INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 21 (AScribe Newswire) -- The Society of Professional Journalists today expressed it support for Jon Leiberman for having the courage to stand up to his employer's questionable ethics. Leiberman, Washington Bureau Chief for Sinclair Broadcasting, questioned a company-wide order to broadcast a report highly critical of John Kerry just days before the presidential election. He was fired after his comments were printed in The Baltimore Sun without prior approval.
Leiberman was responding to reports Sinclair Broadcasting Group planned to require 60 of its 62 stations across the nation to carry "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal." The documentary is highly critical of Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry. The company Tuesday backed away from that plan, saying it would air a one-hour program on the use of documentaries to influence political campaigns on only 40 of its stations.
Sinclair's entire approach to this broadcast has been in question since word of it leaked out a couple of weeks ago. Multiple news media reports indicated the initial decision to air the broadcast was made by ownership rather than by news personnel even though ownership decided to label it as a news broadcast. Sinclair ownership has contributed heavily and lopsidedly to Republican causes in recent years. The decision also is certain to renew calls for restrictions against the concentration of media ownership. Sinclair's ownership cuts across network affiliate lines and has the potential of reaching about one fourth of the American public.
Leiberman had worked for Sinclair for almost five years. The Los Angeles Times reported that he wasn't protesting Sinclair's decision to air the program - just its plan to label it as news.
"I would have preferred that they did it in the context of an editorial or a commentary or a programming special, but to call this news and to put this under the guise of a news program, in my opinion, is wrong," he said.
Leiberman was right to blow the whistle. The SPJ Code of Ethics calls on journalists to:
- Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting. Analysis and commentary should be labeled and not misrepresent fact or context.
- Encourage the public to voice grievances against the news media. Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.
- Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.
Jon Leiberman may have lost his job, but he has gained the respect of ethical journalists everywhere who understand the importance of their independence and their responsibility to put the public first.
----
CONTACTS:
Irwin L. Gratz, President, 207-874-6570, igratz@spj.org
Gary Hill, Ethics Committee Chairman, 651-642-4437 or ghill@kstp.com
Fred Brown, Ethics Committee Co-Chairman, 303-755-0395 or ethicalfred@aol.com
ABOUT SPJ
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve
and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the
free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards
of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, and
based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of
information vital to a well-informed public, works to
inspire and educate the next generation of journalists, and
protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and
press.
|
|
|
AScribe Newswire distributes news from nonprofit and public sector organizations. We provide direct, immediate access to mainstream national media for 600 colleges, universities, medical centers, public-policy groups and other leading nonprofit organizations.
AScribe transmits news releases directly to newsroom computer systems and desktops of major media organizations via a supremely trusted channel - The Associated Press. We also feed news to major news retrieval database services, online publications and to developers of web sites and Intranets.
And AScribe does it at a cost all organizations, large and small, can afford, a fraction of what corporate newswires charge. Click here to see how we do it