Joe, a reporter for Main Street News, covered a
campaign rally for Jiya Patel, who is running for county
commissioner. While at the rally, he interviewed the
candidate and some audience members as his
research for the article. He then wrote an article
describing the rally, the candidate's platform, and the
reasons her supporters believe that she is the best
person for this job. When he finished, he turned his
article in to his editor. As the editor reviews this story,
he sees a public report on campaign donations and
learns that Joe has made a sizeable contribution to
Patel's campaign.
What is the most ethical action for the editor to take?
A. edit the article that was written to make sure it is
objective, then run it in tomorrow's edition of the
newspaper.
B. explain to the reporter that the newspaper cannot
run the story because of perceived bias based on
donations, so the article is being reassigned.
C. discuss the article with the reporter to better
understand his affiliation with the candidate and his
views on the upcoming local elections.
D. ask a reporter who supports an opposing candidate
to read and help edit the article to ensure there is no
bias in the reporting.
1 answer
The most ethical action for the editor to take is:
B. explain to the reporter that the newspaper cannot run the story because of perceived bias based on donations, so the article is being reassigned.
This option acknowledges the ethical concern regarding potential bias due to Joe's financial contribution to Patel's campaign. It prioritizes the integrity of the reporting by avoiding the appearance of conflict of interest, which is crucial for maintaining credibility in journalism.
