Unless there's overwhelming reason to withhold the information, the public's need to know should come first.
More Quotes from Al Tompkins:
For those people who already believed we weren't careful enough as journalists, this gives them more reason to believe that.Al Tompkins
The Society of Professional Journalists in their code of ethics says that journalists should avoid conflicts of interest real or perceived. Clearly it would be a conflict of interest for anyone acting in a journalism capacity to simultaneously be serving as a public servant.
Al Tompkins
When the governor himself seems to confirm the information, there are not many among us who wouldn't go with it.
Al Tompkins
It's never been an easy answer. And it now seems like the answer is changing more rapidly.
Al Tompkins
In journalism, anything that we do as journalists that confuses the public about our ability to be independent in our reporting is obviously harmful to journalism.
Al Tompkins
In order to grant such a shield, you have to determine who is a journalist, and there is no satisfactory answer to that question.
Al Tompkins
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Quit shouting those rerun songs at me.Wesley Willis
I don't think life is to be taken too seriously. Take it too seriously, and it'll getcha.
Paul Prudhomme
Men should pledge themselves to nothing; for reflection makes a liar of their resolution.
Sophocles