Friday, January 20, 2006

Kelly McBride
Ethics Group Leader

What coverage or industry developments surprised you this week? Why and how?

The Jill Carroll story. I'm not sure what to make of the coverage of the kidnapping of the Christian Science Monitor freelancer. A lot of the stories focused on the blackout of news, at the request of the CSM. A few stories highlighted her earnest reporting style, the fact that she traveled without security and seemed enamored of the Middle East. But there is a bigger story to tell about the financial and logistical nightmare newsrooms must endure to get journalists into Iraq and the impossible task they face (once they arrive) in telling stories. Newsrooms must purchase high-risk insurance policies and hire security details for their staffers. The locals who help these journalists by working as interpreters and guides are more at risk. It's almost an impossible story to tell. And of course, telling this story is the only way to ensure any sort of accountability at the highest levels of American government. We don't do a very good job telling our story to the public.

What was underplayed or overplayed? Why and how?

The story about Audry Lewis, the Birmingham Times reporter who said a PR firm paid her $10,000 to write favorable articles about Richard Scrushy, the former CEO of HealthSouth, who was being tried for fraud. Scrushy was aquitted of all charges. Lewis said she was prompted to disclose the payments because the PR firm owes her more money. I'll bet this story explodes in the blogosphere over the weekend and becomes the fodder of talk radio and late night TV by Monday.

What are you looking for next week? What will we still be talking about?

I hope we talk more next week about the Washington Post's decision to shut down public commentary on post.blog. For all its positives, the Internet has drawn attention to our ability as a nation to engage in dialogue. When responsible organizations feel like they cannot host such discussions, it leaves the conversation in the hands of those with nothing to lose. The quality of the conversation will take a predictable turn.

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