The Liberal Patriot

Journalistic Pusillanimity

J. G. Schwam - July 7, 2005

As might be predicted the New York Times buried an immensely important article, a harbinger or the further demise of journalistic fortitude and integrity on page 10 of Saturday’s National section. Perhaps they saw some of themselves in the article.

Doug Clifton, editor of the Cleveland, Ohio newspaper The Plain Dealer announced Friday that on the advice of its lawyers that is was withholding two major investigative articles because they were based on illegally leaked documents. The paper feared legal penalties and the jailing of reporters. The PD is guilty of the abdication of the responsibility the Fourth Estate holds in a democratic society.

Why the New York Times buried this article on page 10 is curious. NYT Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. recently excoriated Time Magazine for releasing documents allegedly identifying the source of the leak that outed CIA operative Valerie Plame. While NYT reporter Judith Miller remains in jail on contempt charges for failing to do so, Time reporter Mathew Cooper was saved from jail time by the decision of his publishers to release e-mail identifying confidential sources. It has been said this was not Cooper’s decision. Many news organizations including Sulzberger’s have decried Time’s decision as damaging to the journalistic profession. I believe he is correct. The responsibility the press holds to inform the people is sacrosanct and not for the faint of character.

Even more disturbing is the decision of The Plain Dealer not to print a major investigative work for fear of having to defend its veracity or protect its sources. Who do they fear, the government, their source or the truth? They should fear no one, especially in light of their strident investigation of the “Coingate”, a major investigation The PD has led. The decision is plainly peculiar

Clifton told the print media journal Editor & Publisher, The reporters say (The Plain Dealer’s), 'Well, we're willing to go to jail, and I'm willing to go to jail if it gets laid on me,'" Clifton added, "but the newspaper isn't willing to go to jail. That's what the lawyers have told us. So this is a Time Inc. sort of situation."

It is worse. They are not even willing to take risk for sake of the truth and their own journalistic integrity. Time Inc., caved under pressure, while this is not to be excused, the editors of the PD are not even willing to get into the ring and take their beating. I find it difficult to describe this decision in any way but cowardly.

Clifton apparently knowing he could not defend the decision said, "Some people might argue that you're being chicken-shit," Clifton said. "Well, I, I can respect that," he said, his voice trailing off.

Managing Editor Tom O’Hara told Liberal Patriot that the decision to kill the controversial articles was between him, Mr. Clifton and their lawyers. Stating that PD publisher Alex Machaskee grants them the autonomy to make these decisions themselves and “probably was not aware of their decision” until after the NY and Editor and Publisher pieces went to print. Clearly their decision will create shockwaves of debate throughout the industry.

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