Real World Ethical Dilemmas (6)

Q. Hi. I'm a reporter on a severely understaffed national newspaper. A friend recently gave me a word-processing program which will switch around and rewrite the sentences in a press release (but leave the meaning intact). My question is that since most of my job revolves around rewriting press releases, would using this program be unethical?

A. Good question! And the answer is a big resounding No! You see, by using this program, it gives you time to cruise the Internet and look for other press releases to rewrite. That's called "enterprise journalism" my friend, and believe me, your editor will love you for it.

War Widows Are Hot!

(Thanks to Craig Hoxton, who sent this in. This appeared in The Independent on September 22 and no matter how low you've sunk, it's good to know you can always find someone to find morally superior to)

Magazine requested 'photogenic' war widows

By Guy Adams

The editor of Glamour magazine has apologised after a reporter issued an appeal for "photogenic" modern war widows.
Jo Elvin said she was "outraged and sorry" that Military Families Against the War had been sent an e-mail asking if they could provide case-studies of women, aged between 30 and 38, whose husbands had been killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The e-mail, sent by a freelance reporter, Victoria Lambert, commissioned to write a feature, asks MFAW to arrange interviews, provided the women are attractive enough. "Glamour is very looks-conscious so, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, they need to be photogenic, or at least comfortable in front of a camera!" it read. "The editor likes to approve each case history, so when I send her a short bio ("X is aged X and lost her husband X in the war X") she likes to see a jpeg pic too. I know this is a big ask, but it's something she demands! Hey ho!"
MFAW refused to co-operate. "We are sad as much as angry about it," a spokesperson said.

Headlines I Wanted To Write This Week (But Didn't)

Blair Loses Support of Photo Editors


Cameron... Gets On His Bike!