Someone asked me a great question the other day about how journalists handle their responsibility to be fair and unbiased in news coverage, yet choose a candidate or a side on a referendum issue as a voter.
The discussion started out about whether we allow newsroom staffers to vote. Of course we do. We want the newsroom staff to be connected, engaged citizens. The key is that all potential biases have to be left at the door when journalists come to work. I’m not going to make the argument that there aren’t biases in every newsroom — I’ve never met a person yet who could claim to have no views or beliefs on any issues.
Journalists are ethically required to strive for fairness and balance and set aside their personal beliefs when covering a news story, or editing the paper. It’s hard, but an ethical duty.
Our staff members are also taxpayers and citizens, and have every right and responsibility to vote for the leaders and issues that will shape the community they live in.
However, we don’t allow news staff to campaign for people or issues, or take public stances on political matters. In fact, our existing ethics policy is being revised on these matters as we speak. Our existing policy is concise and, in my opinion, too unspecific about what is allowed and what is prohibited. Copy Desk Chief Michael Roehrman is working on a revised section for the Eagle Ethics Policy, and when I’ve approved it, I’ll post it here for you to see.
– Sherry