Tampa Trib Reporter's Ethical Breach

Well, the Tampa Tribune has joined the ranks of the big time newspapers in having its own ethical breach.

The Tampa Tribune has a a front page apology for an ethical breach by Brad Smith, one of it's (now former) reporters. The article stated that:

"The problem appeared in an article under the headline ``Private Towing Largely Unregulated.'' It tells the story of Tracey Sievertson, whose Jeep was towed from a lot on Platt Street in Tampa.

It is true that Sievertson's Jeep was towed. But reporter Brad Smith fabricated the opening paragraphs of the story, painting a picture of Sievertson's shock when she emerged from a night of club-hopping to find her vehicle missing from the parking lot where she left it.

Sievertson had not been out that evening. She hadn't been ``club-hopping.''In fact, she'd been home with her child. She had lent her Jeep to a friend. Sievertson had not been present when the vehicle was towed, but reporter Smith was. He and a friend had met Sievertson's friend socially that night. He was present when they discovered that the vehicle had been towed. He and his friends called Sievertson, and they went to pick her up to take her to retrieve her Jeep. "

Shame on Mr. Smith. I feel sorry for his colleagues who do good work reporting on real events. I appreciate the immediate front page apology by the Tribune that included the signature of the executive editor. The story by Mr. Smith came out on Wednesday. The apology came out today, one day later. Good quick action by the Tribune.

"This ethical breach does not represent who we are as journalists at The Tampa
Tribune. We recognize that we have a covenant with our readers: to be truthful,
to be fair, to be credible. I am sorry that we've failed you in this case. We
will rededicate ourselves to earning and keeping your trust. "

Dear Tampa Tribune. You are forgiven.

Now Mr. Smith should apologize. In public. To Ms. Sievertson, to his coworkers and to us, his readers.