Journalists Not Loath to Donate To Politicians

WashingtonPost ^ | 01/18/04 | Howard Kurtz

[Pikamax]

washingtonpost.com Journalists Not Loath to Donate To Politicians Media Companies' Policies Vary Widely

By Howard Kurtz Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, January 18, 2004; Page A01

More than 100 journalists and executives at major media companies, from NBC's top executive to a Fox News anchor to reporters or editors for the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, CBS and ABC, have made political contributions in recent years.

Some of these donations, detailed in Federal Election Commission records, violate the companies' own policies. But these policies vary widely; some media firms allow donations, others bar them for newsroom employees but not business staffers, and still others restrict only those covering politics.

NBC chief executive Robert Wright has contributed $8,000 since 1999, including $3,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $1,000 to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Andrew Lack, a former NBC News chief, gave $1,000 to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) while NBC president, and Wright contributed $1,500 -- after the House committee Tauzin chairs held hearings on the networks' election night failures. NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said the network allows its executives to make contributions and that Wright "does not make any decisions specific to news coverage."

[Theodore R.]

What happened to the prospect that Billy Tauzin would replace Jack Valenti as the motion picture industry lobbyist?

[JohnnyZ]

I think he's still in line for that.

[NYC GOP Chick]

More than 100 journalists and executives at major media companies, from NBC's top executive to a Fox News anchor to reporters or editors for the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, CBS and ABC, have made political contributions in recent years.

Interesting. When I worked for a newspaper chain owned by the same folks who brought us USA Today, I was told that we couldn't donate, volunteer or even wear a button or have a bumpersticker in any way related to politics. Even though I was in the sports department, I was denied permission to volunteer on campaigns.

One excuse the deputy sports editor actually gave me was that since Pataki's kids had gone to school in our coverage area, it might bring charges of biased reporting of high school games -- even though the governor and his family hadn't lived there in nearly 4 years.

A few years after I'd left Gannett, some hag on Usenet who freelances or works for them threatened to report me for "showing political bias" in public.

[AGreatPer]

This should be the biggest story on the Sunday talking heads shows, but it won't.

[Prodigal Son]

You know, I don't mind the news having a slant or bias. As long as they make it known. Americans are hunting a white elephant by even demanding impartial reporting. It's impossible. What is possible is for the media to make its slant known- this way you have a choice where you go for your news. If you want it slanted to the right- you go to 'A'. If you want it slanted to the left you go to 'B'.

Of course, this is what we all do now but we're still playing this idiotic game by demanding slant-free reporting and the guys like Rather, Jennings and Brokaw sitting there saying they have no personal views.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They shouldn't stop this. What difference does it make? If they're for them, they're for them. Stopping the contributions makes it easier for them to deny their bias. I say, let them contribute.

[Hon]

You probably already know this, but one of the darkest secrets of PBS is that the various stations are actually privately owned.

Gannett owns WETA in Washington, DC, for instance.

Mentioning this is a firing offense, both at Gannet and at PBS.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Nope, I didn't know that! I do know, however, that I was told I could definitely not volunteer for any political campaigns -- even those not in our coverage area -- but that this one twit was able to break the rules by wearing her dopey "Clinton-Gore 2000" t-shirt around the office and out to cover games.