Avoiding conflicts of interest incumbent upon journalists; readers depend on unbiased coverage




The Gun Barrel City Council appointed a city charter review commission Tuesday, July 28, that included a reporter for the Athens Daily Review who was covering the council meeting.

Kathi Nailling, who lives in Gun Barrel City, was appointed by Councilwoman Linda Rankin. Each council member appointed two members to the commission.

The Society of Professional Journalists' ethical guidelines urge editors and reporters to avoid conflicts of interest.

Most newspapers forbid editors and reporters from membership in groups that they cover, and political activity is expressly forbidden. The purpose is to ensure reporting remains unbiased.

Most city residents depend upon the media to inform them about city business, rather than attending meeting themselves.

Nailling said she saw no problem with her involvement in the commission, and that her editors approved the measure in advance. "Everybody said they thought I would be really good," she said.

Rankin said she talked to Nailling about the appointment, and that she understood there would be no problem.

(UPDATE: Councilwoman Linda Rankin advised today, July 29, that Kathi Nailling has "declined to be on the committee" after re-evaluating the situation.)

Nailling said the editor of The Monitor, a competing newspaper on Cedar Creek Lake, had served on a Seven Points commission in the past. The Monitor Editor Pearl Cantrell said she attended three meetings of the Seven Points Economic Development Corp. because they were desperate for a board member to continue functioning. Cantrell said she resigned as soon as the group found a new member to replace her.

(Disclosure: David Webb, in addition to writing for CedarCreekLake.com, freelances for The Monitor, and that includes coverage of Gun Barrel City.)




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Cedar Creek Lake Weather Forecast

Thursday

Sunny

Hi: 69

Thursday Night

Mostly Clear

Lo: 56

Friday

Partly Sunny

Hi: 74

Friday Night

Partly Cloudy

Lo: 60

Saturday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 78

Saturday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 64

Sunday

Mostly Cloudy

Hi: 79

Sunday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 67


Cedar Creek Lake Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 3/28: 322.33 (+0.33)



Cedar Creek Lake

Fishing Report from TPWD (Mar. 27)

EXCELLENT. Stained; 64 degrees; 0.21 feet above pool. The hybrid striped bass and white bass have made a full recovery from the spawn and are now back in the main lake in droves and are on a feeding frenzy. Look for heavy bird activity throughout the lake on flats and near the dam on edges of drop offs especially on cloudy and overcast days. The bite will continue to get even better in these areas as the shad spawn will start to take place in the next 2-3 weeks across the lake. Slowly retrieve shiny slabs or spinnerbaits off the bottom to catch these fish in depths of 17-26 feet of water. The crappie have also migrated back into the main lake. Look for them under bridge pylons or under docks where the depths are between 3-10 feet. Guides have been reporting exceptionally nice catches on sunny warmer days. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service. Report by Brent Herbeck, Herbeck’s Lonestar Fishing Guide Service.

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