Media
Running scared
by Dan Kennedy
If there's a bright spot in the ugly dispute between suspended reporter Robin
Washington and his employer, the Boston Herald, it's that Washington, at
least, didn't willingly tone down his coverage (see "Don't Quote Me," News and
Features). Unfortunately, that's not the case with many other
journalists, according to the results of a survey by the Pew Research Center
for the People and the Press and the Columbia Journalism Review.
Nearly 300 journalists and news executives took part in the survey. And four in
10 admitted that, at some point during the course of their careers, they "have
purposely avoided newsworthy stories," "softened the tone of stories to benefit
the interests of their news organizations," or both, according to the report,
titled "Journalists Avoiding the News."
The situation is worse at local news organizations than at national ones, the
report continues. And half of investigative reporters said newsworthy stories
are sometimes ignored "because they conflict with a news organization's
economic interests."
And the situation, apparently, is getting worse. When compared to the results
of a similar survey taken in early 1999, "More local journalists report
influence by corporate owners and advertisers in decisions on which stories to
cover. And on the question of whether the media does a good job of informing
the public, both local and national journalists give themselves poorer marks
than last year."
The complete text of "Journalists Avoiding the News" can be found on the Web
at www.people-press.org/jour00rpt.htm.