Ethics
The subject of Ethics has always intrigued me, specifically when it’s offered as a college course. Aren’t Ethics just inherent? Why would we need to take a class on it? I just always thought being ethical was based on common sense.
Since taking the job at the radio, Ethics has plagued me. It’s come up quite a bit in the past six months. I realized it wasn’t ethical of me to be the official organizer of the democratic caucus in Wrangell, but could I at least still participate in the caucus? Public radio reporters are, of course, allowed to vote, and isn’t participating in a caucus just another form of voting? Well, I answered these questions myself and I did participate in the caucus. A couple of weeks later I learned that I shouldn’t have. I also realized I shouldn’t have contributed that $10 to Obama’s campaign all those months ago. I had learned early on that NPR reporters have a well-defined Code of Ethics and Practices (“NPR journalists may not contribute to political campaigns”) but I really thought being a lowly public radio reporter in a rural island community in Alaska excluded me from those guidelines. I guess what I’ve learned is that sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
One example is the station manager at KSTK, Peter. He used to be the reporter but now he’s the boss. But every so often, maybe once or twice a month, he produces a news story. Peter also happens to sit on the school board, which is an elected seat of the local city government. NPR reporters are strictly forbidden from sitting on government boards or commissions. But hey, we live in Wrangell, so Peter, who sometimes produces news, can still sit on the school board.
Another example pertains to my boyfriend, Scott. He happens to be the only fisheries biologist for the Department of Fish and Game in Wrangell. Oftentimes, he’s a good (not to mention, only) source of information, but technically I should not be interviewing him. I should give the story idea to another reporter at a partner station in another town, so that my relationship with Scott doesn’t slant the story. But I don’t. I interview Scott, not just for information but also for sound bites. And I really don’t feel like I’m being unethical. Afterall, it’s not like I have anything to gain from fisheries near Wrangell.
But something happened today which immediately piqued my Ethics radar. A couple of weeks ago, the superintendent at Thomas Bay Power Authority, Jim, asked me to track down a recording of a controversial meeting that took place back in October. (Thomas Bay Power Authority is the hydroelectric entity which oversees power to Wrangell and neighboring Petersburg). So I did. I did it openly. I emailed the partner station that I knew had recorded this particular and asked if I could get a copy of it for Jim. Emails were exchanged and within a couple of weeks, I had access to the recordings and just had to burn it onto a disc. I was told by this partner station to ask Peter, my station manager, how much KSTK charges for such a chore, as this is beyond what we normally offer to the public. Peter said it was a flat charge of $20 for something like that. I relayed that information to Jim at Thomas Bay Power Authority. I made a disc with the five-hour recording of the meeting and charged $20. The office manager at Thomas Bay, Rhonda, who I’m friendly with, came by the station to pick up the disc. I was busy doing the noon broadcast, so Peter took care of the transaction. He gave Rhonda the disc of the recording, and she paid the $20. Simple, easy. But she also left an envelope with my name on it, sealed, with specific instructions that I was to be the only person to open it. When I did open it, I found a short note about treating myself to a lunch out, and $30 in cash. Now, I knew right away that this was not right. I didn’t need a code of Ethics and Practices to tell me so. But I guess it is nice to have specific instructions on what to do about it: “Unsolicited items will be returned with a letter thanking the sender but stating our policy on gifts.” So this is what I shall do.
You know, come to think of it, I’m pretty sure it’s unethical, or else just pretty dumb, to write about all this in a blog.
Since taking the job at the radio, Ethics has plagued me. It’s come up quite a bit in the past six months. I realized it wasn’t ethical of me to be the official organizer of the democratic caucus in Wrangell, but could I at least still participate in the caucus? Public radio reporters are, of course, allowed to vote, and isn’t participating in a caucus just another form of voting? Well, I answered these questions myself and I did participate in the caucus. A couple of weeks later I learned that I shouldn’t have. I also realized I shouldn’t have contributed that $10 to Obama’s campaign all those months ago. I had learned early on that NPR reporters have a well-defined Code of Ethics and Practices (“NPR journalists may not contribute to political campaigns”) but I really thought being a lowly public radio reporter in a rural island community in Alaska excluded me from those guidelines. I guess what I’ve learned is that sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
One example is the station manager at KSTK, Peter. He used to be the reporter but now he’s the boss. But every so often, maybe once or twice a month, he produces a news story. Peter also happens to sit on the school board, which is an elected seat of the local city government. NPR reporters are strictly forbidden from sitting on government boards or commissions. But hey, we live in Wrangell, so Peter, who sometimes produces news, can still sit on the school board.
Another example pertains to my boyfriend, Scott. He happens to be the only fisheries biologist for the Department of Fish and Game in Wrangell. Oftentimes, he’s a good (not to mention, only) source of information, but technically I should not be interviewing him. I should give the story idea to another reporter at a partner station in another town, so that my relationship with Scott doesn’t slant the story. But I don’t. I interview Scott, not just for information but also for sound bites. And I really don’t feel like I’m being unethical. Afterall, it’s not like I have anything to gain from fisheries near Wrangell.
But something happened today which immediately piqued my Ethics radar. A couple of weeks ago, the superintendent at Thomas Bay Power Authority, Jim, asked me to track down a recording of a controversial meeting that took place back in October. (Thomas Bay Power Authority is the hydroelectric entity which oversees power to Wrangell and neighboring Petersburg). So I did. I did it openly. I emailed the partner station that I knew had recorded this particular and asked if I could get a copy of it for Jim. Emails were exchanged and within a couple of weeks, I had access to the recordings and just had to burn it onto a disc. I was told by this partner station to ask Peter, my station manager, how much KSTK charges for such a chore, as this is beyond what we normally offer to the public. Peter said it was a flat charge of $20 for something like that. I relayed that information to Jim at Thomas Bay Power Authority. I made a disc with the five-hour recording of the meeting and charged $20. The office manager at Thomas Bay, Rhonda, who I’m friendly with, came by the station to pick up the disc. I was busy doing the noon broadcast, so Peter took care of the transaction. He gave Rhonda the disc of the recording, and she paid the $20. Simple, easy. But she also left an envelope with my name on it, sealed, with specific instructions that I was to be the only person to open it. When I did open it, I found a short note about treating myself to a lunch out, and $30 in cash. Now, I knew right away that this was not right. I didn’t need a code of Ethics and Practices to tell me so. But I guess it is nice to have specific instructions on what to do about it: “Unsolicited items will be returned with a letter thanking the sender but stating our policy on gifts.” So this is what I shall do.
You know, come to think of it, I’m pretty sure it’s unethical, or else just pretty dumb, to write about all this in a blog.
posted by Siapiau | 8:08 PM
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