Journalism Ethical - Graines de Changement

137. They may not offer suggestions or ideas to people who figurein coverage they provide, edit, package or supervise or incoverage they are likely to provide, edit, package or supervise.They may not invest in productions that figure in theircoverage or are likely to. (Food writers and editors may notinvest in restaurants.) They may not comment, even informally,on works in progress before those works are reviewed.138. They may not serve on advisory boards, awards juries, studycommittees or other panels organized by the people they cover orwhose coverage they supervise. They may not accept awards fromsuch people. And they may not request extra copies of books,tapes or other materials that are routinely submitted for review.139. An arts writer or editor who owns art of exhibition quality(and thus has a financial stake in the reputation of the artist)may inspire questions about the impartiality of his or hercritical judgments or editing decisions. Thus members of theculture staff who collect valuable objects in the visual arts(paintings, photographs, sculpture, crafts and the like) mustannually submit a list of their acquisitions and sales to theassociate managing editor for news administration.13Rules for Specialized Departments140. The Times recognizes that members of its talented staff writebooks, operas and plays; create sculpture, and give recitals. Itfurther recognizes that such projects require commercialarrangements to come to fruition. A writer requires a publisher,a playwright a production company.141. Nevertheless those commercial ties can be a breeding ground forfavoritism, actual or perceived. Staff members who enter into sucharrangements must disclose them to their supervisors, who mayrequire them to withdraw from coverage of the parties involved.Staff members who have a publisher or a movie contract, forexample, must be exceedingly sensitive to any appearance of bias incovering other publishers or studios. Those with any doubts abouta proposed arrangement should consult the associate managingeditor for news administration or the deputy editorial page editor.E T H I C A L J O U R N A L I S M41