This has had a tremendous amount of editorials from The Bee. Mayor Carmen Sabatino said he has had a long relationship with Garth Stapley, the reporter covering Measure F, and believes him to be fair. Other readers, however, could question The Bee's stories because of the newspaper's support for the project, Sabatino said. As the mayor of the city, I look at it as The Bee trying to impose its will on the citizens of Modesto. Tom Van Groningen, co-chairman of the Yes on F group, said he thinks the coverage has been balanced.
Journalism ethics are the subject of countless books, trade articles and seminars.
Ethics lapses can be big news. In recent months, scandals have erupted at the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Arizona Republic and the San Francisco Examiner. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on several instances in which newspapers had come under attack for possible conflicts of interest. Star-Tribune reporters have detailed the arrangement in articles, and newspaper officials deny any conflict. The Bee has supported the idea of an arts center for years, contending in editorials that it would be a cultural boon for residents and foster economic growth.