Available Soon: Request your printed copies of the Idaho Freedom Index mailed to you!
Request Your Copies
Note to Dustin: This is currently only visible to logged in users for testing.
Click Me!
video could not be found

For the sake of public disclosure …

For the sake of public disclosure …

by
Idaho Freedom Foundation staff
January 25, 2013

It is possible there is nothing factually wrong with Spokesman-Review writer Betsy Russell's Jan. 25 article regarding Idaho public television. But journalists who claim to be "objective" have an ethical obligation to denote conflicts of interest and even perceived conflicts of interest. And in the case of this particular story, a conflict exists … but wasn't disclosed.

Russell is also president of the nonprofit Idahoans for Openness in Government. This nonprofit, like other nonprofits, has a board of directors. One of the directors is Peter Morrill, the affable general manager of Idaho public television. Russell's story quotes extensively from Morrill, who, again, serves on Russell's nonprofit board, according to records from the secretary of state's office.

The Society of Professional Journalists says, in its code of ethics, that reporters should "avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived" and should "disclose unavoidable conflicts." Russell won't, so we have.

Idaho Freedom Foundation
802 W. Bannock Street, Suite 405, Boise, Idaho 83702
p 208.258.2280 | e [email protected]
COPYRIGHT © 2024 Idaho freedom Foundation
magnifiercrossmenucross-circle linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram