The Boston Phoenix
May 4 - 11, 2000

[Features]

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.