In response to complaints of some anonymous Republican leaders and officials, Bob Bernick recently authored a column critical of Utah Holiday's May 1989 Political Insider story, "Who's Who in the Utah Legislature."
While Bernick did not so much address the substantive content of the Political Insider column, he expressed concern that the Political Insider - a column carried by Utah Holiday since 1981 - is authored by a writer using the nom de plume Scott Davidson.The column has from time to time pricked the sensitive egos of various political figures, sometimes quoting named sources, and other times unnamed sources.
Contrary to Bernick's implication, the magazine has made no secret of the pen name, and the Deseret News and other news media have been aware of the pseudonym for several years.
The issue of ethics in journalism is a worthy topic, and one which can quickly loft toward the stratosphere, particularly when politicians are permitted to define the journalistic structures under which they believe they ought to be covered.
Bernick relied on Bud Scruggs, the governor's chief of staff, to supply the commentary on journalistic ethics. Scruggs objects to "an anonymous writer quoting anonymous sources - I don't think that's ethical."
The use of pen names in American journalism, while not the modern norm, has a long and honorable tradition. In 1722, the Boston readers of the New England Courant encountered a series of provocative essays written by one Silence Dogood. The substance of Dogood's writing was a source of consternation to the influential Mather family and the overseers of Harvard College, but the Dogood letters are famous because years later she was learned to have been Benjamin Franklin.
Beginning in 1787, a series of essays under the pen name "Publius" appeared in The New York Independent advocating ratification of the newly drafted U.S. Constitution. After ratification it was learned that "Publius" was in reality James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, and their essays became "The Federalist Papers." The New Republic's popular "TRB from Washington" ran until recently as an anonymous pen name.
We try to satisfy our readers' interest in knowing what's really going on in politics that the newspapers aren't covering, and their response to the "Political Insider" column over the years has been very favorable - except from a few politicians who have either suffered a wound to the ego or who are incensed that there is a leak in their office and they want to find out who squealed.
In reality it is the publisher and the newspaper or magazine which "stand behind the work." Newspapers and columnists make liberal daily use of anonymous sources, and news columns and editorials regularly appear without bylines.
"Who's Who in the Utah Legislature" wasn't an anonymous flier lacking identifiable sponsorship; it is a regular feature of our magazine, and the publisher stands behind the product.
We liked the story idea, and the only people who've questioned the accuracy of the portrayal are the legislators who believe the survey respondents should have depicted them in a more flattering light. Others close to the process have called to say that it was about time someone told it like it is.
The quotes used were drawn from those who work with legislators, but if Bernick believes our survey to have been inaccurate, he, of course, could conduct his own survey of 300 "inside" players.
The Utah Holiday survey was an effort to get an inside picture of the way the process and legislators are seen by those who deal most closely with them. It is unrealistic to expect that those people - whose jobs and livelihoods depend on the good will of the legislators - would ever go on the record to say what they really think.
A blind survey is not perfect, but it is the only way that group would ever open up. The lobbyist-staff-press perspective was especially interesting because it demonstrated that legislators see themselves quite differently than they are perceived by others.
The burning issue of journalistic ethics isn't pen names; it's the degree to which some journalists avoid critical reporting of the politicians they cover.
There are subtle incentives to pull punches rather than probe and risk offending. It may be a consideration of access to easy interviews; it may be an affinity for being "one of the boys" on the social/political shmooze circuit; for a few, it may be an eye to possible future employment as a political press secretary; for George Will, it was the thought that he had the Reagan ear, and was making presidential policy - heady stuff even for Will.
Utah Holiday fills a niche that its readers appreciate. We seek not to please politicians but to keep our readers well-informed. We are as committed to ethical journalism as any other media, and we provide an open forum for complaints or views contrary to articles we publish.
Over the years there has been lively speculation about the name behind Davidson's nom. Bernick has referred to but one of many suggestions offered up.
As to any and all, it is our policy to neither confirm nor deny the name, gender or employment of any nominee. We are fortunate to have many fine writers who contribute to the magazine. We use the Davidson material because it's reliable, insightful, interesting and informative.