CBS Producer to Hawaii – GIMME

From the Star Bulletin

60 Minutes’ producer sought travel discounts, bureau says a new ethical sticky wicket may surface at CBS News. An e-mail received by the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau last week from “60 Minutes Producer” Ira Rosen solicited discounted media rates for an upcoming family vacation.

Seeking and taking such discounts for personal and, in many cases work-related, travel would be a violation of widely accepted ethical standards for journalists.

“Ira is seeking media rates for hotel accommodations on both Kauai and Maui,” the visitors bureau then e-mailed to public relations agency McNeil Wilson Communications Inc.

“He is also interested in Kauai vendors who provide outdoor activity rental equipment such as fishing charters, bikes, RV’s etc.”

Vendors interested in providing a media rate were encouraged to contact Rosen at his CBSNews.com e-mail address.

CBS denied wrongdoing by Rosen.

“I can assure you that our producer was not seeking any special treatment. This was a complete misunderstanding,” said “60 Minutes” publicist Kelly Edwards.

 And the memo’s were a misunderstanding., At least CBS’s damage control is very consistant. Journalists are not paid very well , we all know that. I wonder if this is the tip of the iceburg. Stories like this would have carried the denial and then died. But thanks to blogs and sites such as Drudge, all it takes is one reader to point it out, and it becomes a national story.

And that is why the National Media call us the Digital McCarthyites.

Hat Tip Drudge