SPJ wants clarity on firing of Summit Daily reporter
Colorado SPJ board seeks clarity on Summit Daily newsroom policies following firing of reporter
The SPJ Colorado Pro board decided via email following a discussion at December’s regular board meeting to send a letter to Summit Daily News Publisher Jim Morgan after he fired reporter and SPJ member Bob Berwyn. Below is a copy the letter.
21 December 2009
Jim Morgan, Publisher
Summit Daily News
Dear Mr. Morgan,
As board members of the Society of Professional Journalists, Colorado Pro Chapter, we are writing to you to express concern over recent incidents involving the Summit Daily News and reporter Bob Berwyn, who is a member of SPJ.
We understand that there are always at least two sides to every story and it is not our interest in becoming involved in a personnel issue between the newspaper and its former reporter. However, the timing of the dismissal, occurring immediately after the CEO of the corporation that is one of the newspaper’s largest advertisers complained about one of Berwyn’s opinion columns, is certainly cause for concern.
As you know, perception is reality and frankly, the timing of Mr. Berwyn’s dismissal, coming on the heels of Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz’ complaint about Berwyn’s column, stinks. Warranted or not, it sends the message — to the community, to your advertisers and to the rest of your newspaper staff — that an advertiser has the ability to effectively control, including quashing, the editorial voice of the newspaper.
To make matters worse, it is our understanding that this firing occurred just a month before Mr. Berwyn was to travel to Vancouver to cover the Olympics. This raises the obvious question: Why would this high-profile assignment be handed to an employee with ongoing performance and trust problems?
It is disappointing that in your publisher’s note responding to Susan Greene’s critical Denver Post column on this topic, you did not specifically address the challenges of resisting the pressure of advertisers who try to influence coverage at the Summit Daily News. Nor did you detail any policies that guide editorial integrity in your newsroom. In response, we request that you clarify your newspaper’s ethics policy, including whether the Summit Daily News adheres to the tenets of the Society of Professional Journalist’s ethics policy, a copy of which is attached.
We are happy to meet with you to further discuss this situation, and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Noelle Leavitt, Cara DeGette, John Ensslin, Christine McManus, Caroline Kipp, Leticia Steffen, Sandra Fish, Don Knox, Barbara Ford, Holly Wolcott, Sara Crocker, Robert Boczkiewicz The Society of Professional Journalists, Colorado Pro Chapter
Bob, I was sorry to hear of you being fired and am happy to see others coming to your defense. I know you’ll find your way, but I’m thinking of you as you do so.