Do you trust the firewall?

Over the years, underwriting credits (those non-commercial “ads” that are permissible on public radio) aired on National Public Radio and NCPR have occasionally drawn fire for various reasons. Some listeners decried Walmart’s credits on NPR a couple years ago. A couple anti-wind farm folks questioned my independence in reporting on wind power when Maple Ridge wind farm was running credits on NCPR. You can read our underwriting guidelines here.

The latest debate concerns the Department of Homeland Security’s credits airing these days on NPR. Read NPR’s Ombusman’s summary of the situation here.

As a reporter, these situations don’t worry me so much. Not because I dismiss the importance of journalistic ethics, independence, and potential conflict of interest. These are of the highest priority here at NCPR and at NPR.

I don’t get worried because I know the firewall between the news and underwriting departments is strong and impermeable. Sandy Demarest, our underwriting director, works independently on selling credits. Our on-air announcers (myself included) read them as they appear on the daily program log. I know nothing about the terms or lengths of the contracts (except what the published rates are) or when the credits will air (except when I see them on the log). It would never occur to me to think twice about reporting a story because its target was a station underwriter. And I can’t imagine Sandy approaching anyone in news about coverage of a particular story, or about treatment of a particular issues. Jennifer Ludden, NPR’s immigration correspondent had a similar reaction:

“Having this funding credit on air would have no bearing on how I handled future stories,” said Ludden. “I certainly would have no idea if this particular credit would air in the same show or segment as one of my pieces. More to the point, I would have no problem continuing to report on the program’s shortcomings, and the controversy over it.”

Still, perception matters. Do you believe in NCPR’s, and NPR’s, firewall between news and sales? I hope so. It’s the bedrock firmament that makes independent journalism possible.

— David