This case has been a big deal in south Florida. I'm rather ambivalent about it myself, I'm uncomfortable with journalists accepting a paycheck from the government to write propaganda (even if I happen to agree with it). But on the other hand, journalists and propagandists both deserve to get paid by someone. And what better person to write anything than a professional writer? I suppose where you draw the line is how the writer identifies himself, as journalist or propagandist.

If a journalist believes in the propaganda, I would expect his professional ethics should prevent him from accepting payment from the government for delivering it. Then I would think he has every right to express his views like any other citizen, in any forum he chooses, but he shouldn't profit from it. He is legitimizing his public relations work by exploiting his reputation as an objective observer and reporter.

I write articles for boating magazines, and if I accept cash from the builder of a boat I'm reviewing, my reputation as an honest reporter is compromised in the eyes of my readers.. This is just not an academic exercise, one builder offered to pay my travel expenses after I wrote a favorable piece on his boat. The offer came after I had written the article, so I could not be accused of accepting a bribe, but I turned him down. Another, after a favorable review, offered me "a deal" if I ever was in the market for one of his boats, presumably a big discount on a brand new, perfectly sound, but slightly blemished boat. I did not take him up on his offer, either. On the other hand, I also own the copyright on my articles, and I am certainly within my rights to resell it to another buyer. Does this rule out my selling my article to that same boatyard?

Almost all builders use favorable magazine article reprints as part of their advertising copy, it is accepted industry practice, and in my opinion, perfectly legitimate since the original writer, publisher and date of publication is clearly marked on the copy. Most publishers will gladly market their articles a second time this way, if they own the rights. Fortunately, mine is old-fashioned and family-owned and releases my work back to me after they print. But the modern publishing industry as a whole, like all business these days, is becoming more and more ruthless and greedy. There are other ways publishers screw writers out of their royalties these days, that's why I joined a writer's union.

It's tough being a grown-up.