On the NY Times Public Editor’s blog, Margaret Sullivan talks about the leash they’ll be putting on Jodi Rudoren, the NY Times Jerusalem Bureau Chief.
After Rudoren’s not very well thought out foray into the world of social media, and the serious missteps that followed, the NY Times has decided to appoint an editor to handle Rudoren’s social media interactions, for the purpose of “not exposing The Times to a reporter’s unfiltered and unedited thoughts.”
The NY Times has some broad guidelines for their reporter’s use of social media.
Take care that nothing you say online will undercut your credibility as a journalist.
Newsroom staff members should avoid editorializing or promoting political views.
And we should be civil – even to critics – and avoid personal attacks and offensive remarks.
Some might say that Rudoren’s choice of twitter links, topics, and statements didn’t exactly meet the standards set by the first sentence in that guideline.