Reporters should be impartial

A reporter’s job is to present a balanced story. A balanced story in which facts are vetted and not slanted to promote a narrative promoted based on personal beliefs.

A recent analysis by the Center for Public Integrity shows that 96 percent of media campaign donations went to Hillary Clinton. Out of 520 media donors, 480 donors gave Hillary Clinton a total of $382,000 and Trump $14,000. Is this acceptable for media outlets to donate to political candidates and at what point do contributions affect fair reporting? Is this considered a conflict of interest?

The Society of the Professional Journalists Ethics Committee says the two most pertinent parts of the SPJ Code of Ethics are to avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and to remain free of associations that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.

Many newspapers have a longstanding tradition to endorse a candidate, which is a healthy way to promote a public discourse among its readers; however it’s unhealthy for media outlets to slant toward a candidate based on that particular endorsement. The political arena is heated and while many find it hard to be objective, a reporter should be impartial.

Marguerite DiMauro

Spokane