For Journalists, Ethics Are A Way Of Life

Question: When should a journalist be aware of how their actions are reflecting on their employer? Anwer: All of the time.

Sid Hartman, a writer for the Star Tribune, has been put in some ethical hot water recently for appearing in a commercial for Sun Country Airlines, a company that frequently runs ads in the Star Tribune. Hartman did not consult with his editors before appearing in the commercial and claimed that he was giving the company free advertising by holding a Star Tribune and claiming to be reading "the greatest newspaper in the world."

The major concern in this issue is whether this apparent show of brand loyalty would affect how the newspaper would cover stories about the airline company and its competitors. While some could say that Hartman was merely supporting his paper, it could also be said that he ignored ethical principles to earn a quick buck. While his decision was obviously not the greatest, it brings to light how journalists must sign on to an ethical lifestyle before their first by line is in print.