Mark Levin is sure making its way to CNSNews.com a lot lately:
- A Nov. 15 blog post by Craig Bannister touted an appearance by Sen. Ted Cruz on Levin’s radio show.
- A Nov. 18 article by James Beattie promoted an anti-Obama rant by Levin.
Neither article discloses that CNS, through its Media Research Center parent, has a financial relationship in which Levin promotes the MRC on his radio show and the MRC uses Levin’s endorsement on its network of websites. In fact, CNS has prominently placed on its front page an offer featuring Levin’s picture in which one can obtain a “Free Bumper Sticker!” The signup page includes quotes from Levin praising CNS: “The left-wing media in this country are so out-of-control. That’s why I read CNSNews.com every day for news that I can trust.”
That’s a textbook example of a conflict of interest. Journalistic ethics demands that CNS properly disclose its relationship with Levin in articles about him.
UPDATE: Beattie faithfully transcribes another Levin rant in a Nov. 19 post, which also fails to disclose Levin’s business relationship with the MRC.