Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

Jaida Sterling
js528714@ohio.edu

A journalist is supposed to be an unbiased, outside party who provides honest content for their audience.

When a journalist's conflicts of interest get involved, they can become biased. They can also decide to participate in activities they should not take part in, and provide content that has been skewed to one side or another.

It is in the interest of journalists to avoid situations where their conflicts of interest clash with the story they have been given or the people they need to communicate with for a story.

Journalism as a profession is already looked at with the idea that anything that is reported cannot fully be trusted.

Especially now that "fake news" is one of the most popularly –– and most often ––  used phrase when talking about media and journalism.

Even if the journalist believes they can handle a situation involving conflicts of interest, it is not worth the risk.

Some seasoned journalists –– like Leslie Roberts –– end up finding themselves in situations of conflicts of interest.

AdWeek wrote an article about Leslie Roberts, a Canadian journalist, who had been suspended for having a conflict of interest in a PR firm.

Roberts was a newscaster and an executive editor for Global Television, while also being a creative director and a co-owner of Buzz PR.

"Roberts' "crime" was breaking through the wall between media and PR and doubling as both advocate and journalist," said Patrick Coffee, the writer of the article on AdWeek's website.

Getting involved in conflicts of interest and getting exposed for doing so would not help protect the integrity of journalism.

It's best to avoid it at all costs.

"Only then can journalists and readers alike be confident that the profession is fulfilling its broader obligation to seek and report the truth," said in an article on Ethics AdviceLine for Journalists.

http://www.afrostateofmind.com/cops_and_das_blacklivesdontmatter/

Avoiding these types of situations will not always be easy, but it is not impossible.

ThoughtCo. provided tips on how reporters can avoid conflicts of interest.

Here are some of their suggestions:

• Don't accept freebies or gifts from sources
• Don't donate money to political or activist groups
• Don't engage in political activity
• Don't get too chummy with the people you cover
• Don't cover friends or family members
• Avoid financial conflicts

Other tips for avoiding conflicts of interest as a journalist can be:

• to let the editor know that you have a conflict of interest in a story they have handed to you.
• to take into account that if you think what you are doing is unethical and biased, it probably is.
• to have someone who will tell you when they honestly think you are being biased or unfair due to your conflicts of interest.

It's tricky being a journalist.

Journalists are just like any other human being who has judgments, opinions, values and beliefs.

You don't have to give any of those up entirely.

However, this is a career where you must remain objective and leave those personal things out of your work.