Journalists on the daily question ethical and moral standards when covering a story. As reporters, their job is to cover and report the news, bias aside. Gawker has questioned the news judgment of entertainment and lifestyle giant BuzzFeed after the news site sent an obvious pope fanatic to cover the Pope's D.C. visit.
Ellie Hall is a BuzzFeed news reporter who tweeted and periscoped live coverage of the Papal Visit. She sent out messages with play-by-play of Francis' every steps, but her fervor for Pope Francis came under Gawker's microscope after she sent messages like this.
@EllieHall "I love this pope."
@EllieHall "Guys, I just really love this pope, okay?"
@EllieHall "I apologize for not updating while Pope Francis addressed us on the lawn, I may or may not have burst into tears. ‪#PopeInDC"
@EllieHall "Relevant ‪#TBT: That time I got a selfie with Pope Francis."
Gawker compares Hall's adoration for the pope, like a tech reporter idolizing Tim Cook. "We may roll our eyes when an Apple reporter tweets rapturously about the new iPhone and the genius maneuvering of Tim Cook-we might even discount their coverage altogether, in favor of coverage from someone who isn't emotionally compromised by their love for a corporation." They go on to add that a cell phone is in no true comparison to a reporter covering a political and religious figure. "But gadget fandom isn't that big of a deal next to the spiritual leader of the planet's 1.2 billion Catholics meeting with heads of state."
Gawker does not only point the finger at Hall, but condemns BuzzFeed as a whole for basically violating their own editorial and ethical standards underling "reporters against taking selfies with subjects, and prohibits partisan political speech" from their guidelines and further explaining "for a number of issues, including civil rights, women's rights, anti-racism, and LGBT equality, there are not two sides."
"It's hard to imagine how these guidelines jibe with teary-eyed fandom for the Pope, an elected political entity with a broad swath of deeply political views that include (a longstanding opposition to) women's rights and LGBT equality."
Yikes! All-in-all Gawker states they are aware that every reporter and journalist will hold a little bias in their coverage, however they ask that BuzzFeed be forthcoming about the supposed lack of personal views. More so, adding in Ellie's case "pure, uncritical adoration goes beyond the usual biases, and makes a reporter seem incapable of grappling with the complexity of her subject."
Gawker asks BuzzFeed, for the sake of its readers and staff, to send out reporters who are not blinded by idolization in the future.