Colorado Media Newsroom
May 5th, 2014, 03:49 PM
From The Denver Post:
421
Question: according to journalism ethics, when is it proper for a TV station employee to serve as a spokesperson on a news story the TV station is covering?
Answer: After the that employee leaves the media job.
In the case of Kristin Hopkins, a Highlands Ranch woman trapped for six days in a car north of Fairplay, CO, the person serving as family spokesman on the story is Denver KUSA photographer Brian Willie.
The station’s special access has resulted in exclusive photos from the scene, according to rivals.
Asked about the situation, KUSA posted on Twitter: “He’s not involved in our coverage of accident. He and the family are close friends. They asked him to be their spokesperson.”
KUSA Assistant News Director Tim Ryan said via email: “9NEWS News Production Manager Brian Willie acted as a spokesperson for the family of Kristin Hopkins Monday. Willie is a close friend of the Hopkins family. The family asked him to read an on-camera statement to the media at St Anthony Central Hospital.
Willie was not covering the story for 9NEWS.”
More... (http://blogs.denverpost.com/ostrow/2014/05/05/ethical-kusa-cameraman-serves-family-spokesman/18532/)
421
Question: according to journalism ethics, when is it proper for a TV station employee to serve as a spokesperson on a news story the TV station is covering?
Answer: After the that employee leaves the media job.
In the case of Kristin Hopkins, a Highlands Ranch woman trapped for six days in a car north of Fairplay, CO, the person serving as family spokesman on the story is Denver KUSA photographer Brian Willie.
The station’s special access has resulted in exclusive photos from the scene, according to rivals.
Asked about the situation, KUSA posted on Twitter: “He’s not involved in our coverage of accident. He and the family are close friends. They asked him to be their spokesperson.”
KUSA Assistant News Director Tim Ryan said via email: “9NEWS News Production Manager Brian Willie acted as a spokesperson for the family of Kristin Hopkins Monday. Willie is a close friend of the Hopkins family. The family asked him to read an on-camera statement to the media at St Anthony Central Hospital.
Willie was not covering the story for 9NEWS.”
More... (http://blogs.denverpost.com/ostrow/2014/05/05/ethical-kusa-cameraman-serves-family-spokesman/18532/)