AAEA members, their publications and advertisers are showing signs of strengthening the role of editorial independence in today's commercial environment.
Report of comments by Nick Russell, retired professor of journalism ethics in Canada, at a meeting of print and broadcast journalists from across Canada.
James F. Evans Collection; Paper presented at the 1989 Annual Conference of Agricultural Communicators in Education; 1989 July; Portland, OR, Responses from a mail survey of 190 journalists who work for farm journals -- a 78 response rate -- reveal that about two thirds of the journalists say advertisers have threatened their journals on occasion, and about one-half say that advertising has actually been withdrawn. The journalists also report that advertisers sometimes attempt to win over journalists with gifts, free meals, or in other ways, usually not with success. These journalists report that most farm publications do not have a clear policy in dealing with advertiser influence. At the same time, most farm journals are struggling to maintain advertising, a struggle that makes them vulnerable to pressures.
Author emphasizes that codes of ethics need to be internalized throughout the publishing organization - considered and addressed daily. Points to a source of tips on how to incorporate ethics into the workplace effectively.
Cites journalism educator Don Ranley who urges maintaining the wall between editorial and advertising, in the interest of reader credibility. "I am not a businessman, but it has to be good business to be trusted."
