CHAPTER 10:

CONFLICTS OF

INTEREST • Define conflict of interest and

apparent conflict of interest.

• Describe the impact on credibility of

a conflict of interest.

• Avoid conflicts of interest in four

common areas.

Who is

AUDIENCE

DEFINITION: Conflict of interest

Self No. 1

Audience not No. 1

A journalist’s self-interest or loyalty to another

person or organization takes precedence over his

or her loyalty to the audience.

ARE THESE CONFLICTS?

•Writing a story about an election and

excluding candidates you don’t like?

•Writing a flattering story about an

advertiser because he said he would

buy an ad if you did such a story?

•Accepting a free week’s stay at a hotel

and then writing a flattering travel

article on the hotel?

DEFINITION: Apparent conflict of interest Something a journalist does – or says publicly –

that causes the audience to perceive a conflict of

interest or bias, even though the journalist’s

reporting is fair.

ARE THESE APPARENT CONFLICTS?

•Marching in a rally for a political

cause

•Wearing a Yangon Lions shirt to

cover its football game

•Expressing support for a political

candidate on your Facebook page

•Appearing on a public affairs TV

program and criticizing a candidate

DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?

• Exiled from

his country

for 24 years.

• Returned in

January 2012

as founder

and editor-in-

chief of

Screen grab from Democratic Voice of Burma video

DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?

• Imprisoned for 2 ½

years of a 27-year

sentence

• Released in January

2012 and went back

to being a VJ for

HLA HLA WIN

DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS? Jan. 11, 2014

“Many of the country’s most widely read

print media have open connections to the

military establishment.”

• The 7 Days Journal

• The Hot News Journal

• The Messenger Journal

• The Voice Journal

• The Popular Journal

DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?

Jan. 11, 2014

“The same is true for the broadcast media.

A large number of FM radio stations are

owned by military associates….

“Satellite television service Sky Net…is

operated by Shwe Than Lwin Co. Ltd.,

which is owned by military associate Kyaw

Win.

DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?

Jan. 11, 2014

EARLY U.S. PRESS PARTISAN

The Los

Angeles

Times

celebrates an

election

victory by the

Republican

Party in 1896.

HOW TO DEAL WITH OPINIONS B

y P

ete

r R

ob

ert

s

1. Filter opinions out of the reporting.

HOW TO DEAL WITH OPINIONS

2. Take no public positions on issues.

By www.audio-luci-store.it

WHY NOT JUST DISCLOSE OPINIONS?

By Danny Molyneux

Referee: “I’m

going to call

this game

fairly, but the

Yangon team is

obviously

better.”

WHY NOT JUST DISCLOSE OPINIONS?

By Danny Molyneux

Referee: “Yes, I

did give that

tough call to

Yangon, but I’m

not biased.”

“Yeah,

right.”

BENEFIT OF BALANCE •Reporting all sides of a subject

without favoring one over another

By v

aX

zin

e

YOU ARE A JOURNALIST 24/7

By S

teve

Sn

od

gra

ss

“YOU CAN VOTE AND JOIN THE CHURCH.”

By FutUndBeidl

DEFINITION: Disclosure Informing the audience of something that might be

perceived as a conflict of interest. A disclosure may be

warranted if the conflict is unavoidable or insignificant.

EDITOR’S

NOTE: Serge

Pun is an

investor in

Mizzima Media

Group.

June 18, 2015

This is

businessman

Serge Pun.

4 COMMON AREAS

FOR CONFLICTS 1. Gifts and outside income

2. Public positions on issues

3. Civic activities

4. Relationships with sources

handbook • 54 pages

• http://bit.ly/NYTethics

By FutUndBeidl

1. NO GIFTS FROM SOURCES • “They should not allow themselves to be

influenced by any person through an offer of

payment, gift or other advantage.”

– Myanmar Media Code of Conduct

• “Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special

treatment.” – SPJ Code of Ethics

• “Staff members may not accept gifts, tickets,

discounts…Exceptions may be made for trinkets

of nominal value, say $25 or less, such as a mug

or a cap with a company logo.”

– The New York Times handbook

WHAT ABOUT MEALS?

“In some business situations and in some cultures, it may be unavoidable to accept a meal or a drink paid for by a news source. Whenever practical, however, the reporter should suggest dining where The Times can pay.”

– The New York Times handbook

By Gareth Williams

1. OUTSIDE INCOME Is it okay for:

• An education reporter to work as a freelance

public relations consultant for the school

district.

• A technology reporter to accept a speaking fee

from Microsoft to address its executive retreat.

• A business columnist to accept a speaking

free for talking to a conference of stock

brokers about getting better coverage.

• A journalist to accept a speaking fee for giving

the graduation speech at a university that she

does not cover.

FACEBOOK IS PRIVATE TRUE OR FALSE?

EMAIL IS PRIVATE TRUE OR FALSE?

2. TAKING A PUBLIC POSITION

Do not “say anything on radio, television

or the Internet that could not appear

under his or her byline in The Times.”

– The New York Times handbook

Is it okay for:

• An editor to email a reader that the

editor does not plan to vote for a

particular candidate.

• A reporter to use the rainbow filter on

her Facebook profile photo indicating

support of same-sex marriage.

• Cheers to break out in the newsroom

when a difficult government minister

resigns.

• A political reporter to appear on a radio

talk show and slam a candidate.

2. TAKING A PUBLIC POSITION

•“Journalists should not

cover or make news

decisions about

organizations in which they

are members.”

•They should avoid

situations that could result

in news coverage.

--The Ethical Journalist

3. CIVIC ACTIVITIES

Is it okay for:

• A reporter to head a church committee

campaigning against a new casino.

• An editor to produce the newsletter for his

child’s elementary school.

• A journalist, who coaches his son’s football

team, to ask a source to donate money for

team uniforms.

• A journalist to lead a parents’ group in support

of a children’s choir.

3. CIVIC ACTIVITIES

CASE STUDY: OLYMPIC TORCH RUN

Page 151

By Perry McKenna

10-question template: page 113

Step 1: Gather Facts Question 1:

What do I know? What do I need to

know?

10-question template

Photo by sskennel

Step 1: Gather Facts Question 2:

What is my journalistic purpose?

10-question template

By M

M

Step 1: Gather Facts Question 3:

What are my ethical concerns?

10-question template

Is It an Ethical Dilemma? Definition:

conflict in ethical values:

• Telling the truth.

• Keeping your promise.

• Respecting privacy.

• Being fair.

• Minimizing harm.

• Avoiding conflicts of interest.

10-question template

By david pacey

Is It a False Ethical Dilemma? Definition:

conflict between ethical and nonethical values (wealth, status, happiness):

-Beating the competition

-Raising ratings

-Increasing traffic

-Selling newspapers

10-question template

False Ethical Dilemma

10-question template

•“It is essential that we preserve a

professional detachment, free of

any whiff of bias.

•“Staff members may see sources

informally over a meal or drinks,

but they must keep in mind the

difference between legitimate

business and personal friendship.”

--The New York Times handbook

4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

“The acid test of

freedom from

favoritism is the

ability to maintain

good working

relationships with all

parties to a

dispute.”

--The New York

Times handbook

4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

Is it okay for:

• A City Hall reporter to date the mayor.

• A political reporter to play golf most weekends

with top NLD party officials.

• A Naypyidaw reporter to play mahjongg most

Monday nights with government officials.

• A business reporter to be found at most home

football games in the corporate box of a

company he covers.

• A journalist to borrow money from a source.

4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY • 1980s: Ethan Bronner began

reporting from the Middle East.

• 2008: Bronner became The New

York Times Jerusalem bureau

chief. His reporting is fair.

• December 2009: Bronner tells his

editors -- as required by the Times’

ethics handbook -- that his 20-

year-old son has enlisted in the

Israeli army.

• January 2010: Palestine’s

Electronic Intifada website says

Bronner has a “conflict of interest.”

CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY

Is this a real or apparent conflict of interest?

DEFINITION: Conflict of interest

Self No. 1

Audience not No. 1

A journalist’s self-interest or loyalty to another

person or organization takes precedence over his

or her loyalty to the audience.

DEFINITION: Apparent conflict of interest Something a journalist does – or says publicly –

that causes the audience to perceive a conflict of

interest or bias, even though the journalist’s

reporting is fair.

CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY

By k

ell

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rite

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se

• Feb. 6, 2010: New York Times

Public Editor Clark Hoyt

investigates and writes a column

saying Bronner should be

reassigned while his son is in the

Israeli army.

• Feb. 6, 2010: New York Times

Executive Editor Bill Keller

explains in a column why he will

not reassign Bronner.

• Feb. 12, 2010: Keller explains his

thinking in this radio interview.

Sc

ree

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rab

fro

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-SP

AN

CLARK HOYT

BILL KELLER

CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY

Use the 10-question template to

recommend whether:

1. Executive Editor Bill Keller

should reconsider his decision

and reassign Jerusalem

reporter Ethan Bronner.

2. Keller should have disclosed

the apparent conflict when

Bronner first told him about it in

December.

By k

ell

yw

rite

rsh

ou

se

BILL KELLER

DISCLOSURE: Informing the audience of something that

might be perceived as a conflict of interest. A disclosure may

be warranted if the conflict is unavoidable or insignificant.

10-question template: page 113

What’s in the memo? Write a memo of four sections:

1. Background of the case (the facts)

2. The ethical theories and processes you used

3. Alternatives with pros and cons

4. Recommended action

WHEN IS IT DUE? Beginning of class

AUG. 3