Monday, November 08, 2010

Private Lives...

Are we expecting the same of reporters as we do teacher and preachers?

Are they not to have any personal life..any personal thoughts that they can
say out loud?

Do you agree with all your bosses or companies beliefs? And do you change
yours at home or quit and go where they have the same beliefs?

As far as I am concern, if a journalist or reporter reports the news as it is…
I don’t care what he things of that news if he voices it at home. Or while he
is not working. If he does an opinion show then they are paying him for his
opinion. And then if he decides to support that opinion in his private life, they
should not be surprised. If he gives money for a candidate or party, that is
his business.

Two reporters have gotten into more trouble for voicing or supporting their
own thoughts. Not while on their show, but in private life. One from his home
and the other on another show. For their networks to take them to task for it, just
doesn’t seem right. To fire them for that, seems unreasonable. Maybe a violation
of their rights, freedom of speech? I know that both companies have talked about
other things they were upset with the reporters, but that isn’t what they were
fired for.

Nor is it ok to go into shock or horror, if you see your child’s teacher having a
beer and enjoying him/herself with friends while on their own time. Same thing
with the preacher. He/she is not going to go to hell for having a beer.
Drunkenness is different, but I wouldn’t want to see my boss drunk or anyone
for that matter.

4 comments:

Margie's Musings said...

The trouble is...when you are in the public eye, you do have to watch your private life.

Teachers are role models, so are preachers. They should be more circumspect.

Think how disgusting it is to find a preacher is seeing a prostitute...especially a very outspoken one in the public eye. Look how disgusting it is when we find major athletes using steroids or drugs. They are role models for our kids.

Word Tosser said...

I agree, Margie, but there is a middle ground... where one can speak their mind without being fired. Now if they had spoke in their job position about how great one party was, and he was going to support that party, they would have a problem.. If a preacher did his sermon on the greatness of prostitution, then yes...
If a teacher in their job told about the great things of drugs, yes...
but for in their own time, to do something that is legal for the rest of us... and to have them ban or fired because of it.. seems a little more push of the pendulum.

Bay Views said...

If a reporter is hired to present news and other stuff in an objective manner, then is seen to do subjective things, it casts in doubt that reporter's sincerity and also suggests that the paper or network they work for are not objective.

Regardless of what some think about the spokesman-review, I have had to stay away from stories that I've offered opinions on. Initially by order of my editor, later, by my own self-policing. A Newspaper owner may opine, but not a person hired to be objective.

Margie's Musings said...

That is true, Bay Views. I was once in the newspaper business and that's exactly how it is. A reporter is supposed to be objective or at least seem that way. Newsmen have way too much power to influence.