Comments on: UPDATED: Tallahassee Democrat Reporter Paid by FAMU While Covering FAMU https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/ Online News Tue, 21 Apr 2015 17:24:25 +0000 hourly 1 By: Vic Aderhold https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-94392 Tue, 21 Apr 2015 17:24:25 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-94392 Journalistic ethics? When did the Democrat ever concern itself with those pesky ethics?

]]> By: Russell Watson https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93639 Tue, 10 Mar 2015 19:03:33 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93639 My how things have changed: in the early ‘80s the Tallahassee Democrat fired one of their entertainment writers just because he failed to mention that he played bass in one of the bands that performed at a weekend event he did a write-up on in the Friday Limelight section of the paper.

]]> By: Ben Poitevent https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93613 Mon, 09 Mar 2015 21:16:15 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93613 Imagine, if you will, that Steve Stewart goes to work in the City Manager’s office, but continues to write articles critical of the city government. Problem?
If your answer is No, then you have a fundamental lack of comprehension of the concept of “conflict of interest.” You do not understand that potential harm, even in the absence of actual harm, is a conflict of interest and, therefore, an ethical lapse.
Mr. Blackburn has written some excellent articles on the many issues at FAMU, but that is not the standard by which his actions must be viewed. No one questions his writing skills, only his clear ethical breach by writing articles about FAMU while employed by the university. Whether or not his objectivity, the content, or breadth, or direction or implications of any of those articles were influenced by the fact that his adjunct professor was subject to termination by the university, will probably never be known with any certainty. Therein lies the problem.
A final note, Mr. Stewart has NOT taken a position wth the city.

]]> By: Little Napoleon https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93587 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 23:24:02 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93587 And I started the trend of hitting up FSU’s photogs for free sports photos. AND getting FAMU’s SID to send us his photos from their games for free. When the Gannett pants suits on the top floor of the Chrystal Palace saw how much money I saved them by throwing longtime employers into the unemployment line, I got a promotion!
I sure put the LEAN in McLean!
So if they can turn a blind eye (sorry about that pun, Doug) to it, so can I!

It’s good to be king!

]]> By: Ran Kelvin https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93582 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:28:01 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93582 In reply to Chris Timmons.

LOL, more, more, the crowd cried!!!

]]> By: Ran Kelvin https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93581 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:26:39 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93581 In reply to Little Napoleon.

I bow to the Emperor of Irony. All hail Little Napoleon!

Note: Funny how since Bob has gone my comments don’t disappear.

]]> By: David https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93580 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:17:41 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93580 In reply to Chris Timmons.

Chris it does not take “careful inspection” to see the conflict of interest here.

]]> By: David https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93579 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:15:39 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93579 I am sure Mr. Blackburn is a “great guy”. The issue here is not the quality of his journalism it is the fact that he was reporting on issues with regard to FAMU while be paid by FAMU. This is a conflict of interest and adds to the cynicism people feel towards traditional news outlets.

]]> By: Steve https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93577 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 15:04:04 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93577 In reply to Dan Wester.

Dan, I appreciate your comment. Please understand this is not about Doug Blackburn! This is about policy at the Tallahassee Democrat. Experts tell me at the least, Doug’s relationship with FAMU should have been disclosed. Again, this not about Doug Blackburn and the quality or angle of his reporting.

]]> By: Dan Wester https://tallahasseereports.com/2015/03/04/tallahassee-democrat-reporter-paid-by-famu-while-covering-famu/#comment-93575 Fri, 06 Mar 2015 14:58:50 +0000 http://tallahasseereports.com/?p=192146#comment-93575 While I generally like Tallahassee Reports attempts to show the other side Tallahassee current events, this really seems a grasp at nothing.
Blackburn has been one of the best reporters in the city for years. Universities often bring in
Adjuncts to teach in fields of expertise.

I have personally met Doug many times due to his involvement in the wine and craft beer world. Anyone who thinks you could buy a world of favoritism from him have never met the man. FAMU is fortunate to have a person of his talent and integrity join its staff and a major loss for the rest of us to loose his reporting talents.

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