Moran Tweets Obama’s Off the Record Comment: Now THAT’S Professional
Journalism 101, off the record is off the record. You jeopardize your ethics and integrity when you stray from that basic principle and ABC’s “Nightline” co-anchor did just that when he published an off-the-record comment via the most mature medium possible, Twitter… now THAT’S professional.
The snide comment, “Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT’S presidential,” was tweeted (wow, I can’t even type that without shaking my head in comedic dismay) to over a million or so followers. What, as a personal aside? Lame.
ABC has issued an apology but the damage is done, as if they didn’t know this already. Nothing like presidential dirt to juice up a slowing Twitter following. Who knew mobile devices could be used as weapons of mass destruction? Bottom line: as a journalist, excuse me, as a journalist with ethics, Moran should not have published the comment via Twitter or otherwise and should be reprimanded if not sent back to the intern desk.
Speaking of inappropriate behavior, I think we can all agree Kanye’s behavior was inappropriate as well, but measure the public reaction all over the Net via Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and the news in response to the Kanye/Swift fiasco compared to the Wilson/Obama outburst. Where are all the “Sen. Joe Wilson is a douche!” tweets and comments?
Sources: FOXNews, ABC (photo)
