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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 1995)
EDITORIAL Chung violates code of ethics When Connie Chung recently interviewed Kathleen Gingrich, the mother of Newt Gingrich, the new Speak er of the Mouse, she made a cardinal journalistic error. She betrayed her source in favor of a non-story. Chung asked Kathleen Gingrich what opinions her son had of the president. While Newt Gingrich had told his mother nothing but good things about the president, she told Chung that she couldn't tell her what he said about Miliary Clinton. Chung persisted, asking her to whisper the word to Chung, "just between you and me." Kathleen Gingrich said that her son had callod the First laidy “a bitch." Chung, in search of a big story that she could splash all over the media, lied to Kathleen Gingrich. There's just no other word to t all it. She deceived her source and ran with the story, never looking back. While Chung obviously thought that she had made a journalistic coup of sorts by finding dirt on the now Speaker, she broke the trust between herself and her source — something that just wasn't called for. On occasion, reporters do offer anonymity to sources or listen to information with the stipulation that it is "off the record," meaning that it cannot be used in the story. Sources sometimes say things "off the record" to help journalists understand something better or to give infor mation that they wouldn't want published in print with their name — for a variety of reasons. While Chung and Gingrich never technically used the words "oft the record" in relation to their Interview, the implication of secrecy offered by Chung is obvious. The statement shouldn’t nave been made public by Chung, no matter how important she felt the statement was. The mother of the Speaker is not the proper person to ask in order to dig up dirt on her son. Mis mother would definitely have an interest in defending her son, hut Chung took advantage of her in getting the quote Kath leen Gingrich is not a politician nor is she skilled in interviews with the media - unlike her son. She made a mistake in implying that Newt Gingrich had said "secret" things about the First iaidy, but that didn't mean that a professional reporter should step right in to take advantage of the situation. The breach of trust by Chung makes interviewing overt more difficult for journalists. Sources may not speak as openly now. wondering whether their "secret" infor mation will wind up on the front page the following day It also tarnishes the media in the eyes of the public, who. unfortunately, begin to expect such antics from journal ists. The issue of the alleged statement by Newt Gingrich about the First Uuly isn't relevant. It's not the issue. The real issue is that of Chung and her broken promises. It's sad that Chung, a TV news am hor and longtime journalist, would pick such a trivial thing like name-call ing to stain her reputation as a responsible and ethical journalist But it's even worse that the rest of America has to put up with it Oregon Daily ro eo« jim (uUMt ontoonrm CN* Oegsv* £W> t put*Vi«cJ <i»*> Uondfey »*vc»M0h > -■*}»» <*u?w»g m* *cncxx f»«* ami Tuev-Jay *mj Tfcu»*d»y 6u*iog Mw iummt» by !b« O»gon 0# y Cm*#aid Pufcfrilbang Co , Inc as lb* IKwv?) cH OtQOn, £ upan#* Oo^yi Tb# fcmaraw c****?.©* tnd*p0#v*»n*y o* tb# Un?v*r*% **•* c^«oa» a* Soft* 400 o< «Ni I rt) *A«*»>CtfWii U*von and .» a mwmfc*# 0-t 5b* A»oou«*d Pr**s TN> fmaitf a (V V«!« property The unU»*rf-u* f«n'0val 0* wM ol p*p*r» *» pfOMCUU&9 0> >dh» Cdtt&r ir. Chi&l K*'? So«o mmn »y>ny t on or I dtfcxiai \<mot Nwr* All idHtO* Fr*#4«nc« fccMc* RoCfe* M«ev«* krP P*ft**y Ion I*»W» LOUlX SpcxU Ednor Supptamwiu Ed lot W8hl E<#ux HaUhia Mart*! 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Production l.Wn,l P-uOUfon Ocwk“.«(.w S»r**oji At»n T«a iua.Hrw, (fcad Jo**, Janmi* Roland D*y<on Ym W#-w»/oom BufttotM OfTk;« >46-5511 >46-5512 0*K*•¥ Achr«rUtiA^ 346^3712 346-4343 —& °r UKilTE-Q STA r AND IP VOo RENEW PBS AT THE CURRENT LEVEL You’Ll tfKCM GET L A THANk-VOUMUG AND A THREE TENORS TAPS... duf* rmj ifN tmh >(ckj£/)s SilOHSoHHOCC £>KTr+*Of!{ " ■ OPINION Conspiracies, CIA inspire letters Robbie Rusks Once in a while, on a dark, stormy afternoon. I like to look through our files of letters that we've received here at the Enwrald over the jwst year or two. Ms favorite file is that of letters that we don't run This, my friend*, is a Journey to the depths of thu "no-go" file There are only a few reasons why the Emrrald won't run a letter l etters that are too long (more than 250 words) or have nothing at all to do with the University (neither the letter writer nor the subfi* t of the let ter are University-related) gener ally don't run Neither do lilxdous letters. There are other reasons why we won't run a letter Some let ters come in without a name or phone number, and we can't run those Sorry, but we just can't If you have an opinion, have the guts to put your name behind it Hut these are the obvious rea sons, and this is where the fun begin*. 1 can’t use the names of the author* of these vignettes, but if your opinion* look like some of the following, write us some more letters. We love 'em. My favorite letters are the Ones that have to do with con spiracies I’m not talking about the garden-variety conspiracies, the type that you’ll hear about from inebriated people down town or from a friendly well wisher on an LTD bus. like the one about the radio transmitter in the hills that is beaming into the person's head. I’m not talk ing about those. Compared to some I’ve seen, that is relatively norma! Mv all time favorite letter i>. from a man that claimed to he "the deaf messenger of the Lord." who claimed that the "system." as he referred to it. was made up of bisexuals "Life." he said, "is merely a game to these people " The writer, who said that he wrote a letter in 198V1 that “gave us 'upheaval in Europe' and 'headless bodies in Peru'” also said that he has been told that he owns the system S< ary stuff I’d havtt loved to have rnet this person, but he left no address or phone number on the letter Hummer Next letter Ah. another goodie This gen tleman left us his name and a phone number Good so far Here's the good part. “.. In June of 1992, 1 was abruptly intro duced to the Central Intelligence Agency. Initially, I honestly believed they were going to kill roe." Who knows' Were they bisex uals too' Unfortunately, the writer goes on to describe relationships gone wrong, and the rest of the letter digresses into a sort of suicide threat. Had 1 received the letter (w o got it a % ear ago). I w ould have called him ! have no idea what's happening with him these days Maybe the QA got to him. Hut in any case, thanks for writ ing! I w ant to emphasize that the Emerald does value letters to the editor on just about every sub ject If it's short enough and rel evant enough, we'll publish your letter, whether we agree with what vou say or not. We just won't publish your letter if it's too long, libelous, or if it seems loony Trust me We don't bite Often Just bring it tip to Suite 300. EMU. and bring some IJ) with you If. like at least one other let ter writer, you claim to he a close friend/relation to Jesus Christ, please show that on your 113 or be able to turn water into wine We work, long nights and could use the help And if, by some chance, you could get us an on-the-record interview with God. your CIA contact or the beings that beam messages into your head, please let us know We could always use an exclusive around here Theni are other letters that are marginally interesting, but not quite off-the-wall, Last year the Emerald received a bunch of let ters from people that whined alenit everything under the sun. While I don't want to !«• too spe cific about those (we ran these letters), they complain about things as petty as rude people and bad television commercials If 1 got a letter from everyone who ever encountered a rude person or saw a t heezy televi sion commercial in their life, I'd have to come in at 2 a m every day to start typing your letters! It's things like that that get me to wonder why someone takes the time to w rite a letter to the editor. Is it to argue a point or to get one's name in the paper? 1 don't know I've always been impressed with the fact that someone cares enough to write, but when someone claims to rule the world. I've really got to wonder. For the record. I don't support discrimination against bisexu als. or against anyone, based on sexual orientation or anything else If most anyone else wrote a letter ripping on bisexuals. 1 would think that the person was another conservative out to endorse the latest anti-gay mea sure on the Oregon ballot But some of these letters are just total nonsense, and I nor mally wouldn't give them the time of day. Unless, of course, it's a rainy afternoon with nothing else to do. Hobble Meri t's is editorial editor for the Emerald.
