Fraters Libertas

You're Not The Boss Of Me

Reporters suspended for attending Springsteen concert

The St. Paul Pioneer Press suspended two reporters for attending the recent "Vote for Change" political fundraising concert and now faces a union grievance.

Several newspapers around the country had asked staff members not to attend the series of concerts held in Minnesota and other "battleground" states earlier this month. That's because ticket sales benefited an affiliate of the liberal group MoveOn, which would compromise the politically neutral stance expected of journalists.

[spit take]

However, the Pioneer Press appears to be the only newspaper to suspend reporters for going.

"Well, maybe at other papers, people went along with what their bosses said," editor Vicki Gowler said Monday.

Reporters Chuck Laszewski and Rick Linsk, both members of the paper's investigative team, were suspended for three days each after editors learned that they had attended the Oct. 5 concert featuring Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M at Xcel Energy Center.

Maybe I'm way off base here, but isn't this going just a bit far? Yes, "Vote for Change" was a political event. And yes, reporters are duty bound to maintain their "political neutrality" (snicker). But c'mon, it's a concert. Do you really believe that just because Laszewski and Linsk were grooving to Springsteen and Stipe they are now tainted with bias? Most readers will make judgments on the integrity and objectivity of journalists based on what they write, not on what concerts they attend.

Besides all these ethics rules really do is give journalists ammo to disclaim any bias on their part, as Nick Coleman did when he crowed that he didn't have political signs in his yard and hadn't given money to candidates. Coleman used his adherence to the ethics rules as proof that he was political neutral. Just because you're not allowed to openly display your biases does not mean that they don't exist, as anyone who's read Coleman's columns can attest to.

I for one would much rather have journalists be open about what their true beliefs are, rather than hiding behind the facade of journalistic ethics. You disclose, we decide.