Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

Gillian Gonder
gg346916@ohio.edu

Conflicts of interest are impossible to completely avoid in the media industry. As journalists, we must learn how to manage them in order to not get ourselves into trouble.

What is a conflict of interest? It can be anything from a journalist accepting money or gifts from a company they are reporting on, donating money to political groups, engaging too heavily in political discussions, reporting on family or friends, owning stocks in a company, or developing friendships with sources. It can be a way to cut corners for journalists; for example, they need a quote or an opinion on a topic, so they ask a friend.

One of the most crucial conflicts of interest to avoid in journalism is affiliation with politics. Should journalists engage in political activity? The short answer is no. Particularly in regard to political reporters, they should not show any party affiliation - no bumper stickers, no yard signs, nothing.

Curiously, SPJ's codes in regard to conflicts of interest are "merely advisory," although a reporter could be fired for violating an employer's specific ethical rules. NPR, on the other hand, has specific rules for journalists. Employees may not attend marches, rallies, etc.

While NPR is rather strict when it comes to conflicts of interest, it does not specify friendships with sources as being conflicts of interest. Their code of ethics only states that familial relationships are considered conflicts of interest in regard to reporting, but there is nothing stated about friendships with sources. In fact, Nina Totemberg, the lead reporter for law and justices, is known to have close friendships with numerous justices. She does not report on the justices themselves, but rather on the law, making it a sticky situation. Some say her friendships have caused bias, but no one knows for sure.

Another way to avoid conflicts of interest is to not endorse political campaigns and to not own stocks in certain companies. As shown in the picture below, the doctor is prescribing a medication and telling the patient that he owns stock in the drug company. This is highly unethical from a medical perspective, but the same principle applies to journalism. Journalists should not own stocks in the companies they cover, or competing companies. It can lead to a plethora of ethical questions and considerations.

Courtesy of Debbie Weil

Political conflicts of interest and journalism conflicts of interest go hand-in-hand. What is wrong for politicians to do is also often wrong for journalists to do. As mentioned earlier, owning stocks in particular companies is seen as a conflict. In the 2016 election, Donald Trump had many potential conflicts of interest because of the numerous stocks he owned. According to The Washington Post, Trump acknowledged these potential conflicts of interest and claimed to have sold his stock portfolio, but no evidence of this was ever released nor were his earnings on the sale.

In order to avoid conflicts of interest, one must know how to manage them before they arise. As journalists, we must be transparent in how we acquire and report information. We cannot try to hide conflicts of interest or cover our tracks, we must be honest.