Pinhead News Reporter Fired For Hanging Out At Suspects House

[SykkBoy]

Reporter Amy Jacobson of WMAQ-Channel 5 got herself fired Tuesday after rival station WBBM-Channel 2 filmed her attending a pool party on her day off, two kids in tow, at the home of Craig Stebic, the estranged husband of a missing Plainfield woman. If you're like us, you're asking yourself, "What was she thinking?"

She was likely thinking it was a good way to cozy up to a key figure in one of the area's juiciest stories this summer. The search for Lisa Stebic has been covered extensively in the Chicago and national media since she vanished on April 30, and it would not be surprising if Jacobson was simply trying to cultivate Stebic's husband as a source. Such are the connections from which scoops are made.

But in a swimsuit? With her sons? Jacobson said the invitation, from Stebic's sister, came as she was on her way to go swimming elsewhere with her children, but she should have changed into something a little more appropriate and dropped the kids off at home. Her bosses know it -- which is why she was fired -- and she does too.

Reporters have to maintain professional detachment in order to preserve their objectivity. Even the appearance of being too close can damage a reporter's credibility. And at a time when the journalism profession's credibility is at a low point, Jacobson should have been all the more careful.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/comment...its11b.article

This is what happens when news directors start worrying more about hiring eye candy news reporters than people who actually understand journalistic ethics...