That's the gist of Seattle Times' Executive Editor Dave Boardman's memo to staff yesterday.
Apparently, when Karl Rove's imminent departure was announced at the daily news meeting, "several people in the meeting started cheering."
"That sort of expression is simply not appropriate for a newsroom....As we head into a major political year, now's a good time to remember: Please keep your personal politics to yourself."
I would like it if people in the newsroom kept their political opinions to themselves all the time, personally. It's difficult for reporters and editors to claim neutrality or objectivity when their political biases are on display...particularly in front of outsiders. Evidently, chief political reporter David Postman discussed the incident on his blog.
"I wasn't there, but I've talked to several people who were. It was only a couple of people who cheered and they, thankfully, are not among the people who get a say in news play. But obviously news staff shouldn't be cheering or jeering the day's news, particularly as Boardman points out, 'when we have an outside guest in the room.'"
Yes, God forbid it become apparent to "outsiders" what newsroom staff really think. They might write about it and subscribers might decide to cancel, after all.
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