This presentation for student journalists defines conflict of interest and apparent conflict of interest, describes the impact on credibility of a conflict of interest, and outlines how to avoid conflicts of interest in four common areas. It is based on Chapter 10 of The Ethical Journalist by Gene Foreman and was developed by Professor Linda Austin for her journalism ethics students at the National Management College in Yangon, Burma.

1. CHAPTER 10:
CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST
• Define conflict of interest and
apparent conflict of interest.
• Describe the impact on credibility of
a conflict of interest.
• Avoid conflicts of interest in four
common areas.

2. Who
is

3. AUDIENCE

4. DEFINITION: Conflict of interest
Self No. 1
Audience
not No. 1
A journalist’s self-interest or loyalty to another
person or organization takes precedence over his
or her loyalty to the audience.

5. ARE THESE CONFLICTS?
•Writing a story about an election and
excluding candidates you don’t like?
•Writing a flattering story about an
advertiser because he said he would
buy an ad if you did such a story?
•Accepting a free week’s stay at a hotel
and then writing a flattering travel
article on the hotel?

6. DEFINITION: Apparent conflict of interest
Something a journalist does – or says publicly –
that causes the audience to perceive a conflict of
interest or bias, even though the journalist’s
reporting is fair.

7. ARE THESE APPARENT CONFLICTS?
•Marching in a rally for a political
cause
•Wearing a Yangon Lions shirt to
cover its football game
•Expressing support for a political
candidate on your Facebook page
•Appearing on a public affairs TV
program and criticizing a candidate

8. DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?
• Exiled from
his country
for 24 years.
• Returned in
January 2012
as founder
and editor-in-
chief of
Screen grab from Democratic Voice of Burma video

9. DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?
• Imprisoned for 2 ½
years of a 27-year
sentence
• Released in January
2012 and went back
to being a VJ for
HLA HLA WIN

10. DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?
Jan. 11, 2014

11. “Many of the country’s most widely read
print media have open connections to the
military establishment.”
• The 7 Days Journal
• The Hot News Journal
• The Messenger Journal
• The Voice Journal
• The Popular Journal
DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?
Jan. 11, 2014

12. “The same is true for the broadcast media.
A large number of FM radio stations are
owned by military associates….
“Satellite television service Sky Net…is
operated by Shwe Than Lwin Co. Ltd.,
which is owned by military associate Kyaw
Win.
DO JOURNALISTS HAVE OPINIONS?
Jan. 11, 2014

13. EARLY U.S. PRESS PARTISAN
The Los
Angeles
Times
celebrates an
election
victory by the
Republican
Party in 1896.

14. HOW TO DEAL WITH OPINIONSByPeterRoberts
1. Filter opinions out of the reporting.

15. HOW TO DEAL WITH OPINIONS
2. Take no public positions on issues.
By www.audio-luci-store.it

16. WHY NOT JUST DISCLOSE OPINIONS?
By Danny Molyneux
Referee: “I’m
going to call
this game
fairly, but the
Yangon team is
obviously
better.”

17. WHY NOT JUST DISCLOSE OPINIONS?
By Danny Molyneux
Referee: “Yes, I
did give that
tough call to
Yangon, but I’m
not biased.”
“Yeah,
right.”

18. BENEFIT OF BALANCE
•Reporting all sides of a subject
without favoring one over another
ByvaXzine

19. YOU ARE A JOURNALIST 24/7
BySteveSnodgrass

20. “YOU CAN VOTE AND JOIN THE CHURCH.”
By FutUndBeidl

21. DEFINITION: Disclosure
Informing the audience of something that might be
perceived as a conflict of interest. A disclosure may be
warranted if the conflict is unavoidable or insignificant.
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Serge
Pun is an
investor in
Mizzima Media
Group.
June 18, 2015
This is
businessman
Serge Pun.

22. 4 COMMON AREAS
FOR CONFLICTS
1. Gifts and outside income
2. Public positions on issues
3. Civic activities
4. Relationships with sources

23. handbook
• 54 pages
• http://bit.ly/NYTethics

24. By FutUndBeidl

25. 1. NO GIFTS FROM SOURCES
• “They should not allow themselves to be
influenced by any person through an offer of
payment, gift or other advantage.”
– Myanmar Media Code of Conduct
• “Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special
treatment.” – SPJ Code of Ethics
• “Staff members may not accept gifts, tickets,
discounts…Exceptions may be made for trinkets
of nominal value, say $25 or less, such as a mug
or a cap with a company logo.”
– The New York Times handbook

27. WHAT ABOUT MEALS?
“In some business situations and in
some cultures, it may be unavoidable to
accept a meal or a drink paid for by a
news source. Whenever practical,
however, the reporter should suggest
dining where The Times can pay.”
– The New York Times handbook
By Gareth Williams

28. 1. OUTSIDE INCOME
Is it okay for:
• An education reporter to work as a freelance
public relations consultant for the school
district.
• A technology reporter to accept a speaking fee
from Microsoft to address its executive retreat.
• A business columnist to accept a speaking
free for talking to a conference of stock
brokers about getting better coverage.
• A journalist to accept a speaking fee for giving
the graduation speech at a university that she
does not cover.

29. FACEBOOK IS PRIVATE
TRUE OR FALSE?

30. EMAIL IS PRIVATE
TRUE OR FALSE?

31. 2. TAKING A PUBLIC POSITION
Do not “say anything on radio, television
or the Internet that could not appear
under his or her byline in The Times.”
– The New York Times handbook

32. Is it okay for:
• An editor to email a reader that the
editor does not plan to vote for a
particular candidate.
• A reporter to use the rainbow filter on
her Facebook profile photo indicating
support of same-sex marriage.
• Cheers to break out in the newsroom
when a difficult government minister
resigns.
• A political reporter to appear on a radio
talk show and slam a candidate.
2. TAKING A PUBLIC POSITION

33. •“Journalists should not
cover or make news
decisions about
organizations in which they
are members.”
•They should avoid
situations that could result
in news coverage.
--The Ethical Journalist
3. CIVIC ACTIVITIES

34. Is it okay for:
• A reporter to head a church committee
campaigning against a new casino.
• An editor to produce the newsletter for his
child’s elementary school.
• A journalist, who coaches his son’s football
team, to ask a source to donate money for
team uniforms.
• A journalist to lead a parents’ group in support
of a children’s choir.
3. CIVIC ACTIVITIES

35. CASE STUDY: OLYMPIC TORCH RUN
Page 151
By Perry McKenna

36. 10-question template: page 113

37. Step 1: Gather Facts
Question 1:
What do I know? What do I need to
know?
10-question template
Photo by sskennel

38. Step 1: Gather Facts
Question 2:
What is my journalistic purpose?
10-question template
ByMM

39. Step 1: Gather Facts
Question 3:
What are my ethical concerns?
10-question template

40. Is It an Ethical Dilemma?
Definition:
conflict in ethical values:
• Telling the truth.
• Keeping your promise.
• Respecting privacy.
• Being fair.
• Minimizing harm.
• Avoiding conflicts of interest.
10-question template
By david pacey

41. Is It a False Ethical Dilemma?
Definition:
conflict between ethical
and nonethical values
(wealth, status, happiness):
-Beating the competition
-Raising ratings
-Increasing traffic
-Selling newspapers
10-question template

42. False Ethical Dilemma
10-question template

43. •“It is essential that we preserve a
professional detachment, free of
any whiff of bias.
•“Staff members may see sources
informally over a meal or drinks,
but they must keep in mind the
difference between legitimate
business and personal friendship.”
--The New York Times handbook
4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

44. “The acid test of
freedom from
favoritism is the
ability to maintain
good working
relationships with all
parties to a
dispute.”
--The New York
Times handbook
4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

45. Is it okay for:
• A City Hall reporter to date the mayor.
• A political reporter to play golf most weekends
with top NLD party officials.
• A Naypyidaw reporter to play mahjongg most
Monday nights with government officials.
• A business reporter to be found at most home
football games in the corporate box of a
company he covers.
• A journalist to borrow money from a source.
4. SOURCE RELATIONSHIPS

46. CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY
• 1980s: Ethan Bronner began
reporting from the Middle East.
• 2008: Bronner became The New
York Times Jerusalem bureau
chief. His reporting is fair.
• December 2009: Bronner tells his
editors -- as required by the Times’
ethics handbook -- that his 20-
year-old son has enlisted in the
Israeli army.
• January 2010: Palestine’s
Electronic Intifada website says
Bronner has a “conflict of interest.”

47. CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY
Is this a real or apparent conflict of interest?

48. DEFINITION: Conflict of interest
Self No. 1
Audience
not No. 1
A journalist’s self-interest or loyalty to another
person or organization takes precedence over his
or her loyalty to the audience.

49. DEFINITION: Apparent conflict of interest
Something a journalist does – or says publicly –
that causes the audience to perceive a conflict of
interest or bias, even though the journalist’s
reporting is fair.

50. CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY
Bykellywritershouse
• Feb. 6, 2010: New York Times
Public Editor Clark Hoyt
investigates and writes a column
saying Bronner should be
reassigned while his son is in the
Israeli army.
• Feb. 6, 2010: New York Times
Executive Editor Bill Keller
explains in a column why he will
not reassign Bronner.
• Feb. 12, 2010: Keller explains his
thinking in this radio interview.
ScreengrabfromC-SPAN
CLARK HOYT
BILL KELLER

51. CASE STUDY: SON IN ISRAELI ARMY
Use the 10-question template to
recommend whether:
1. Executive Editor Bill Keller
should reconsider his decision
and reassign Jerusalem
reporter Ethan Bronner.
2. Keller should have disclosed
the apparent conflict when
Bronner first told him about it in
December.
Bykellywritershouse
BILL KELLER
DISCLOSURE: Informing the audience of something that
might be perceived as a conflict of interest. A disclosure may
be warranted if the conflict is unavoidable or insignificant.

52. 10-question template: page 113

53. What’s in the memo?
Write a memo of four sections:
1. Background of the case (the facts)
2. The ethical theories and processes you used
3. Alternatives with pros and cons
4. Recommended action

54. WHEN IS IT DUE?
Beginning of class
AUG. 3