Talk About Ethics

I'm looking at a photograph of Jayson Blair. He's sitting on the steps in the great hall of The Poynter Institute.

It's August 1996, nearly seven years before Jayson would put himself at the epicenter of one of journalism's biggest ethical earthquakes. His plagiarism, fabrication and deception have shaken the foundation of The New York Times, and the aftershocks are felt across our profession.

Jayson is sitting front row, center in this photograph. He's 20 years old, a junior at the University of Maryland and executive editor of the student newspaper, The Diamondback. He's at Poynter for a weeklong seminar called "Ethics and Leadership for College Editors and News Directors."

Back then Jayson Blair had big-time aspirations, and he went on to play them out -– fast-tracking his way from the University of Maryland (without degree) to an internship at The New York Times, then right into a writing job for The Times.

He was running fast and getting ahead, but there were shortcuts and shortcomings. He struggled professionally –- some Times editors had serious concerns about his ability, reflected in a high rate of corrections on his stories. Jayson also was struggling personally -– he eventually took a leave from the paper in 2002 to deal with his problems.

I didn't know about any of these struggles. His troubles did not come up when he called me several times for comment on stories he was writing about the media. I was impressed by his moxie and his success at The Times. In early 2001, I invited him to participate in a Poynter Ethics Fellows seminar. We wanted a young, spirited journalist to join a cadre of veterans who would focus intensely on ethics issues. But Jayson failed to show up and never responded to my queries of concern.

Now, in the wake of Jayson's self-implosion and the damage he has caused, I'm filled with questions. I wonder what else I might have taught him and how I might have guided him differently. I wonder what I might have done to head off his self-destructive tendencies. I also wonder how I might have helped him deal with whatever demons were steering his skewed moral compass and his unprincipled behavior. How might I have kept Jayson from becoming the leading actor in this journalistic version of "Catch Me If You Can?"

This picture of the "Ethics and Leadership for College Editors and News Directors" seminar participants was taken in August 1996. Click here to view larger image.

And yet, as I wonder about Jayson Blair, I look again at this photo from 1996 and I see the other 17 college students who were at Poynter with him for that seminar. What have they been doing over these seven years? How have they avoided the ethical minefield Jayson Blair entered? Just as I feel a sense of responsibility for Jayson, so, too, do I feel that way about these other journalists in the making.

I know some of their stories and I'm heartened by what I learn, for many are serving journalism quite well. Others are making their contributions in different professions.

Two members of this Poynter class of 1996 are working at the Dallas Morning News. Michael Landauer is the lead editorial writer for one of the paper's zoned editions. He was back at Poynter earlier this year for a seminar on Persuasive Writing. Jennifer Bassman is also at the Morning News, where she started as a graphic artist, moved on to design feature pages. She is now developing pagination software and doing training for the paper.

Ed Fletcher went from Southern University in Baton Rouge into a yearlong rotating internship with Knight-Ridder papers. For nearly three years he's been at The Sacramento Bee, where he is now a state government reporter.

Patrick Kastner from Indiana University is now a graphics designer for The Columbus Dispatch.

Sarah Stein went from Emerson College in Boston to a small television station in New Hampshire and is now senior projects producer for FOX-25 television in Boston.

Lisa Levenson graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and interned at The Oregonian. For the past four years, she's been with Bloomberg in New York City, first writing about telecommunications and now as a business editor for Bloomberg Radio.

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Christie Lee Williams from the University of Hawaii is now a copy editor at the Honolulu Advertiser.

Some in that 1996 Poynter class started in journalism and went on to other professions or back to graduate school.

Mike Raum started in newspapers at the Grand Forks Herald then went to law school. He's now a trial attorney with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

Kelly Kennedy Bogdanowicz went from Colorado State University to write for the Salt Lake Tribune and then the Oregonian before returning to Colorado to work for the Colorado Press Association and freelance for The Denver Post. She's headed for graduate school this fall.

Joe Altman, from the University of Arizona, interned at the Arizona Daily Star and then at Newsday's Washington bureau. He then worked for The Associated Press in Detroit for three years, before returning to his home state and another field of work.

Amy Zerba graduated from the University of Florida, interned and worked at the Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale for four years as a page designer and copy editor. She returned to graduate school to earn a master's degree with a focus on online journalism and she's headed to the University of Texas to start her Ph.D.

There are six others from this 1996 seminar whom I'm still tracking down.

As much as I'm deeply saddened by what has happened with Jayson Blair, I'm heartened by knowing that there are many others in that Poynter class of 18 students journalists who stayed the course. I take no credit for any success they have achieved, and I'm sure that each of them has had a stumble or two on their journeys, just as I have had over the years. None of us is perfect, neither as journalists nor as human beings.

Yet, the magnitude of Jayson Blair's ethical failures and professional irresponsibility prompts serious reflection. It has forced me to think hard about the way I teach journalism ethics and practice my craft.

Several of Jayson's colleagues in that 1996 seminar have offered thoughts that they've permitted me to share.

Michael Landauer wrote, "The fact that we spent a week discussing ethical decision making with the now infamous Jayson Blair makes me sick to my stomach. I think what I take away from all this is that you have to do more than talk. I believe in self-promotion, but I believe in the principles of journalism more. I guess he didn't.

"It just goes to show that anyone can talk themselves up and say the right things, but how many editors can really see through the BS? I hope this makes editors think more about reporters they grow to trust. Maybe it should not be the one in your office talking the talk. Maybe it should be the reporter you never see, the one out in the field, walking the walk."

Michael Raum wrote of his "general concern for Jayson, sadness at the affair, and best wishes for his future."

Jennifer Bassman told me that Jayson "violated not just the basic rules of journalism, but rules of life –- tell the truth. I don't know why he went wrong." 

"I'd like to know his side of the story. Any good journalist would like to know why he did it. Ethically, morally you get both sides," she said.

And, at this point, we do wait to hear more from Jayson Blair. When he is able and ready, we will benefit from his account of what happened and why. Not for us to drive daggers into his heart, but to help all of us understand that our journey is perilous and our credibility is fragile.

Until we hear his voice, we can only hope that Jayson is getting the help he needs and that he will find a new road ahead to travel.

His image will always be part of that Poynter seminar picture from August of 1996. He's part of our history.