Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Carolyn Washburn
In the Quaint Notions About Journalism Department: Many would think there was something wrong with an investigative reporter who consults directly with an advertiser to think of ways for them to profit from the news. But, here we are.
Media blogger Jim Romenesko reported on an ad placed by the Cincinnati Enquirer for an investigative reporter–but not just any reporter: Candidates needed to know that 50 percent of their “focus” would be readers aged 25 to 45–you’d have to feel “comfortable sharing some personal information” to “create a personal connection” to that target group–and that they would be “working” with an “advertising partner to grow and monetize the 25-to-45 audience.”
Hard to see when you’d have time to investigate.
Romenesko asked Enquirer editor Carolyn Washburn to explain how that whole “monetizing” thing would work. Her response was not reassuring: That “expectation” was part of all beat job descriptions, she said. Sales reps and reporters can “share insights,” and “make introductions for each other…that may be helpful.”
But wait–aren’t some of those advertisers potential sources? Why yes! “Many of those organizations are both advertisers and sources. And many of those organizations are trying to grow their reach among 25-45-year-olds in the community just as we are.”
By the time Washburn says reporters’ profit-driven collaboration with advertisers who are also sources doesn’t “hurt the newsroom or readers at all,” you may wondering if she’s ever heard of conflict of interest. But, she assures, she can fathom circumstances in which they’d say no to a sponsor request, and reporters are told to “raise questions if they are ever uncomfortable or uncertain.”
It’s not their ability to ask questions that troubles; it’s what the answers seem likely to be.
So when is FAIR going to look at the rape hysteria on campus. According to DOJ statistics just out today, the actual rate of rape on college campuses is 6 in 1000. In fact, they are safer places than society at large. But folks on the Left keep pushing the Rape Culture myth. . . leading to embarassment’s like the Rolling Stone and Lena Dunham fiascoc. Is FAIR going to have the courage to cover this issue, or were my years of trust in this organization misplaced? Are you partisan or do you actually approach the media in an evenhanded way?
No punches pulled
When no punches are thrown
@skeptic.
Go do that work yourself and submit it to FAIR.
” “But, she assures, she can fathom circumstances in which they’d say no to a sponsor request, and reporters are told to “raise questions if they are ever uncomfortable or uncertain.” ”
Yes, we can all fathom the circumstances under which they would say no to a Sponsor, if it’s not White-Male-Christian dominated money, then it’s no. Or if the sponsor didn’t supply enough money.
They might as well just rename it the Cincinnati Advertiser and be honest about it.
This piece is like something out a weird futuristic dystopia. I mean, did you make this up? Maybe a mistake has been made? Are you sure you understood?
Greg, believe it. They didn’t make it up. If you listen to the NPR Anchor News that goes all over the country, most of (what passes as reporting) are human interest pieces. Instead of news anchors we get ‘personalities’ who banter back and forth on piece. I get dizzy just trying to figure out whose talking. They give us headlines but no in depth investigating (anymore). They are clearly trying to bring in younger (more affluent) listeners. Every break offers 2-3 sponsor advertisements (15-20 seconds). Every other month (at least on my local stations) they are begging for money from the public. Those breaks and musical interludes could be spent letting us know think tank affiliations of most of their “schmksperts”. Heck, they may as well advertise on billboards and TV for themselves! If you watch the final season of The News Room you will see exactly how marketers (corporations) have and continue to influence what passes as news programming. They have turned into news shows. At least Marketplace call’s itself a news show. Bad and Sad.
@skeptic Are you sure you know what you’re talking about? The girls raising hell about sexual assault on my
campus aren’t left or
right
but they do want to feel safe. As a parent, would you want to send your daughter off
to a place that was a little safer than the outside world?
@ Greg – Same here, this is cutting across all lines, age, political, Social standing, montary standing. The Females are getting tired of the ‘little boys’ playing ‘adults’. Some of the Frats on Campus are learning what should have been an uneeded lesson; uneeded because they really do know better.
And they are getting tired of the ‘oh lets hire her, she is cute’ even when they are cute, because then it is still about looks and not skill.