Are There Exceptions to Journalists Avoiding Conflicts of Interest?

Erin McLaughlin

em054617@ohio.edu

 

Many different ethical codes advise companies and news outlets to do everything they can to avoid both conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest. These guidelines were put in place for a reason. 

According to the RTDNA's guidelines for avoiding conflict of interest, conflicts of interest could give the appearance of an unprofessional connection. The relationship between a reporter and a source could cause the audience to question the validity of a news story. As a result of a news reporter's personal relationship with or investment in a source they could cover it in a different way than the average reporter. 

In the SPJ Code of Ethics it says, "The highest and primary obligation of ethical journalism is to serve the public." This is done through both the journalist's and the news organization's independence from their sources. 

Despite various ethical codes strongly advising news reporters to avoid any conflict of interest, are there exceptions to that ethical value?

This past March, as New York City became the epicenter of COVID-19, news companies were interviewing New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo on how he was handling the outbreak and the different precautions the state was taking. His brother Chris Cuomo, a CNN journalist, was no exception. 

Photo source: The Washington Post

According to a New York Times article, CNN had told Chris Cuomo that he was not allowed to interview his brother in 2013 because it posed a conflict of interest between the story and the source. However, as the coronavirus situation in New York began to get worse CNN allowed Chris Cuomo to interview his brother once again. 

The brother's family dynamic was able to provide viewer's with a chance to laugh and something to look forward to when the daily news seemed to always be frightening. They often teased each other in a brotherly way and bickered back and forth light-heartedly. 

In the New York Times article, it also mentions that CNN's audience grew quickly after the brother's interview highlights grew in popularity on different social media platforms such as Twitter. 

Conflicts of interest between a reporter and a news source can cause consumers of the news cycle to question a story or wonder whether or not they are missing any important information. The question is when do news stations look past a conflict of interest or how do they recognize a conflict of interest that could challenge the viewer's chance to view the truth of a story?