Ethics

Putting Things in Perspective

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"A number of explosions tore through the British consulate in Turkey today, killing scores of people. George W. Bush is in England, surrounded on all sides by enraged British citizens whose massive protests have required nearly every police officer in London to be put on the line of defense," writes William Rivers Pitt. "It is 3:16 p.m. on Thursday afternoon as I write this. CNN has been covering, with total exclusivity, a parking lot outside a police station for the last hour. They covered an airplane landing. They covered the same airplane sitting still on the tarmac.

No
Main Source: 
Truthout.org, November 21, 2003
Topics: 
Journalism
Arts / Culture
Terrorism
Ethics

Chemical Industry Wages War on Environment & Health

Submitted by John Stauber on

A news release from the Environmental Working Group reveals that "the chemical industry plans to conduct a covert campaign attacking the growing movement in California for more chemical safety testing, with tactics including the creation of phony front groups and spying on activists, according to an internal American Chemistry Council (ACC) memo. ...

No
Main Source: 
Environmental Working Group, November 20, 2003
Topics: 
Activism
Crisis Management
Corporations
Environment
Ethics

The Birth of "Journo-Lobbying"

Submitted by John Stauber on

"James Glassman and TCS have given birth to something quite new in Washington: journo-lobbying. It's an innovation driven primarily by the influence industry. Lobbying firms that once specialized in gaining person-to-person access to key decision-makers have branched out. The new game is to dominate the entire intellectual environment in which officials make policy decisions, which means funding everything from think tanks to issue ads to phony grassroots pressure groups.

No
Main Source: 
Washington Monthly, November 19, 2003
Topics: 
Right Wing
Journalism
Corporations
Ethics
Lobbying

Cronkite Fires Back at VNR Producer

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

In a follow-up to events that we mentioned in May and discussed on the PR Watch Forum, former CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite has filed a lawsuit against WJMK, a Florida producer of video news releases, seeking $25 million in damages and saying the company misled him and tarnished his reputation when it persuaded him to appear in videos that promoted prescription drugs and other products.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, November 11, 2003
Topics: 
Video News Releases
Ethics

Miami Police "Embed" Journalists For Trade Protests

Submitted by Laura Miller on

Miami police will be "embedding" reporters with police squads during next week's protests against trade negotiations.The Associated Press reports, Police Chief John Timoney said his embedding plan would place journalists on the front lines during the Free Trade Area of the Americas talks taking place in Miami. Police expect tens of thousands of demonstrators. "The news organizations invited to participate in the embedding include The Associated Press, NBC, Reuters, The Miami Herald, CNN, Fox and several TV stations.

No
Main Source: 
Editor & Publisher, November 10, 2003
Topics: 
Activism
Citizen Journalism
Ethics
Human Rights

Raped By the Globe

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

The Globe, a tabloid newspaper, is running a titillating photograph of alleged rapist Kobe Bryant's accuser at her high school prom. "In it, the woman is lifting up her prom dress to reveal a garter belt," notes Rebecca Traister. "The headline reads: 'Kobe Bryant's Accuser: Did she really say no?' Next to the photo, in half-inch type, is the 19-year-old woman's name." Traister interviewed journalism professors and magazine editors who are shocked by the Globe's decision.

No
Main Source: 
Salon.com, October 31, 2003
Topics: 
Ethics
Media

Scientist Resigns Over EPA's 'Wetlands Pollute' Study

Submitted by John Stauber on

"A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency biologist has resigned in protest of his agency's acceptance of a developer-financed study concluding that wetlands discharge more pollutants than they absorb, according to a statement released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). EPA's approval of the study gives developers credit for improving water quality by replacing natural wetlands with golf courses and other developments. ...

No
Main Source: 
PEER News Release, October 22, 2003
Topics: 
Corporations
Environment
Ethics
Science
U.S. Government

Corporate Damage Control Turns Tough

Submitted by John Stauber on

Alicia Mundy writes that "I was about to go live on the
Today show to discuss my book on the fen-phen scandal when the host,
Maria Shriver, leaned forward and very kindly said, 'I'm really sorry
about the way we're doing this interview and the questions I have to
ask. You understand, don't you?' ... It seems that the pharmaceutical company, Wyeth-Ayerst, had been
calling. Wyeth, a major conglomerate, makes Dimetapp and Robitussin, as
well as hormone replacement products and other drugs, and was a huge

No
Main Source: 
Columbia Journalism Review, September/October, 2003
Topics: 
Advertising
Crisis Management
Journalism
Ethics

Product Placement in Print

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on

"As TV and movies embrace a Madison & Vine ethos of blending entertainment with marketers' products and messages, magazine editors and publishers find themselves trying to pull off a tricky balancing act of maintaining the 'church and state' wall between editorial and advertising," writes Jon Fine. Recent examples include: a cover photo of Angelina Jolie on Rolling Stone that opened to a three-page ad featuring the sexy Ms.

No
Main Source: 
Advertising Age, October 20, 2003
Topics: 
Advertising
Ethics

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