Matt J. Duffy :: Thoughts on Journalism, Culture, and Boat Building

Thoughts On Journalism, Culture, and Boat Building
Subscribe to my RSS feed

Recent comments

RSS Anonymous Sources

Links

Recommended Reading

About the author

Matt J. Duffy is a doctoral student at Georgia State University in Atlanta where he's writing a dissertation on the use of unnamed sources. He also teaches journalism and communication law. Duffy worked as a journalist for many years including stints at the Boston Herald, the Nashua (NH) Telegraph, the (Jackson, MS) Clarion-Ledger and the Marietta (Ga.) Daily Journal. He's served as a reporter, copy editor and news editor. Click to read Matt J. Duffy's curriculum vitae.

Other stuff


Download OpenOffice.Org

HaloScan

Archives

Three cheers for the Hattiesburg American

posted on January 20, 2010 at 12:03 pm

The Mississippi newspaper will not be covering Tiger Woods while he seeks treatment for his sex addiction in their city. To do so would not “show good taste.” Their explanation:

Since Saturday, the American has not published any reports on Woods possibly being here.

And, unless there is some confirmation from the clinic or Woods himself, we don’t intend to assign a reporter/photographer team to this story.

If something happens that warrants coverage, we’ll have it.

There is a fine line between covering Woods when he wrecks his car and extending coverage when and if he gets treatment.

Where does news end and privacy begin, even if the person involved is one of the most recognizable faces in the world? That’s a question that journalists debate constantly.

One of the tenets of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics states: “Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.”

We believe Woods deserves some privacy if he is getting treatment in Hattiesburg – or in Arizona or South Africa, as other online sites have reported in the last couple of weeks.

And we believe other patients at the clinic also deserve to be left alone.

Too often editors argue that events must be covered because, well, everyone else is covering it. Sometimes the right coverage is no coverage at all.

  • Share/Bookmark

Related posts:

  1. Another low for news media Fantastic article in American Journalism Review on the shoddy Tiger...
  2. Advertising Standards Authority Finds American Apparel Ad In Breach The British advertising review board has ruled that American Apparel...
  3. Life is a verb Enjoy this video that has been watched more than 24...
  4. Dutch Royal Family Wins Favorable Ruling On Privacy Against Associated Press Interesting ruling against the Associated Press in The Netherlands. A...
  5. Two German Killers Demanding Anonymity Sue Wikipedia’s Parent From the New York Times, an interesting case balancing the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

8 comments

  • Anonymous on 29 July 2010
  • Barry Hollander on 20 January 2010

    Having lived in Mississippi for two years, I can't think of any better place to lose your sex addiction.

  • Karla Pate Hodge on 20 January 2010

    What? Integrity in the US media? I hope it's contagious!

  • Matt J. Duffy on 20 January 2010

    @Barry LOL!

  • Matt J. Duffy on 20 January 2010

    @Karla I think it speaks volumes that it's a relatively small newspaper that's making the stand.

  • Karla Pate Hodge on 20 January 2010

    Good point. But I am hopeful to see integrity any place I see it these days….

  • Scott Mize on 20 January 2010

    Clearly, Mr. Hollander has not been to western Pennsylvania… ;-)

  • Barry Hollander on 20 January 2010

    LOL

Post a comment

Latest Comments

Follow me

  • Facebook Link
  • Twitter Link

  • LinkedIn

Advertising

Latest Boat Update


Boat Progress

Oh, yes. I'm building a boat in my garage. Click on the picture for the latest update.

  • A A A
  • Stuff


    Anonymous Sources

    Up-to-date information on the use of anonymous sources in journalism. The blog features a robust debate on the merits and drawbacks of the use of unnamed sources in journalism.


    Academic Editing

    Manuscript Editing Service

    Journal Editing Service

    Atlanta Communication Internships

    Health Coach

    Matt J. Duffy