By NICQUEL TERRY
The UNITY News

As a journalism student at the University of Maryland, Nancy Johnston never thought twice about joining liberal-based groups on Facebook, the popular social-networking online site.

It wasn’t until an unknown Web site creator exposed her political ties that she realized her credibility as a budding journalist was at risk. The site, which was launched in 2006, bashed The Baltimore Sun, calling it a biased paper and stated it was hiring liberal journalists, she said.

“People wanted to throw dirt on me,” said Johnston, now a copy editor at the Sun.

election

Len Downie, executive editor of The Washington Post, said journalists who are active in the politic arena are in danger of developing stronger opinions on political issues and could potentially write biased stories. “Everybody here has an impact on how the paper presents its political coverage.”

Downie hasn’t voted in any political election since 1984 because he wants to keep a neutral stance on all political issues the Post reports. He’s retiring from the Post in September but still has no plans of voting in this year’s presidential election.

Washington Post company policies prohibit all newsroom employees, including reporters, editors, copy editors and designers, from campaigning or donating money to politicians and political groups.

The controversial issue grabbed headlines and quickly spread through the media blogosphere last year when MSNBC.com discovered 143 journalists who had donated to campaigns between 2004 and 2007.

Bill Dedman, an MSNBC investigative reporter, reviewed public records from the Federal Election Commission and unveiled the names of journalists who contributed hundreds or thousands of dollars to politicians. Many of them worked for some of the country’s largest publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

Michael Freeman, a researcher for U.S. News and World Report, donated $250 to Sen. Barack Obama in February 2007.

Freeman said he knew his company had policies about employees contributing to campaigns but didn’t think they applied to him.

“I work more in research, so I really didn’t feel that I was even subject to that,” he said.

Leroy Chapman, politics and government editor at The State in Columbia, S.C., said reporters at his paper take the risk of losing their job when they donate or campaign for politicians. He said The State often reports about people who donate money to candidates.

“Either you want to be a part of the news or cover the news,” Chapman said. “You can’t have it both ways. When you’re giving to a political party, that’s advocacy.”

topic: Industry Issues

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