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All journalists are humans with feelings and emotions and opinions and biases. Journalists should be judged by the fairness of their *work* - not a random tweet or passing comment or private email in which those human biases are expressed
There is a huge difference between objectivity of process and individual objectivity - the latter does not exist; there are no objective journalists because there are no objective people. An objective process/commitment to fairness accepts as a premise that journalists have bias
We allow critics - of good and bad faith - to hang us by our own rope when we conflate objectivity of process with individual objectivity. Someone having or expressing an opinion does not mean they are not capable of providing fair and professional coverage on a topic
In fact, I would be deeply skeptical of anyone whose job it is to be examine our world who does not develop educated opinions along the way - would require extreme thoughtlessness
And so, critics pointing out that a journalists has an opinion about a topic should not on its own be grounds for punitive action. Again, journalists should be judged by the the fairness of their *journalism*
In cases like this, newsroom leaders argue their responsibility is to protect the brand/institution - without considering how making arbitrary HR decisions based on the whims of internet mobs reflects on the judgement and integrity of the institution
as I’ve told prior bosses directly, gutless and reactionary responses to bad faith online outrage are more embarrassing to and undermining of perceived integrity of a media institution than whatever the staffer tweeted. If you don’t stand up for your people, I don’t trust you
