Conflict in Plane Sight.

Broadcasting & Cable, February, 2007

By Staff Many journalists face less-exciting ethical crises than the one that confronted Maria Bartiromo. But at the bottom line, the problem is the same: Can reporters accept gifts or special kindnesses from sources and still cover them objectively? And even if they can, doesn't such largess leave the appearance of conflict, which can be just as damaging? In Bartiromo's case, the situation is more complicated because it was played out so publicly and because she's "Money Honey" Maria--and has applied to trademark that nickname--not some homely, number-crunching "Melvin Bartiromo." Last week, Citicorp dismissed Todd Thomson, its wealth-management chief, in part because of his extravagant spending.

That included using the corporate jet to take her to...

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