A day after a Montana Congressional candidate roughed up a Guardian U.S. reporter, a St. Louis businessman reached out to local journalists with a delicious gesture.
Pi Pizzeria’s Chris Sommers tweeted Thursday morning that it’s “Love a Journalist Day.”
LOVE A JOURNALIST DAY AT PI.
(aka FREE PIZZA for those hardworking folks who bring us real news) pic.twitter.com/OSwQY6bdCN— Chris Sommers (@sommerscm) May 25, 2017
Is 9:20 too early for lunch? I'll have the body-slam special, please. https://t.co/4R7mS0vIpm
— Tony Messenger (@tonymess) May 25, 2017
The gesture is similar to the well-documented one of newsrooms sending each other pizza while covering big, often tough news.
But it’s not exactly the same. As part of their ethics policies, most newsrooms don’t allow journalists to accept gifts. The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics calls for journalists to act independently and to “refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.”
So, probably no free pizza for St. Louis journalists today. But if it’s the thought that counts, this is a nice one.
@sommerscm Thank you, but legit reporters shouldn't accept work-related gifts.
— Kevin Horrigan (@OldSport) May 25, 2017
This is true also. A nice gesture, but leftovers it is. https://t.co/UxQIrCoYWE
— Brent Jones (@brentajones) May 25, 2017
What a nice gesture by @sommerscm, even though we cannot take part. https://t.co/1BycDBzkH3
— Robert Cohen (@kodacohen) May 25, 2017
