-By Warner Todd Huston
15 year Detroit radio reporter was fired for wearing an Obama T-Shirt while on the job covering an Obama rally. As a result of this major breach of ethics, WWJ Newsradio 950 showed reporter Karen Dinkins the door — that’s right, she was fired.
I must say that it is pretty amazing to see a media outlet uphold ethics like this, especially in Detroit. But there you have it.
According to the local Fox affiliate, the radio station issued a press release.
WWJ Newsradio 950 Believes that our credibility with our listeners rests on the independence of our newsroom staff.
WWJ does not favor any candidate, party or issue.
While we encourage employees to exercise their rights as citizens, we expect them to be on guard against any actual or perceived conflict of interest when covering news stories.
Georgeann Herbert
Director of Programming
The TV station quotes a professor to the effect that the reporter should more properly been suspended instead of fired and that she will probably go to the courts and end up getting her job back. And, more’s the shame there. If ethics mean anything at all there really should be consequences.
But, at least the station took a stand.
(H/T www.ExurbanLeague.com)
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston