Thursday, December 09, 2004
Journalistic Ethics? (Cough)
Roger L. Simon posts today about a reporter, Edward Lee Pitts, of the Chattanooga Free Press, who apparently planted the questions about armor in Rumsfeld's town hall meeting in Kuwait. Pitts allegedly bragged about it in an e-mail to his colleagues. Simon saw the story on Drudge.
Now, I have no idea whether the e-mail is legit, but if it is, it seems to me that this reporter blatantly violated journalistic ethics by manufacturing the news. He had a personal agenda, and used his position as a reporter to further that agenda. It's similar to the TV reporters a few years ago who planted squibs on the pickup truck to make the gas tank story more visually exciting.
I think I'd fire the guy if I was his editor.
I think of things like this when the media start harping about morality and ethics on the part of government officials. And when the media claim special privilege not to reveal sources in a court of law.
Abraham Lincoln said, "Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see." That's good advice in this age of 24 hour news cycles and media types with axes to grind.
UPDATE: I originally had the meeting set in Afghanistan, it was in Kuwait, and it's fixed now. Additionally, notwithstanding the fact that the question was planted, it is nonetheless a legitimate issue. I think Rummy handled it well, and didn't try to obfuscate or dance around the issue.
Now, I have no idea whether the e-mail is legit, but if it is, it seems to me that this reporter blatantly violated journalistic ethics by manufacturing the news. He had a personal agenda, and used his position as a reporter to further that agenda. It's similar to the TV reporters a few years ago who planted squibs on the pickup truck to make the gas tank story more visually exciting.
I think I'd fire the guy if I was his editor.
I think of things like this when the media start harping about morality and ethics on the part of government officials. And when the media claim special privilege not to reveal sources in a court of law.
Abraham Lincoln said, "Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see." That's good advice in this age of 24 hour news cycles and media types with axes to grind.
UPDATE: I originally had the meeting set in Afghanistan, it was in Kuwait, and it's fixed now. Additionally, notwithstanding the fact that the question was planted, it is nonetheless a legitimate issue. I think Rummy handled it well, and didn't try to obfuscate or dance around the issue.
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