Yesterday, the Washington Post revealed a new set of social network guidelines for their reporters, basically limiting reporters' ability to express themselves lest the Post be perceived as "biased." One reporter had tweeted a few observations--and honestly, had his tweets not seemed left-leaning, I wonder if there would be such a panic -- and the Post's executive editor cracked down.
“Post journalists must refrain from writing, tweeting or posting anything – including photographs or video – that could be perceived as reflecting political racial, sexist, religious or other bias or favoritism that could be used to tarnish our journalistic credibility.”
Personally, I think having Post reporters express their personal views every once in a while -- not the politics of the newsroom mind you -- is actually more a needed transparency than a hit to their journalistic credibility. Having a newsroom full of reporters without opinions is actually far less credible. Marcy Wheeler argued that this focus on social networks missed the point, that it's reporter's relationship to the elite figures they cover that influences their reporting:
But it's funny how much this is about appearance. Only electronic social networks matter to the WaPo, not brick and mortar social networks. Walter Pincus can boast that his chumminess with George Tenet helps his reporting ... Weymouth herself can try to replicate the salons of her grandmother ... for a fee. And of all of these meatspace relationships have a tangible impact on the WaPo's reporting. All of these network ties very concretely contribute to WaPo's fatal--yet unacknowledged--bias, that of the Village.
Rather than admit and try to manage that bias, though, the WaPo would rather just curtail the free speech of its reporters.
Almost as if to prove Wheeler's point, Anne Applebaum yesterday wrote a blog post in support of Roman Polanksi -- who is being extradited on decades-old rape charges -- without disclosing that her husband, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, is lobbying for Polanski's release. Obviously Applebaum is a columnist and not a news reporter, but you'd think the Post would see failing to disclose that connection as "tarnishing their journalistic credibility."
One final observation: It never ceases to amaze me how elite opinionmakers develop the sensibilities of college freshmen when it comes to the criminal justice system when someone important might end up doing time -- whether it's Scooter Libby, Roman Polanski, or John Yoo. They could care less about the anonymous millions in prison in this country, but when someone important enough for them to sympathize with is facing potential prosecution and prison time, it's time to break out the protest signs and bumper stickers.
-- A. Serwer
