Ethical News Director Receives Award

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As CMD previously reported, Eau Claire, Wisconsin news director Glen Mabie quit his job in January. Instead of going along with a deal that his station had struck with a local hospital to guarantee coverage of medical issues featuring personnel from that hospital and not others, Mabie left his position. The station later cancelled the agreement. Mabie is now being recognized for his stance. He has been selected to receive the Ethics in Journalism award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Mabie said he was humbled to receive the honor and that "Many of the people in that newsroom deserve this honor just as much as I do. To see those people stand up for those ethical guidelines was really neat." Mabie was nominated by University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire professor emeritus David Gordon, who said: "I believe that Mabie's willingness to draw a line in the sand and to stand up for his ethical principles regardless of the personal cost is a perfect fit for the criteria set out for the SPJ Ethics in Journalism Award." Hopefully, the award will help Mabie find a new job -- he has been unemployed since leaving the station.