Reporter fired for covering private affairs as news story
A front page story in Wednesday’s Tampa Tribune violated the principle journalists hold most dear: that readers can trust us to tell the truth, writes Executive director Janet S. Weaver:
The problem appeared in an article under the headline “Private Towing Largely Unregulated.” It tells the story of Tracey Sievertson, whose Jeep was towed from a lot on Platt Street in Tampa. It is true that Sievertson’s Jeep was towed. But reporter Brad Smith fabricated the opening paragraphs of the story, painting a picture of Sievertson’s shock when she emerged from a night of club-hopping to find her vehicle missing from the parking lot where she left it. Sievertson had not been out that evening. . . . Smith’s presence that night created another ethical breach. Journalists are obligated not to write stories about friends. They are not to write stories about events in which they were directly involved under the guise of covering the news. Smith did not disclose his involvement in these events to his editors. And he did not disclose them to you. Brad Smith is no longer a reporter at The Tampa Tribune. After we confronted him with our questions about the story Wednesday, he offered his resignation, and I accepted it. We will conduct a review of Smith’s work to ensure that no similar problems exist in other stories.
It is refreshing to see how american newspapers are resolut in handling ethic affairs. In Denmark, where I come from, journalist behaivour like this would not have lifted an eyebrow..
Actually me and some friends used to play a game of counter-researching frontpage stories at major danish newspapers. Surprisingly many top stories are non-stories, leaving out important sources of other opinions and better knowledge. -And these stories can be spotted every day.
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