Boston Globe publishes Socolow’s view on if Sinclair anchors should quit
The Boston Globe published an opinion by Michael Socolow, an associate professor of communication and journalism at the University of Maine, in an article on whether Sinclair anchors should have quit instead of potentially compromising their reputations. TV stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group reach almost 40 percent of American households. Last month, anchors at those stations were forced to read a script attacking the credibility of the media, in line with the views of Sinclair’s conservative owners, according to the report. The article included two opinions on whether the anchors should have quit. “Decisions affecting a person’s career are always deeply personal. So this is primarily a moral, not ethical, question,” Socolow said. “Broadly speaking, issues of ethical compromise can be applied to every news organization. Whether it’s the Christian Science Monitor, Fox News or MSNBC, media entities are branded and possess established identities within the industry and in public. As long as Sinclair employees are fully aware of the public perception of their company and its reputation within the industry, they should be able to make informed decisions and accept any career consequences.”