Journalists have an almost superhuman ability to hold forth on the ethics of our own profession. And yet, despite endless talk about self-plagiarism
or some such, we have been wilfully blind to the more grievous ethical breaches carried out by revered reporters who cover the so-called superhero beat
. Perhaps we are unwilling to admit that those who write about truth and justice are the least likely to champion transparency and proper attribution. Here are some examples of the most severe offenders:
Peter Parker
Imbued with the proportional strength, speed and ethical judgement of a spider, Parker has made a career of taking photos of himself in a mask and selling them to his employers. Some might argue that Parker is merely a symptom of the poor wages awarded to photojournalists, and the intense pressures they face (I want pictures! Pictures of Spider-Man,
his editor regularly exhorts). Amid such a cut-throat environment, this promising talent has clearly learned that with great power comes great ethical lapses.
Spider Jerusalem
Finally, a journalist whose ethics are beyond reproach. Hound of truth. Scourge of authority. Ignoring the guns and wanton drug use, here is a reporter we can all look up to — via redwolf.newsvine.com
RSS – Posts