Just last year, Media Matters for America noted the apparent conflict of interest and violation of NBC's ban on paid speaking gigs when Chris Matthews received "tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for delivering speeches to corporate interest groups." Controversy surrounding Matthews' speaking fees prompted then MSNBC president Rick Kaplan to clarify that NBC policy prohibited anchors from personally accepting speaking fees and anyone who did so "would risk being fired." But as The Providence Journal reported, Jim Miklaszewski not only took $30,000 from the Chamber of Commerce in apparent violation of his employer's policy on paid speaking engagements, the NBC correspondent then proceeded to call presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) a "loser" for attempting to defend a pricey haircut. It's reasonable to assume that John Edwards' economic policies -- his focus on poverty and health care and the growing gap between rich and poor, and his proposed solutions to these problems -- aren't very popular at the Chamber of Commerce. Edwards, for example, has said he would repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans in order to pay for his health care proposal, while the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lists making the Bush tax cuts permanent first among its tax policy priorities. And in 2006, the U.S. Chamber gave nearly five times as much money to Republicans as to Democrats. Put simply, an NBC correspondent took $30,000 from the business lobby to give a speech -- then, during the speech, he attacked a candidate whose policies the lobby opposes. This is deeply unethical, to say the least. As Edwards embarks on his poverty tour this week, it's fitting we call upon the media to stop their endless stream of personal, negative, and often absurd attacks against progressives and return their focus to where it belongs: the issues. As a respected and influential journalist, Miklaszewski has a reputation to uphold as a serious and objective source of information on air and off. Calling a presidential candidate a "loser" over a haircut would be absurd enough. Doing so after taking $30,000 from special interests opposed to that candidate is scandalous. For a journalist to make such comments is irresponsible -- to be paid to make them is inexcusable. I'm urging you to please contact NBC and ask it to address Miklaszewski's apparent violation of their policy on paid speaking engagements. Let NBC officials know you think the public deserves a meaningful debate on ideas and policies, not an endless litany of negative anecdotes and personal attacks. Demand that NBC make public its full ethics policy for reporters. Holding networks and journalists like NBC and Miklaszewski accountable for their actions will help raise the bar and bring about more quality coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign. |
