Journalistic Conflicts of Interest

 Katie Millard

km053019@ohio.edu

Journalism strives to be objective, fair, and truthful above all else. However, this goal can be thwarted by conflicts of interest. It is nearly impossible to be completely unbiased in any situation; journalists are curious and opinionated by nature like all other humans. Still, when significant conflicts of interest arise, journalists must take special care to distance themselves and their reporting from them or risk compromising the journalistic integrity and publications.

The first thing any journalist should do is be upfront and transparent about any conflict of interest. According to the University of Arkansas Center for Ethics in Journalism, "there are many different kinds of conflicts of interest, from reporting on close friends or family to receiving free copies of books, films, and games to review. Conflicts also arise when reporters take positions on political or social issues. Without disclosing the competing interests a media professional may have, the public will be unable to trust the truthfulness of the reporting or advertising." Conflicts of interest can be minimal or extensive, and while varying issues require different approaches, transparency is a universal expectation for ethical journalists.

Minimal conflicts of interest may be more easily avoided. For example, journalists should typically refrain from making public comments of opinion on divisive subjects they are covering. Journalists should also not accept gifts or payment, just as they should not offer any form of compensation to journalists. While these situations may arise somewhat frequently, they are simpler to handle for reporters. Simply sticking to ethical guidelines of independence and factual, honest reporting should be largely avoidable or manageable for journalists.

News coverage by party, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-massmedia/chapter/14-3-news-media-and-ethics/

Even the most personal of opinions can create conflicts of interest. As seen above, on average, Democrats are found to be portrayed significantly more favorably than Republicans in news coverage. The percentage of journalists who identify as Democrats change year to year, but the overarching trends display significantly more liberal journalists than conservatives. Journalists can strive to be as independent as possible, even from their own beliefs. However, this skew in coverage favoring Democratic ideologies persists, even if the journalists subconsciously enact it. Reporters must edit their articles for any bias, even those that appear commonplace, and editors must further ensure neutral reportage.

More significant conflicts of interest, such as a relative with ties or employment to an organization the journalist is covering or promises to sources under the table, defiantly or without editorial consideration, prove more difficult. For instance, if a spouse works for the government and their journalist spouse reports on that same government, there is now a conflict of interest that does not have a simple solution. One partner must give up something significant in their career either way. These larger conflicts require more intense solutions and more profound thought and tend to be decided on a much more case-by-case basis. 

A report published in Journalism Studies by Lee Wilkens and Bonnie Brennen brings up an even more complex situation: the illusion of a conflict of interest. According to their article, "it is entirely possible for a professional not to have a conflict of interest ... but to, nevertheless, appear to have a conflict of interest that must be accounted for in professional performance." For instance, say a reporter meets with a source at a coffee shop to conduct an interview and, out of chivalry, decides to offer to buy both coffees. Although a $4 coffee purchase may not be any actual conflict of interest, the appearance of the situation still creates conflict. Therefore, journalists must caution to avoid even the simplest of these incidents to protect their integrity.