As journalists, maintaining our integrity is instrumental if we are to serve the public by being watchdogs over government agencies. This is especially critical if there is controversy over transparency at a public body, such as there has been around the Interstate Stream Commission as it prepares to announce its decision on whether New Mexico plans to build a diversion on the Gila River in Southwest New Mexico. The ISC is being sued for alleged violations of the Open Meetings Act. So the board of the SPJ Rio Grande chapter is particularly disturbed by revelations that a reporter who covered the Interstate Stream Commission was being paid by the same agency while she was also contributing freelance stories to the Silver City Daily Press on the ISC and the Arizona Water Settlements process. (Please see a clarification on this from Editor Avelino Maestas in the comments section)
The full details of this issue are contained in a column by Phillip Connors, and another by the paper’s publisher, Nick Seibel (see below).
The paper also wrote about this issue and interviewed one of the founding members of our SPJ chapter, Gwyneth Doland. (See below)
SC Daily Press article on Murphy
The actions by this reporter represent a clear violation of the SPJ Code of Ethics, which calls upon journalists to avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived, and to disclose unavoidable conflicts. They should also refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility.
We are pleased that Mr. Seibel is taking steps to ensure such a situation does not happen again at his paper and will also be reviewing and sharing the publication’s policies. As he so eloquently states “We cannot do our job as the voice and watchdog for this community without preserving the trust that we will do those jobs fairly and without bias – and as transparently as possible.” We call on all media in New Mexico to ensure that similar situations do not happen in their newsrooms lest public trust in our media institutions is further eroded.
