When Reporters Join Protests
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The New York Times has a policy stating that the company’s journalists “may not march or rally in support of public causes or movements” or publicly take positions on public issues. It adds, “doing so might reasonably raise doubts about their ability or The Times’s ability to function as neutral observers in covering the news.”
Many other news organizations have similair policies in place and there is a reason for that.
First off, once one of your Journalists takes an active role in protesting, how can any viewer expect that person or station to not be biased when covering the story.
Second, you are making the slippery slope much more wet.
If you let your Reporters or Anchors protest for Black Lives Matter, are you going to let your Anchors and Reporters protest in a March for Life rally? Are they now allowed to pick up a sign and protest in a pro-choice event?
What about those that protest the taking down of Confederate statues? Can your Anchor go out and join those protestors? No. Then why were they allowed to join the Black Lives Matter protests?
Let’s look at one TV station as an example.
Tegna’s WUSA in DC has had at least three of their employees engage in protests in the last couple weeks. Morning Anchor Tony Perkins was amoug those that decided he wanted to join the protest and did just that.
Look, there is no doubt that there is racial injustice in this country and we can only hope that this time it is going to change for the better.
But, when Journalists decide to become Journalists, they have decided to become a bystander. They have decided to record history and tell viewers the story. Once you put down the mic and pick up a protest sign, all your credibility of covering that story fairly just went out the window. Not only are you killing your credibility, but you are doing the same thing to your station.
If you feel the need to protest, then maybe it is time to look at another profession.
You chose to be a Journalist and just like it any other job there are sacrifices that need to be made. Reporting the story fairly and keeping your personal beliefs out is paramount to the role of a Journalist.
It might not seem fair, but this is the job you chose.
Now do it.
