Apple vs. Dirty Think Secret: Responsible Journalism Wins!
Nick Ciarelli is NO Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein. What’s more, His Think Secret so-called sources are no “Deep Throat.” Most importantly, the unauthorized public release of proprietary corporate competitive information is NOT a noble endeavor, as was the Pultizer Prize winning journalism achieved by The Washington Post in investigating the arrest of five burglars at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex.
Why did Ciarelli succumb to Apple’s contention that he is NO journalist and shut down his blog? The Think Secret unprofessional tag line, an embarrassment to the professional practice of journalism, solicits “GOT DIRT?” encouraging ANONYMOUS VOICE MAIL “tips,” hardly the modus operandi of professional publications.
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and its Code of Ethics does NOT encourage anonymous “sourcing”:
Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth.
But truth is hard to come by, without naming names.
The SPJ on naming sources, or not:
Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.
Always question sources’ motives before promising anonymity. Clarify conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information.
Readers ought to question any and all stories based solely on unidentified sources, no matter the editorial masthead. The facts are clear: The reliability, or not, of a story based on unamed sources can not be determined.
Apple and Think Secret have settled their lawsuit, reaching an agreement that results in a positive solution for both sides. As part of the confidential settlement, no sources were revealed and Think Secret will no longer be published. Nick Ciarelli, Think Secret’s publisher, said, “I’m pleased to have reached this amicable settlement, and now will be able to move forward with my college studies and broader journalistic pursuits.”
Next time, Ciarelli may be naming names.
ALSO: Gawker: Will Nick Denton PAY For Media Respectability? and Google Zeitgeist: $200 University Payola AdWords Scam and Digg: TechCrunch Bails on Arrington Web 2.0 Fave