Blog 2

Chapter 4 - Loyalty Between Competing Allegiances

Case 4-D 

Where Everyone Knows your name: Reporting and Relationship in a Small Market.

Micro Issues

 1/ Jessica Luce is a general assignment reporter at the Yakima Herald-Republic and if she was working in this job, surely she is responsible to tell her editors about her relationship with Phil Schenck who's a Police Sergeant. In the beginning Luce said (we had fun, but if I had been asked what was going on I would have said we were friends). In my opinion, if their relationship continued as friends, there was no need to tell anyone, but after that they knew that they were definitely dating specifically in New Year Day. As you know, she should not hide their relationship since they start dating. Luce had kept the relationship a secret for a long time and that is a result to be exposed to this position with anyone.

 2/ As what I read in this case that the Herald-Republic has their own code ethics to advise staff to avoid conflicts of interest. Yakima Herald-Republic has all right to do what it see appropriate or necessary to them in this case and what is related with the code of ethics. 

3/ Certainly change the whole issue if Schenck work in any other job, such as being a teacher. In all cases, you must follow the ethical rules of the profession and not violate codes of conduct. It also should not skip the border in any relationship and confused between work and personal life so as not to conflict of interest, whether is on a practical or personal level.

 4/ There will be a significant difference in the ethical questions when Luce and Schenck being just a friends without develop their relationship more, but Knowing that in this case their relationship is not advisable from the ground up and that why Luce had kept their relationship a secret.

                              

Midrange Issues

1/ I think everyone should not enter personal life at work, especially if the job is sensitive like a journalist. All persons living in the community, the protection of private life is a matter of relative necessarily and all people have rights to keep their lives private, but if they know that it will be a cause for conflicts of interest, they should take another other measures to avoid the situation or corrected. We all knew that we must maintain our own lives unless a conflict of interest occurs or our work or in codes of conduct.

2/ From my point of view, the public perception of an ethical problem is truly relevant. We are in the 22nd century and it is very natural that the public realizes the ethical problems and not just in the media area, but in everything too.

3/ Of course, dating in general are allowed in any field, but in this particular case it is possible if there was truth and honesty from the beginning, but I do not think at all that dating in this case is advisable, because it is one of the biggest taboos in Journalism as what I read.

Macro Issues

1/ I do not expect from all who's around Luce to understand the sensitivity of the situation that happened and it is possible to remain removed or remote. Therefore, she will not be able to do her job effectively and successfully.

2/ It is the responsibility of journalists to avoid conflicts of interest, whether actual or theoretical interests. They should stay away from all harm that could damage to credibility and independence of the press.