This story is the beginning.  As I understand this, DMR reporter Aaron Calvin reports on improbably successful, spontaneous fundraiser by Carson King.  Mr. Calvin digs into Mr. King’s tweets, find reprehensible teenage tweets.  This is a huge humiliation for Mr. King, to be sure.

1. Why was it necessary, or newsworthy, to dig up previous tweets?
2. Is this standard practice to research tweets of people covered in the DM Register?  If so, why?  If not, what are the standards for determining whose background will be investigated and whose will not?
3. Are the standards written down?  If not, who determines what the standards are on case-by-case basis?  If standards are written down, then when were they last revised?
4. Could Ms Hunter, executive editor, comment on the appropriateness of Mr. Calvin’s expose, given uncovering of Mr. Calvin’s own reprehensible tweets?  If appropriate to expose Mr. King’s tweets, then is it appropriate to write a story about Mr. Calvin’s tweets?  Why or why not?
5. If Mr. King’s tweets somehow cast a shadow on his charitable fundraising, does Mr. Calvin’s tweets cast a shadow on his reporting?

You can probably tell that I consider the DMR’s behavior as vile.

Update 27-Sept, from DM Register, which acknowledges some of the failings: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/from-the-editor/2019/09/26/carson-king-tweet-editor-response-investigation-iowa-childrens-hospital-donations/3780741002/

 

 

Sept 27: update from