Would You Turn the Potential Advertisers Away?

THE WASHINGTON POST will no longer accept advertisements from massage parlors, arguing that many of the parlors are actually thinly-veiled houses of prostitution.Many newspapers and magazines continue to run such advertising, arguing that the massage parlors have valid business licenses and are therefore, legitimate businesses in the eyes of the law. Craigslist recently shuttered its "adult services" section, and many other newspapers - The New York...

Should the Anchor Have Revealed That He was Also a Victim of a Pedophile?

OVER THE WEEKEND, while performing an interview on live television, a CNN anchor announced that he had been the victim of a pedophile (it's in the above video around the 5:25 mark).The anchor was discussing the case of an Atlanta bishop who allegedly sexually abused boys at his church. After listening to a sound bite and then talking to supporters of the Bishop, the anchor said, "I have never admitted this on television. I am a victim of a pedophile when I was a kid. Someone who was much older than me."The anchor didn't go into detail about his...

Should the Media Set Standards for the Public?

PBS PULLED THIS skit with Katy Perry and Elmo from Sesame Street after a viewers complained about Perry's attire and the lyrics to her other songs. The video was posted online as a teaser to the start of the 41st season of the famed show. Some viewers complained, like this person:"Good gracious, I've never been so outraged!! Sesame Street and Elmo meet Katy Perry?! Have you seen what this woman promotes in her music and videos? I am appalled that you would let her anywhere near beloved Elmo, especially dressed like that!"Should PBS have pulled...

Do You Make the Jackass Famous? Part II.

WHEN JACKASSES RUN onto the field at Phillies games, the Phillies broadcasters refuse to show the ensuing drama as it might glorify the actions of the idiot. And running onto the field is illegal (and stupid ... we're in a playoff run, jackass). Apparently, the Atlanta station has no issues showing the interloper. That's their video above. That means the footage exists and media outlets, including Philadelphia broadcast news shows, can access the footage. Should they run it?Should newspapers run images and/ or the name of the running fool? Is this...

Do College Students Prefer Print?

THE POYNTER INSTITUTE reports that students actually prefer the print edition of their school newspaper over the online version.They cite a spring 2010 study by Student Monitor that found that 56 percent of students "don't even know if their campus newspaper is available online." Around 63 percent of students classify themselves as "frequent or light readers of the print edition of the campus newspaper."One advisor says that their college newspaper...

What's a Female Sports Journalist To Do?

WHEN INES SAINZ, a reporter from Mexico's TV Azteca, walked into the Jets locker room on Sunday, she was greeted with catcalls and hoots from the players.Locker rooms are awkward places for interviews in general - journalists need information as quickly as possible after games and practices, so the athletes often have cameras thrust in their faces immediately after they get out of the shower. Sometimes, the players are draped in towels. Sometimes...

To Have Or Not Have an Opinion?

Fox29 has a new format for their 10:00 pm newscast and it has invited criticism from the Philadelphia Inquirer.The Inquirer interviewed journalism educators and journalists about Fox29's new opinion and commentary initiatives that have become the focus of the show. Even the journalists who are reporting breaking news are asked for their opinions."We're saying if you're going to report a story, you had better know that story inside and out, and push...

Is it Wrong to Take Care of Your Own?

ON THE FRONT PAGE TODAY, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran an excerpt from a new book, Tasting Freedom. The book chronicles the life of Octavius Catto, a 19th century Philadelphia civil rights activist. It was written by Dan Biddle and Murray Dubin, two longtime Inquirer staffers (though Dubin recently retired). Is there anything wrong with the Inquirer hyping and publicizing a book written by two of their own (Biddle is the Pennsylvania Editor for the...

Should Journalists Ignore the Bigot?

A FLORIDA MINISTER plans to burn copies of the Koran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The US government has pleaded with the minister not to do this, fearing it will incite violence from Muslims, putting Americans in peril."It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan," said General David Petraeus, the commanding officer in Afghanistan. "Were the actual burning to take place, the safety of...

Dude, My Private Parts Are Pictured Online!

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE gathered in Fairmount Park on Sunday for the Philly Naked Bike Ride, then stripped down to their birthday suits and rode bicycles through the city. Just about everywhere they went, people took their pictures and shot video of them. A lot of those pictures and videos wound up online. Some even landed on news websites.Are people allowed to shoot images and video and publish them online? Do the riders have any say in whether their...

Is the Candidate's Kid Public Fodder (And Are Journalists Allowed to Publish facebook Images)?

THE SON OF a state representative/ gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota was busted for underage drinking - while on the payroll of his father's campaign.An alternative weekly newspaper broke the story and used old facebook pictures (above) of the 20-year old. This is a two-part ethical dilemma:1). Is the kid newsworthy? Just because his father is involved in politics and is a candidate to become governor, should the son also be considered fodder...

What's the Name of That Cee Lo Song?

CEE LO GREEN HAS an Internet sensation with the song in the above video. But it will never get airtime because of the song's title, chorus and punch line. Such language is prohibited over public airwaves (radio and broadcast TV) by the Federal Communications Commission. Print outlets are not prohibited by the government from using such language. Still, the New York Times wrote a 1,078-word story about the song on Monday and never revealed the lyrics, let alone the title. Instead, the author described it as "a certain crude phrase."Should newspapers...