Gannett journalists under fire for signing political petition

While Lord Justice Leveson ponders where to draw the ethical line for British journalists, consider the latest ethical row in the United States.
Some 25 editorial staff working for Gannett newspapers in Wisconsin have come under fire from their bosses - and some journalists - for taking part in a political ballot.

They signed a petition demanding that the state's governor, Scott Walker, be recalled (reasons here).

Kevin Corrado, publisher of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, called the journalists' action "disheartening" and said they would face "disciplinary measures."

He told his readers: "It has caused us to examine how this could have happened, how we will address it and how we will prevent it from happening again."

His company would be "reviewing supplemental ethics training for all news employees."

Several of the journalists told their editors they did not consider signing the petition as a political act. They equated it with casting a ballot in an election.

But Corrado wrote: "We do not make that distinction."


In reporting the dispute, Jim Romensko pointed out that Corrado might have some ethical questions to answer too.

It would appear that much of his letter to readers could also be found in other Gannett papers too, under the bylines of other publishers. Oh dear!

There was much support for the journalists. Most of the commenters on Romensko's blog were critical of Gannett's reaction.

One of them, media analyst Steve Outing, thought it ridiculous. He wrote:

"Sorry, folks, but journalism is changing, and this sort of stuff just makes traditional news organisations look archaic - chained to outdated notions."

Guardian UK