The Post Weighs Rethinking and Updating Its Ethics Rules

"The news side and the business side need to agree on core principles guiding the overall organization," said Bill Mitchell, a new-media expert at the Poynter Institute on media studies in Florida.

Kelly McBride, an ethics group leader at Poynter, believes "cross pollination" must take place at The Post. When newspapers were financially stable, the newsroom was able to operate in isolation. But today, when newspapers must be entrepreneurial, she said, ways must be found to "leverage" the newsroom "without undermining our core values."

But how? A few suggestions:

First, include top-level business-side managers when updating newsroom ethics guidelines. Seek their input. But more important, educate them about newsroom ethical sensitivities. Joint participation will elevate the process and enhance the result.

Second, hold company-wide training sessions to explain the updated guidelines. This will ensure that everyone in every department is reading from the same book.

Third, require employees to review the guidelines annually. Coleman said this is being considered. New employees undergo an orientation program that exposes them to basic Post policies. But Peter Perl, the editor who handles newsroom personnel, said that "we do not have any refreshers; just the initial briefing."

Finally, updated policies should be made public. For years, Post management has refused. News flash: Brauchli has agreed. It's a "good idea," he told me, because "it allows the public to hold us accountable . . . for what we believe in."

Amen.

Andrew Alexander can be reached at 202-334-7582 or at ombudsman@washpost.com. For daily updates, read the Omblog.