How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Journalist?

[babylonsister]

Scientology Church hires reporters to investigate newspaper

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 22, 2010


After decades of digging into the Church of Scientology, reporters and editors at the St. Petersburg Times are accustomed to being denounced by its leaders.

But they find it unsettling that three veteran journalists -- a Pulitzer Prize winner, a former "60 Minutes" producer, and the former executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors -- are taking the church's money to examine the paper's conduct.

While the journalists have promised an independent review, the Times has refused to cooperate, saying their work will be used to fuel the church's ongoing campaign against the Florida paper.

"I ultimately couldn't take this request very seriously because it's a study bought and paid for by the Church of Scientology," says Executive Editor Neil Brown. "Candidly," he adds, "I was surprised and disappointed that journalists who I understand to have an extensive background in investigative reporting would think it's appropriate to ask me or our news organization to talk about that reporting while (a) it's ongoing, and (b) while they're being paid to ask these questions by the very subjects of our reporting."

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/21/AR2010022103692.html

[FreakinDJ]

1. He charges more then the usual "6-pack and a Hooker"

[Raven]

2. As little or as much as a soul is worth, I think, n/t

[old mark]

3. How much do you want to spend? nt

[HubertHeaver]

4. Not much. They're disgustingly cheap. NT

[lpbk2713]

5. Faux gets them at clearance sales.

A dollar a dozen or so.

[MorningGlow]

6. I'm negotiable. n/t

[damntexdem]

7. Actually quite a lot -- the major cost is for the search for a real journalist in the MSM.

On the other hand, news reporters are quite cheap.