Conflicts of Interest or Being Involved in the Community?

Autum Meyers 

autummeyers33@gmail.com

https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/conflict-of-interest

    Journalists all have biases and affiliations with things that can cause them to have conflicts of interest. Whether they be the way they lean politically, or an outside organization they're a part of, or even who their family members are, all journalists have things that can lead to conflicts of interest. According to the SPJ ethics codes, journalists should "avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived" and "disclose unavoidable conflicts".  https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp This code paints a very negative light on conflicts of interest, for very good reason, but are all conflicts of interest a bad thing? Can it be argued that some conflicts of interest show that a person cares about what they're working on? Does it show that they are involved and part of the community they are writing about? 

    The article "A journalist Breaks the Golden Rule" tells the story of how a reporter spoke at a memorial service for two girls who were murdered--specifically the memorial service the reporter was supposed to be covering. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-06-et-howard6-story.html The article condemns the reporter for her actions, saying that she could not be fair in her reporting when she was speaking so emotionally at this memorial service. This is very valid and I do agree that the reporter did cross a line into a conflict of interest territory. However, doesn't this action show that she was involved in this story and truly cared about the outcome of these poor girls' lives? Did this community need a reporter scribbling down lifeless facts to be relayed in the news the next day, or did they need someone to be compassionate and acknowledge the community's pain? She may have not done the right thing and crossed a journalistic boundary, but she did show that she cared and I can't completely condemn her for that. 

    Another instance where reporters have edged into conflict of interest territory is in the music industry. Many artists give the critics and reporters free CDs of their music or offer them gifts and free tickets, and the reporter/critic will spend quite a bit of time with the artist--maybe even forming a friendship along the way. In the article "Love Those Perks!/Critics Sound Off on the Ethics of Music Journalism," many music journalists debate whether this is a bad or good thing. https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Love-Those-Perks-Critics-Sound-Off-on-the-2951185.php

It's bad because it can potentially sway their opinions and keep them from giving honest, reliable views to their audience, but at the same time spending a lot of time with these artists and being involved in the music community helps them gain confidants. I can see how being this close to their subjects and accepting gifts can be a huge conflict of interest for the journalists, but at the same time, I can see how important it is for journalists to be a part of the communities they are reporting about. 

    In the end, journalists should do their best to avoid conflicts of interest, and in the unfortunate times that they can't they should disclose this and be very transparent about the situation. I understand that avoiding conflicts of interest are the best ways to maintain credible and unbiased news and media. However, at the same time, I can see how conflicts of interest can make journalists more connected to their audiences. That reporter who spoke at the memorial service was very connected to her audience and probably made them trust her more. The journalists who go on trips with their artists probably get to see these musicians in a new way that most people don't get to, and form helpful connections that can assist them in finding more stories to share with the world. Overall, conflicts of interest aren't good, but they aren't completely condemnable in my opinion.