By: E&P Staff Most leading news organizations have long prohibited working journalists from contributing directly to candidates in election campaigns. But now The Miami Herald has raised the bar even higher: Editor Tom Fielder has banned his reporters from buying tickets to the upcoming wave of partisan political concerts featuring everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Shaquille O'Neill.
Most of the biggest name concerts will be raising funds for Democrats, including John Kerry, and will feature, among others, Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp and others.
In a memo sent to reporters, and posted on the Romenesko site today at Poynter.org, Fielder wrote: "Beginning in just a few days and likely extending until Election Day on Nov. 2, fund-raising concerts and events will be waved temptingly in front of us featuring such celebrities as Shaq O'Neill, Bruce Springsteen and many more. Don't succumb.
"This isn't about the celebrities and their own political persuasions, but about the events themselves. The money generated by ticket sales to many events will be earmarked directly or indirectly to groups whose mission is to influence the outcome of the election. As you know and understand, it is improper for independent journalists -- which we are -- to engage in partisan politics or to advocate for political causes. In this case, buying a ticket to any of these events is tantamount to making a political contribution, which is prohibited by the newsroom's Guidelines on Ethics. (Accepting a free ticket to go to one of these concerts is at least as unethical as buying one, maybe more).
"Avoiding conflicts of interest, real and perceived, is one of the compromises that we accept as Miami Herald journalists. This applies irrespective of the assignment you have. Even if your job here doesn't entail covering politics, you do represent The Herald wherever you go. My advice: Unless you are covering one of these partisan events as a working journalist, stay away."
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