Sunday, March 11, 2007

IT WAS LIKE THE LONGEST EPISODE OF SVU EVER: Back in December 2005, we all admired Kurt Eichenwald's exemplary reporting in the online child pornography underworld, staying just within the line (perhaps) between journalist and activist, leading to increased Congressional interest in the issue and at least one criminal conviction.

Now, fifteen months later, it's looking a lot ickier. Eichenwald's argument that he was "acting as a private citizen" when he sent his subject a previously undisclosed $2000 check before meeting him, and only later decided to treat him as fodder for future journalism, seems exceedingly thin as an ethical defense. It seems clear that even if there's a defense for Eichenwald's making the payment -- that there is a legitimate space for a reporter to act as a private citizen with regards to matters of potential public interest -- he had to recuse himself from reporting the subsequent story. Thoughts?

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