did the
managing editor, Peggy Bellows.
Update, July 11: According to Style Weekly in
Richmond, Mastropaolo and political reporter
Michael Hardy were suspended for one month
without pay for violating the paper's ethics
guidelines. The union is contesting the
suspension.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Mastropaolo
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Perceptions





(D) Lexington Herald-Leader, Brian Throckmorton, copy desk chief,
$250 to John Kerry in June 2004. His staff edits local news articles, selects
wire stories and writes headlines.
‘The thing that we try to avoid is the appearance of partiality….And for
me that means bumper stickers and yard signs and things that might lead
the public to easily but falsely suspect that there's a problem with our
impartiality. But something as private as a donation which they might have
to work to find out....’
‘the fact of a political donation doesn't imply lack of impartiality or bad
news judgment to begin with, and one person making a donation doesn't
imply that there's a bias throughout the newsroom.’
Then Throckmorton said, "I'm not comfortable being included in the
story. Do not publish my name."
Update, June 27: The Republican Party of Kentucky called on the
newspaper to fire Throckmorton. ‘We have no plans to fire Brian,’ editor
Linda Austin said in an article in the Herald-Leader. ‘He violated no existing
policy. However, we are reviewing our policy regarding newsroom
employees and political contributions.’
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Throckmorton
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Doesn’t affect what I do…

"It doesn't affect anything that I do
personally. Not that sports doesn't have
political issues. It does.” - NH Union Leader sports
copy editor David Johnson, $500 to James Craig, the state House
Democratic leader and candidate for Congress, in March 2006.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Johnson
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Balance rights and responsibilities…

(D) Fort Wayne, Ind., News-Sentinel, Fran Adler, copy editor, $250 in August
2006 to Dr. Tom Hayhurst, Fort Wayne city councilman and Democrat who lost
the congressional race in 2006 for the 3rd Congressional District.

‘We are people and citizens, and we have the right to support candidates in
our own ways.

‘I was asked to distribute flyers at a 4-H fair, but my editors thought something
that visible was inappropriate. But I was allowed to make a contribution. I'm a
citizen, and I'm going to have my opinions regardless. I think I can be
absolutely objective about him and his opponents ….’

‘We don't mind contributions as such, but we have to tell our staff they can't
openly participate in a campaign, handing out flyers…. There are probably
things we may not know about in terms of participation that might make us
nervous if we did know about them.’ - Editor Kerry Hubartt
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Adler
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Does experience matter?

(D) Fort Wayne, Ind., News-Sentinel, Faith Van Gilder, copy
editor, $500 in October 2006 to Dr. Tom Hayhurst, Fort Wayne
city councilman and Democrat who lost the congressional race in
2006 for the 3rd Congressional District.

‘I'm sure one of our main objectives is to be very neutral when
we're writing a headline, when we're editing copy. We would
never put our personal opinions in a cutline. When you're a
professional journalist, you separate what you believe from your
job. I've been in the business for 25 years. Maybe someone
who is younger has struggled more with that. I'm able to keep
the two separate.’
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Gilder
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Now that I think about it …



(D) Martha's Vineyard, Mass., Times, Whit Griswold, copy
editor, $650 to MoveOn.org, which got out the vote against
President Bush, in September 2004, $1,500 more in October
2004, $500 in September 2006, and $1,000 in November 2006;
and $500 to Joseph Courtney, Democratic House candidate in
Connecticut, in September 2006.
Griswold said he now believes that he shouldn't donate to
candidates.
‘Your question's a good one. I never even thought of it. I'm not a
reporter. I don't think of myself as setting policy — I don't. But I
have a little influence as a copy editor. I can see, if the world
was perfect, I shouldn't do it. My boss doesn't want us to run
for office.’
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Griswold
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
What the policies say

"We have a conflict of interest policy. We haven't
banned it outright for the entire newsroom. Our
policy says that people should avoid doing any
partisan politics on their own, avoid any politics.
It's especially emphasized for people who do
political coverage.” - MN Star Tribune managing editor Scott
Gillespie

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Haugen
"I don't believe they have a policy on that. I've never
heard one way or another.” - David Johnson, sports copy
editor for NH Union Leader.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Johnson
Another policy…

‘We just rewrote our ethics policy for the newsroom
about two years ago. I looked at it, and it said you
can't run for political office. It doesn't mention
donations or wearing a political button or putting a
political bumper sticker on your car.’ - Faith Van Gilder,
copy editor, Fort Wayne, Ind., News-Sentinel
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Gilder

‘(Lexington) Herald-Leader newsroom employees are
not allowed to actively or publicly participate in
politics. Our policies strongly discourage, but do not
prohibit, this type of donation.’ - Managing editor Tom Eblen
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113455/#Throckmorton
Should journalists blog?

‘Blogging helps you better understand your audience. The
hallmark of any blog is the ability for readers to post comments to
what you write. By having this regular conversation with readers,
you learn what hits and what misses.
‘For newspapers that are rapidly becoming irrelevant to a
growing number of people, this is a huge issue. If you write post
after post that garners no response, then it ought to be telling you
something.
‘In print, we’ve been able to kid ourselves for decades that every
reader is savoring every word of our prose. Online, it’s painfully
clear what readers do and don’t care about.”
Chris Cobler, publisher of greeleytrib.com
The Editor’s Weblog – World Editors Forum
http://www.editorsweblog.org/news/2007/02/should_all_journalists_blog.php
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Should professional journalists blog
privately? US online analyst Simon Owens says…


‘Chez Pazienza, a former producer for CNN, was
fired from his job in February (2008) because he
wrote for Huffington Post and other high-profile
blogs. His superiors cited a CNN policy that any
outside writing required prior approval.
‘In April, Michael Tunison was fired from the
Washington Post after he revealed that he wrote for
the sports blog Kissing Suzy Kolber. His bosses told
him that he had brought “discredit to the paper”
through his blogging.’
http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=688
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Survey to editors and publishers of 250
newspapers (5 for each state)

Question: Would you allow your staff writers, without prior
approval, to blog during their free time after work as long as they
don’t write about the beats they cover for your newspaper?

Of the 250 surveyed, 39 responded.

Twenty-two — 56% — said they wouldn’t mind if writers blogged
on non-beat issues without obtaining permission.

The remaining 17 — 44% — either required disclosure of the
blog, issued caveats over what subjects couldn’t be covered, or
had outright bans on having personal blogs at all
Simon Owens’ survey – reported at http://www.charliebeckett.org/?p=688
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Should journalists blog their notes?

‘The question came up at a BW staff meeting yesterday. Some of
my colleagues had seen that I’d posted notes of a couple of
interviews, and they were concerned. After all, journalists battle
in courts to protect their notebooks and shield their sources. If we
publish notes occasionally, does that establish a weakening
precedent? ….

‘So here’s the deal. When we get access to execs and public
figures who are looking to get their message out, we’ll feature
them on the blog, when appropriate, and occasionally blog the
notes. But when we’re actively reporting a story, we’ll keep our
notes to ourselves. With time, this policy could change. But for
now, I think it’s a good place to draw the line. Your thoughts?’
- Posted by Stephen Baker,6/17/05
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/blogspotting/archives/2005/06/should_journali.html
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Journalists and Facebook


Andrea James: ‘If we are to report on the world we
live in, then we have to fully live in it.’
Finding sources?


Evaluating, cross-checking source credibility



Dakarai Aarons: ‘We don't become highly insensitive in
approaching potential sources.’
Yvonne DiVita: ‘It doesn't mean everyone is honest and
authentic -- but it shouldn't be hard to discover the fakes’
Self identification?
‘Friending’ sources?
Poynter Online, Pat Waters - http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=127211
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Los Angeles graffiti
Publish?
 Can’t doctor
photo, deny
reality – LAT

reader rep
YouTube link
of criminal
act?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/117/309904458_04adf46ed2.jpg?v=0
Andy Bechtel – The Editor’s Desk, http://editdesk.blogspot.com/2008/05/digital-graffiti.html
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Hundreds married on historic day LA Times 6/18/08 p. A1
TOGETHER: Tori and Kate Kuykendall, who have been together for five years, inaugurate their new
marriage with a kiss as they hold their 5-month-old daughter, Zadie.
Ethics of Telecommuting

‘Q. I
telecommute full time for my job as a copy
editor for a large business Web site. I plan to
spend a month in the Caribbean. Is it ethical
to do this without running it by my
supervisor? My online presence will remain
the same; only my physical location will
change.’
From The NY Times' Ethicist column:
http://www.testycopyeditors.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9590&highlight=ethics
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
ID the shooter?

AP reports on school shooting:
The shooter was identified by an official close to the
investigation as Asa H. Coon. The official spoke
on the condition of anonymity because Coon's
family was being notified.
**How unethical of them. This could be on the Web
and TV before the dead kid's family knows....
http://www.testycopyeditors.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8606&highlight=ethics
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Pardon our puns?

San Antonio editor prohibits use of puns in
headlines
"I am prepared to take disciplinary action against our
most senior headline writers and editors if my order
is not respected. I do not want to be the editor of a
newspaper where we limit the creative use of
language ... I want even less to be the editor of a
newspaper riddled with puns." -- Robert Rivard
http://www.testycopyeditors.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6536&highlight=ethics
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Quoting minors?

Post subject: Ethics of quoting a 10-year-old in a local
newspaper (9/21/05)

Quote: "(Chhouk Rin) is sick at home. My mother is not at home.
She went to Phnom Penh to buy medicine for him and herself,"
said Chhouk Ra, who is around 10 years old, by telephone from
Phnom Voar.
Chhouk Rin is a former Khmer Rouge commander who was
recently found guilty of killing three backpackers in 1994. He's
been hiding in the jungle for the past few months. So, he's an
bad man who's been evading justice.
But are there any ethical limits on calling up and interviewing a
10-year-old when no one else (at least healthy enough to talk) is
at home?
http://www.testycopyeditors.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5368&highlight=ethics
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Auto-Correct feature gone awry


‘Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic
trials.’
Per American Family Association’s
OneNewsNow: ‘Tyson Homosexual easily
won his semifinal for the 100 meters at the
U.S. Olympic track and field trials and
seemed to save something for the final later
Sunday.’
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16044.html
Lois Boynton, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Journalism & Mass Communication 2008
Thanks!!

Questions?

Remarks?

Edits?