Elk City News Publisher Donated $2,500 to AG Edmondson in '06

Edmondson Accepts Contributions from Tulsa World Chairman in '06; Also Receives Paper's Endorsement

Anyone who reads the Oklahoma Political News Service regularly knows that we have railed for months on the incestuous relationship between the Oklahoma Media and Oklahoma Politicians - particularly Democratic ones. We always felt it was unethical for a member or owner of the media to be contributing to a politician's campaigns.

Today, the MSNBC website has published a list of more than 140 journalists who donated to political candidates in the last three years. The network counted donations from 2004 to 2007, and listed journalists in every discipline – from public radio to online. The sample found that the journalist gave 9-1 to Democrats. Surprise, surprise!

The political reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch wrote this today regarding her and other journalists giving money to politicians: "The Post-Dispatch has had a written policy for some time that bars or discourages (depends on staff member’s position) campaign contributions or public political activity, while also reaffirming journalists’ right to participate in the political process (voting.) Most reporters in the industry — (there’s tens of thousands) — do not donate money to political candidates, because of concerns about public perception of bias. The St. Louis chapter of the Newspaper Guild, the union which represents reporters and others at the Post-Dispatch, also has a provision in its by-laws that the chapter will make no political contributions."

Maybe the Oklahoma media could take a lesson or two here. Just a thought.

Labels: Press Bias