Conflict of Interest

Ms. Baker

I came across this story across while skimming through my RSS reader. It deals with a journalist (Aryn Baker) who published a story that outlines all the tragedy that will occur if we leave Afghanistan. The problem is that she is married to a defense contractor who has profited immensely from the ongoing war. This is your textbook case of conflict of interest.

This story has particular significance to me, as I am strongly considering a career in journalism. One thing I am fearful of, is that this sort of behavior occurs more often that we get to hear about. I've witnessed countless examples of journalistic bias, the most extreme cases are often dealing with the television news, but it happens in print as well. It is my hope that the inevitable "paper trail" of the digital age makes it easier to discover these sorts of transgressions. It certainly shames the entire field when you hear reports of this happening, especially in times of war.

Read on:
Did Reporter Profit From Time Magazine War Boosting Story? [NY Observer]