“Canoe” Reporter Should Be Fired
By now, most of the Western world has seen NBC correspondent Michelle Kosinski make a fool of herself while reporting on the flooding in New Jersey. There she was, paddling a canoe telling the “Today†show audience how the streets of Wayne, N.J., had become “…essentially now a part of the Passaic River in this neighborhood.†Right in the middle of her spiel, two men walked by, proving that the water was no more than ankle deep.
Although both she and “Today†anchors Matt Lauer and Katie Couric laughed off the incident, I find nothing humorous about the incident.
Later, NBC spokeswoman Lauren Kapp defended Kosinski’s by claiming that she had been in deeper water farther down the street and that there were concerns that Kosinski would be unable to handle the current. Kapp said, “It’s not like we were trying to pass it off as something it wasn’t.”
I don’t believe that for a minute. Of course Kosinski was attempting to portray the flooding as worse that it actually was. This act violated professional ethics that state in part: “Avoid misleading re-enactments or staged news events. If re-enactment is necessary to tell a story, label it.â€Â
I know, it’s hard for people to believe that we journalists actually have a written Code of Ethics, but we do. The Society of Professional Journalists lists it on its website.
What really irritates me is that Kosinski knew better. How do I know? Because according to her online bio, she is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. By coincidence, so am I (M.S.J. 1977). Ethics played a major role in the curriculum.
Kosinski’s actions are a disgrace to the profession and to the university. If I were her news director, I’d have fired her on the spot. I wish Medill could revoke her diploma.
Kip Allen is an award-winning broadcast and newspaper journalist currently residing in Southern California.
UPDATE: (10/19)
Michelle Malkin has the latest on “canoe girl”
October 18th, 2005 at 7:15 am
I am so tired of members of the MSM manipulating the news to fit their world view. It would be ok by me if they had the honesty to admit what they are doing and not demand everyone swallow their manure as the Gospel.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:08 am
Fire the reporter? What about the producer, production assitants, director and photographer(s)? All were complicit in this act of deception — some more than the journalist herself.
October 19th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
This shouldn’t shock anyone…
Kosinski’s Official NBC Bio says she has a Love for the Theatre