[ad_1]
James Bunner, a television reporter wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat while covering one of President Trump's recent rallies, was fired from his job at an NBC affiliate in South Minnesota, announced Friday his former boss.
KTTC-TV's director of information said the channel had fired Mr Bunner, a multimedia journalist hired last December, after a photo broadcast on social media showed him wearing a hat wearing the slogan of Mr. Trump's campaign while he was covering the president's rally Thursday in Rochester, Min.
"The standards of professional journalism in our newsroom do not allow our journalists to wear partisan campaign clothing while actively covering a political campaign event for the television channel," said Noel Sederstrom, director of news chain. "We are working hard to be neutral and impartial towards all political parties and all candidates," he told The Med City Beat blog.
"It's not unfair," Bunner responded on Twitter. "KTTC-TV is not to blame," he said. tweeted Saturday.
A photo taken at Thursday's rally by Mark Vancleave, a video reporter for Minnesota's Star Tribune, showed Bunner holding a KTTC-TV microphone and stabilizing a television camera while wearing a red MAGA cap and a KTTC-branded jacket. -TV and NBC. logos.
"Whyyyyy?" Mr. Vancleave legend a Twitter post sharing the photo.
Groups including both the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Press Photographers Association have put in place codes of ethics that warn journalists of political activities that could compromise their integrity, impartiality or independence, and the media generally adopt similar rules.
"He violated our policy, so he is no longer with us," Sederstromtold told BuzzFeed News. "We do not allow our people to wear field clothes when they are on mission."
According to an online profile, Mr. Bunner previously worked for outlets in Colorado and Nebraska before joining KTTC-TV last year.
The Washington Times Comment Policy
The Washington Times appreciates your feedback on Spot.im, our third-party provider. Please read our comments policy before commenting.
[ad_2]
Source link
