“Posers” Aren’t Heroes

In the news business people focus a lot of attention on the content – getting it right is really the key. But there are other concerns. And how you get the information is pretty important too. And that second issue was on the mind of the Society of Professional Journalists when it called to task the Buffalo Beast for its reporter’s posing as David Koch and taping a phone conversation with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. The story’s been run nationally and some of Walker’s comments are pretty juicy. But the SPJ is right – the story doesn’t justify the deception used in getting it.