Efforts to reach Miller by phone and e-mail for comment Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful. Sun-Times Editor in Chief Michael Cooke indicated Thursday that he did not know about the Heartland packages and wanted to talk to Miller, a 2006 Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame inductee. The Nov. 12 letter "From the desk of Dan Miller, Business Editor, Chicago Sun-Times," does not explicitly urge a stance. But, according to Bob Steele, an ethics scholar at the Poynter Institute for media studies, it's still problematic.

"Independence is still a linchpin principle for the credibility of journalists and journalism," Steele said. "When we become activists, we at least raise the perception that we are not independent. And if we are activists in the way it appears [Miller] is, then it's more than just a perception."

"He is actively urging a particular examination, and I would suggest a point of view, on a substantive public policy issue. He's also pitching it in a problematic way to other journalists, using his journalistic connections in doing so."

Most news organizations discourage staffers from being activists, particularly on issues that touch on what they cover or edit, Steele said. "It would be exceptionally hard to argue that global warming doesn't fall somewhere in the sphere of business," he said. "At least based on the cards I see on the table, it raises serious ethical concerns."

Swiss said Heartland is independent and no corporation contributes more than 5 percent of Heartland's budget, and total contributions of all energy firms do not reach 5 percent. The group's Web page, www.Heartland.org, Web site's home page features a picture of Gore headlined "Global Warming Snowjob," but Swiss called the DVD package and letter "balanced in that both sides are equally represented."

As for the idea Miller is being forthright and open, rather than hiding his beliefs, by helping Heartland advance its aims, Poynter's Steele had doubts. "Transparency without accountability is hollow," he said.
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