Article based on ‘spurious information’
A journalism ethics expert says an article written about a former television reporter’s election campaign coming off the rails was based on “spurious information” and should never have been published.
Jeffrey Dvorkin, director of the University of Toronto’s journalism program, testified Friday that the article appeared to be a deliberate attempt by columnist Don Martin to publicize his opinion that candidate Arthur Kent “was an election disaster waiting to happen.”
“It doesn’t meet the standards of journalism at any level,” said Dvorkin, a former managing editor and chief journalist at CBC Radio and former news ombudsman for National Public Radio in the United States.
“I just think it was mean-spirited and does not have the interests of the public at heart.”
Kent alleges in a lawsuit against Postmedia, the National Post and Martin that he was defamed during his unsuccessful campaign to win a Calgary legislature seat for the Progressive Conservatives in the 2008 Alberta election.
Kent became known as the “Scud Stud” for his reporting on Iraqi missile strikes for NBC during the Gulf War.
The column at issue ran under the headline “Alberta’s ‘Scud Stud’ a ‘Dud’ on Campaign Trail.”
It used unnamed sources to portray Kent as a loose cannon who was difficult for the party to deal with.
It also said a number of his key campaign members were threatening to quit.
One of those sources, Kent campaign lawyer Kristine Robidoux, has already testified that she shared private emails with Martin that included complaints between the Tory campaign chairman and party brass about Kent not abiding by the rules.
Postmedia denies Kent’s accusations and argues it was practising responsible journalism.
Lawyer Scott Watson has emphasized to the court the media’s role in informing voters about candidates’ policies and actions.
Dvorkin wrote a report on the column at the request of Kent’s legal team and was called by Kent’s side to testify.
He said the use of anonymous sources made the article dubious.