Efforts to reach Miller by phone and e-mail for comment Thursday and Friday were
unsuccessful. Sun-Times Editor in Chief Michael Cooke indicated Thursday that he
did not know about the Heartland packages and wanted to talk to Miller, a 2006
Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame inductee. The Nov. 12 letter "From the desk of
Dan Miller, Business Editor, Chicago Sun-Times," does not explicitly urge a
stance. But, according to
Bob Steele, an ethics scholar at the
Poynter Institute
for media studies, it's still problematic.
"Independence is still a
linchpin principle for the credibility of journalists and journalism,"
Steele
said. "When we become activists, we at least raise the perception that we are
not independent. And if we are activists in the way it appears [Miller] is, then
it's more than just a perception."
"He is actively urging a particular
examination, and I would suggest a point of view, on a substantive public policy
issue. He's also pitching it in a problematic way to other journalists, using
his journalistic connections in doing so."
Most news organizations
discourage staffers from being activists, particularly on issues that touch on
what they cover or edit,
Steele said. "It would be exceptionally hard to argue
that global warming doesn't fall somewhere in the sphere of business," he said. "At least based on the cards I see on the table, it raises serious ethical
concerns."
Swiss said Heartland is independent and no corporation
contributes more than 5 percent of Heartland's budget, and total contributions
of all energy firms do not reach 5 percent. The group's Web page, www.Heartland.org,
Web site's home page features a picture of Gore headlined "Global Warming
Snowjob," but Swiss called the DVD package and letter "balanced in that both
sides are equally represented."
As for the idea Miller is being
forthright and open, rather than hiding his beliefs, by helping Heartland
advance its aims,
Poynter's Steele had doubts. "Transparency without
accountability is hollow," he said.
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