A reporter for the McCurtain (Oklahoma) Gazette-News ended up with a flabbergasting story when he secretly left a voice-activated audio recorder in a public meeting room after citizens were told to leave a session of the McCurtain County Commission. ...
The reporter’s actions got me to thinking about other circumstances in which the reporting process may enter an ethical gray area. Journalists shouldn’t break the law, but that doesn’t mean they should engage in any and all conduct that’s legal.
Here are some scenarios of newsgathering — all from real-life situations that I’m familiar with — that require at least a moment’s pause and contemplation. I don’t think any of these are illegal. (Check your state’s laws anyway so I’m not responsible for you getting life in prison, OK?) That means there isn’t an obvious, consensus answer. Would you do any of these, if the story were important enough?
