Journalism Ethical - Graines de Changement

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106. In a day when most families balance two careers, the legitimateactivities of companions, spouses and other relatives cansometimes create journalistic conflicts of interest or theappearance of conflicts. They can crop up in civic or politicallife, professional pursuits and financial activity. A spouse orcompanion who runs for public office would obviously createthe appearance of conflict for a political reporter or an editorinvolved in election coverage. A brother or a daughter in ahigh-profile job on Wall Street might produce the appearanceof conflict for a business reporter or editor.107. To avoid such conflicts, staff members may not write about,edit material about or make news judgments about people towhom they are related by blood or marriage or with whomthey have close personal relationships. For like reasons, staffmembers should not recruit or directly supervise familymembers or close friends. Some exceptions are permissible —in a foreign bureau, for instance, where a married coupleforms a team, or where a food writer’s portrait of her brotherthe Yankee star is of genuine news interest.Disclosure of Possible Conflicts11Sorting Out Family Ties108. Staff members must be sensitive to these possibilities. Anystaff member who sees a potential for conflict or a threat tothe paper’s reputation in the activities of spouse, friends orrelatives must discuss the situation with his or her supervisorand the associate managing editor for news administration orthe deputy editorial page editor.109. In some cases, disclosure is enough. But if The Times considersthe problem serious, the staff member may have to withdrawfrom certain coverage. Sometimes an assignment may have tobe modified or a beat changed. In a few instances, a staffmember may have to move to a different department — frombusiness and financial news, say, to the culture desk — toavoid the appearance of conflict.E T H I C A L J O U R N A L I S M33
11Sorting Out Family Ties110. Although this code necessarily imposes restraints, The Timeshas no wish to intrude upon the private lives of its staffmembers and their families. Nothing in this code seeks toprohibit a companion, spouse or other relative of a Times staffmember from taking part in any political, financial, commercial,religious or civic activity. The Times understands that friendsand relatives of its staff have every right to pursue full andactive lives, personally and professionally. If restrictions arenecessary, they fall on the Times employee. But any attemptto disguise a staff member’s participation in prohibitedactivity by using a relative’s name or any other alias (or byacting anonymously) violates this code.111. In all cases The Times depends on staff members to disclosepotential problems in a timely fashion so that we can worktogether to prevent embarrassment for staff members andThe Times.34E T H I C A L J O U R N A L I S M
Page 5 and 6: 1Introduction and PurposeThey inclu
Page 7 and 8: 1Introduction and Purpose14. As emp
Page 9 and 10: 3Pursuing the News19. The Times tre
Page 11 and 12: 3Pursuing the News26. Staff members
Page 13 and 14: 4Protecting the Paper’s Neutralit
Page 21 and 22: 5Participation in Public Life64. No
Page 23 and 24: 5Participation in Public Life71. St
Page 25 and 26: 7Obligations to The Times77. The Ti
Page 27 and 28: 8Books, Movies, Reprints and Copyri
Page 29 and 30: 9Journalistic Work Outside The Time
Page 31 and 32: 9Journalistic Work Outside The Time
Page 33: 10Appearing on Broadcast MediaThey
Page 37 and 38: 12Investments and Family TiesAffirm
Page 39 and 40: 12Investments and Family Ties124. S
Page 41 and 42: 13Rules for Specialized Departments
Page 43 and 44: 13Rules for Specialized Departments
Page 45 and 46: 14Dealing with Outside Contributors
Page 47 and 48: Sample letter declining an unsolici
Page 49 and 50: Indexcomments, public, by staff mem
Page 51 and 52: Indexcommercial ties and, 141news s
Page 53: Indexwhen acceptable, 46when prohib

Journalism Ethical - Graines de Changement

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