PR/journalist couples raise conflict-of-interest issue

[Guest guest]

O'Dwyer's PR Services Report

March, 1994

PR/journalist couples raise conflict-of-interest issue

Item: A prominent TV journalist and his PR counselor wife are accused of

conflict of interest in handling news and information about the environment

and nuclear energy.

Item: A business reporter switches beats after his wife gets a PR job in the

same area that he covered.

Item: A company involved in a merger battle complains that the husband of a

reporter covering the battle works for a PR firm handling a hostile bidder.

These three incidents have served to put the spotlight on a comparatively

rare breed in the communications industry -- PR pros who are married to

working journalists.

There are many instances of PR people married to PR people and journalists

to journalists. But marriages that combine PR and journalism are much less

frequent.

O'Dwyer's PR Services Report has compiled a list of 15 PR professionals who

are married to journalists.

No complaints have been made about possible conflicts of interest among the

12 other couples but this could be partly due to the fact that most " PR/J "

marriages are known only to a few friends.

In 10 of the 15 marriages, each member of the couple uses a different last

name, making detection of the relationship difficult.

WSJ reporter switched

A head-on conflict occurred in October 1993 when Nahley joined Sony

Corp. of America, New York, as Director of Public Affairs.

She was previously Assistant VP, PR, at Continental Insurance.

Her husband, Reilly, covered the consumer electronics beat for the

Wall Street Journal, which would be a clear conflict of interest.

But Reilly informed his editors of his wife's new job, a WSJ spokesperson

told O'Dwyer's PR Services Report.

The result was that the editors promptly switched him to the retailing beat.

The release announcing Nahley made no mention of the fact that her husband

was a reporter for the WSJ.

Neufelds accused

Victor Neufeld, Executive Producer of ABC-TV's " 20/20 " investigative

journalism program, was accused of favoring the nuclear and chemical

industries in a seven-page article in the January/February Extra!, a

magazine published by Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, New York.

Neufeld's wife, Lois, heads Media Access, a New York PR firm that does

projects for the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness (PR arm of nuclear

industry), and the Industry Coalition for the Environment (Du Pont, Society

of Plastics Industries, General Motors, Chemical Mfrs. Assn., American

Petroleum Institute and others).

Three ex-producers, who allowed Extra! to use their names, accused Victor

Neufeld of avoiding nuclear/environmental stories.

They said that since Neufeld's appointment in 1987 to the top " 20/20 "

editorial spot, the program has done only one nuclear-related story --

stressing the positive aspects of irradiating food.

Both Neufelds, in written replies to Extra!, stoutly denied the charges.

Lois Neufeld would not supply an account list to this magazine. Victor

Neufeld did not return a phone call. Corporate PR at Capital Cities/ABC also

did not return phone calls when queried on the matter.

Times criticized

The New York Times withstood months of heavy criticism for allowing

Geraldine Fabrikant, reporter specializing in media companies, to write

almost daily about the merger negotiations involving Paramount

Communications, Viacom and QVC Network.

Fabrikant's husband is Tim Metz, a managing partner at Abernathy MacGregor

Scanlon, which handles QVC PR.

The $ 10 billion takeover battle was the biggest since the fight for control

of RJR Nabisco in 1988.

Hugh Liedtke, Chairman and CEO of Pennzoil and a Paramount director, in

court documents accused QVC of leaking information to the Times.

The complaint was covered by USA Today and both Fabrikant and Metz issued

heated denials of the charge.

Metz told New York magazine that he " almost lost my marriage " because he

didn't give a certain QVC item to Fabrikant.

Slept in living room

She told the magazine she " made him (Metz) sleep in the living room " because

she had to read about the QVC item in the Wall Street Journal and got

scooped.

The New York Observer asked why Fabrikant didn't " follow standard

journalistic ethical practice and recuse herself. "

It howled that readers of the Times were being " cuckolded. " The Observer

said the pair should either split up; Metz quit " the arms of QVC, " or

Fabricant drop " the hot story. "

A Times spokesperson dismissed the Observer's complaint, telling the paper

there is " absolutely no problem ... no conflict here. "

Metz was a WSJ reporter and editor from 1966-89 when he became a senior VP

at Hill and Knowlton.

He told O'Dwyer's PR Services Report that he did not work on the QVC

account. When told this magazine had assembled a list of 15 PR/J couples, he

said he wasn't surprised since so many more women work now in full time

jobs.

Conflicts exist in fields other than PR, such as journalists married to

investment bankers, he noted. Confidential business information often has to

be kept from a spouse who is also in banking, journalism, etc., he said.

Fabrikant is now teaming up with another Times reporter, Bernard Weinraub,

to write a book about the merger, the New York Post reported.

Work in same fields

At least three other PR/J couples tracked by the magazine work in the same

subject areas.

Ann Rea, Director of the Travel Group at Burson-Marsteller, New York,

is married to ph Brancatelli, a career travel writer.

He is currently an editor and writer for the monthly Travel Holiday magazine

and was Executive Editor of Frequent Flyer magazine from 1990-93. He

formerly wrote a travel column for the Los Angeles Times.

Travel Holiday, owned by the Reader's Digest Assn., has a circulation of

575,000. It is written for " the travel enthusiast who visits foreign and

domestic tourist attractions, " says a profile in Bacon's Directory.

Brancatelli edits a new two-page " Travel Adviser " section that gives

" practical information and travel strategies. "

Rea told this magazine that she and her husband are " very careful about

maintaining a proper distance " on subjects that may be sensitive.

There is a " Chinese wall " between them on such subjects, she said.

If B-M decides to pitch a story to a publication for which Brancatelli

works, a B-M staffer other than herself will be sent, said Rea.

The B-M executive said that being married to a journalist is very helpful in

her job in that she is able to see " what a journalist's life is like. "

s a PR/J team

Nadine , who has a PR firm with fashion and entertainment clients, is

the wife of , Editor of the Page Six gossip page of the New

York Post, which carries many items on these fields.

Before opening her firm two years ago, Nadine was at CMB Communications, a

society-oriented PR firm in New York headed by Mortimer Biddle.

Nadine said her husband has a policy of not printing news of her clients

unless a certain item " is too good to pass up. "

She identified her clients, which include Ford Models, U.S. and

international; Chateau Marmont hotel, Los Angeles; Mercer Hotel, opening in

New York in late 1994; The Supper Club, Fez/Time Cafe, Brasserie des

Theatres, Le Colonial, and other restaurants in New York.

A recent item on Page Six involved Model Naomi joining the Ford

agency.

The firm is operated out of the residence in New York.

Thumim, Berger in audio

a Thumim, of Thumim Communications, New York, has Niles Audio, NHT

Loudspeakers, Electronic Industries Assn., and International Jensen

(speakers) among her clients.

Her husband, Ivan Berger, is technical editor of Audio magazine, a

150,000-circulation monthly aimed at " sophisticated stereo equipment

enthusiasts " and covering " the latest technological advances. "

a Thumim said she and Berger " go to great lengths to avoid conflicts

.... there are some things we choose not to discuss. " The Thumim firm is ten

years old.

Timesman weds lobbyist

Beth Bierut, a lobbyist for the Biotechnology Industry Organization,

Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 1994 married Rosenthal, head of the

D.C. bureau of The New York Times and son of A. M. Rosenthal, formerly

executive editor of the Times and currently a columnist.

A spokesperson for the group said that the job of Rosenthal (she will use

her husband's name) is to " affect the passage of laws related to

biotechnology. "

He said Rosenthal is a lawyer and her job is " lobbying " rather than PR.

The biotech group itself listed only $ 3,540 in lobbying fees for the

quarter ended Sept. 30, 1993. The group said Rosenthal is not required to

register individually and that it only counts expenses, not salaries, in

reporting fees.

Members are about 500 individuals, 325 companies and 60 biotech centers. A

staff of about 25 operates under a budget of $ 2-$ 5 million, according to a

listing in National Trade and Professional Associations Directory.

J-friends help

Members of several of the PR/J couples said that being married to a

journalist (or PR person) was particularly helpful in their own jobs.

Kathie Berlin, head of the New York office of & Cowan from 1979-85

and wife of Valeriani, longtime NBC-TV newsman, said that knowing TV

producers socially was helpful when she tried to contact them as a PR

person.

Valeriani, who now helps executives train for interviews, was White House

correspondent in 1972-73; diplomatic correspondent from 1973-80, and

Washington correspondent for the " Today " show from 1980-83. He left NBC in

1988 to do interviews with business figures for commercials for Shearson

Lehman Hutton.

Besides working for Media Prompt, Sherman, Conn., media training company, he

produces a half-hour show for IBM employees.

Berlin was most recently Senior VP, Production, Marketing and Publicity,

MGM/New York. She is now a consultant.

Roderick , head of the Chicago Bureau of Copley Newspapers, who married

PR pro Michele LoDestro two years ago, said he used to " despise publicists "

but now treats all publicists " as though they were my wife. "

He said he has a better understanding of the problems that PR people have,

especially the fact that " they can't always get their clients to come to the

phone. "

said he met Michele in September of 1990 when she was pitching a story

on day surgery centers. He went to the center because there were no other

reporters available at the time.

He does not see being married to a PR person as much of a problem since

" everyone knows we're married. "

He helps her with her copy at home and gives her tips, he said.

Michele adopted her husband's name when she married. " I'm old-fashioned, "

she said. " I was proud to take my husband's name. "

She continues to use LoDestro as the name of her PR firm.

Michele said there are certain things that she doesn't mention to her

husband because, " he is first and foremost a reporter and would pursue

them. "

Michele, once a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune, said that

married couples in PR and journalism must maintain their professional

" confidentiality. "

" It's difficult to pitch a story to your spouse, " she said, adding that she

may on occasion direct a story to one of the other writers at the Copley

bureau.

" The philosophy at our firm is that PR people must try to walk in the shoes

of journalists, " she said.

A brochure for the firm says it emphasizes media relations and " helps

clients to create strong relationships with target audiences. "

Clients include Benson & Assocs.; Chicago Research & Planning Group; T & H

Machine; Lee Murdock, folk-singer, ADPRO, and Seymour of Sycamore.

Copley owns two papers in Illinois, the Rockford Register Star, circulation

77,000, and the State Journal-Register, circulation 70,000, based in the

capital of Springfield. It also owns the San Diego Union-Tribune,

circulation 373,000, and operates the Copley News Service with bureaus in

Washington, D.C., and other cities.

Gerards a PR/J couple

Gerard, who became National Director of Marketing and Communications

for Deloitte & Touche, Wilton, Conn., earlier this year, is the husband of

Carolyn Friday, who left the Boston bureau of Newsweek Dec. 31, 1993 after

ten years there.

headed communications for the Boston Consulting Group, Boston, a

management consulting firm.

He said his wife left her job because he obtained the new job in Connecticut

and that he expects her to continue her career in journalism.

He said there was never much of a conflict between his PR job and his wife's

duties for Newsweek since she did not usually cover business topics.

Two PR relatives

Sam , New York Times metropolitan reporter, is married to Marie

Salerno, who in January was named VP-Public Affairs, New York Public

Library.

Salerno's sister is Salerno, who a year ago was named Managing

Director, Communications Group (PR and publicity) for Thirteen/WNET, New

York, the largest public TV station in the U.S.

Salerno is married to Tom Mc, anchor of " Sports Extra " Weekend

Editions, WNYW Fox 5 TV, New York.

From 1982-91, and Marie Salerno were owners of Salerno/Marie

Salerno PR, a PR firm.

Previous posts of Made Salerno include Associate Publisher of MORE,

journalist magazine which folded; Director of Promotion for New West

magazine, Press Information Manager at WABC-TV and Publicity Manager at New

York magazine.

, longtime reporter for the Times, was its " Metro Matters " columnist

for seven years until Jan. 24, 1994. He is now on general assignment. One

project is reporting on " changes in the New York region through census

data. "

Berzok, Murray wed

M. Berzok, Director of Corporate Communications, Union Carbide,

Danbury, Conn., was married June 27, 1993 to Murray, Manager of

Editorial Services for Medicus PR, New York, which is part of the healthcare

practice of Darcy, Masius Benton & Bowles, major ad agency.

Murray, in addition to her job at Medicus PR, is contributing editor and

columnist for Longevity magazine, a monthly.

Her column carries the title, " Love and Longevity. "

In-depth probe of Neufelds

The most searching study thus far of a PR/J couple has been the one done by

FAIR.

FAIR has a weekly radio program called " Counterspin " which is aired on more

than 40 stations nationwide (including WBAI in New York; WPFW, Washington,

D.C., and WKDU, Philadelphia).

FAIR describes itself as a " media watch group offering well-documented

criticism in an effort to correct bias and imbalance. "

Advisory board members include Asner, Ben Bagdikian, Noam Chomsky,

Mitford, Gloria Steinem, Dr. Spock and Studs Terkel.

The magazine said it conducted 125 interviews, apparently among more than a

dozen current and former staffers of " 20/20 " over a three-month period.

Say no anti-nuke stories

Dan Goldfarb, former " 20/20 " producer now at Fox TV's " Front Page, " is

quoted as saying: " Since Victor Neufeld took over " 20/20, " there has never

been a story in any way critical of the nuclear industry or the chemical

industry as far as I know. I think it's pretty clear what's going on. "

Ed Whitemore, 10 years with " 20/20 " and a former associate producer, told

Extra!:

" It was common knowledge among the staff that Victor's wife was connected to

the nuclear and chemical industries and the boss wasn't interested in doing

environmental stories. "

C. II, one of the original producers for " 20/20 " and now a

producer for " 60 Minutes, " said he left " 20/20 " a year after Neufeld became

its executive producer.

He told Extra!, in commenting on its coverage of nuclear and environmental

topics:

" In my years in television, I never saw anything like this -- and these are

important stories that deserve to be reported. "

Extra! said it examined the log of " 20/20 " since Neufeld took over and

concluded that only one report involving nuclear energy had been aired --

" The Power of Fear. "

The segment was on irradiating food. Correspondent Stossel, in closing

comments, said he would " prefer " food that had been exposed to radiation.

In a segment called, " Much Ado About Nothing, " airing March 18, 1988,

Stossel covered the topic of suspected links between toxic chemicals and

cancer. "

He cautioned that in-depth research is needed before media disseminate " big

scare " stories.

Social contacts help

The PR spouse of a journalist normally meets many journalist friends of the

spouse and is therefore considered a social equal.

This point was made several times by PR people who were interviewed and it

came up in the Extra! story on the Neufelds.

The magazine reprinted a Feb. 23, 1990 letter from Lois Neufeld to " 20/20 "

producer Nola Safro.

Accompanying the letter was a seven-page press release describing the work

of the Industry Coalition for the Environment and offering input for " 20/20 "

relative to the 1990 celebration of Earth Day.

Lois Neufeld had written in hand at the bottom of the cover letter, " Dear

No -- Here's what I'm up to -- How about theater? Best, Lo. "

Lois Neufeld, in her written comment to Extra!, said Safro was but one of

many media people on a list of thousands that are sent press releases by her

firm.

The " 20/20 " show near Earth Day 1990 had a segment on pollution in the

former East Germany, noted Extra!.

The PR pro who is married to a journalist can have a bird's eye view of

what's on the media's mind.

Intelligence-gathering is a major task of any PR assignment.

Lois Neufeld's knowledge of future programming on ABC " amazed some of those

who worked on a 1985 program on nuclear power at the network's documentary

unit, " said the Extra! article.

Even though the project was known to only a few producers, Lois Neufeld made

an " unsolicited approach, " an unnamed producer told the magazine.

The source said Lois Neufeld " persistently " called the staff on the project.

Dick Richter, executive producer of the nuclear segment, called, " The Fire

Unleashed, " told Extra!: " It seemed to me to be an improper utilization of

entree, entree that she had because she met many of us socially and used

this as a springboard to make calls that were consequently improper. "

Lois Neufeld told Extra! that she learned about the documentary from

government sources and others who had been called by the documentary unit.

She further said the unit ignored the information she provided.

Referring to the segment, she wrote, " nothing could have been more negative

towards the nuclear industry. "

Neufelds object

Both Neufelds made strong written objections to the Extra! article.

Wrote Victor Neufeld:

" All stories considered for '20/20' are evaluated on the basis of their

inherent merit, news value and appropriateness.

" The suggestion that my wife has influenced any editorial decisions at

'20/20' or ABC in general is outrageous and totally without merit.

" Lois Neufeld and I have separate and independent careers and have always

maintained a strict code of conduct that reflects only the highest ethical

standards of my profession... "

Lois Neufeld, asked whether she saw any conflict of interest, wrote: " I have

my career, and my husband has his, and we are both consummate professionals.

The fact is a pro-nuclear story has never aired on 20/20. "

Extra! commented that this statement ignored the favorable 1991 segment by

Stossel on food irradiation.

Hugh Downs, co-host with Barbara Walters of " 20/20, " wrote a lengthy

letter-to-the-editor on the alleged conflict of interest that appeared in

the Jan. 30, 1994 Berkshire Eagle of Berkshire, Mass.

Downs responded after a column about the Neufelds appeared in the newspaper.

It was written by two editors of Extra! -- Jeff Cohen and Norman .

They called on Neufeld to remove himself from any stories that involve

industries represented by his wife.

Downs wrote that he, too, would have no problem eating irradiated food and

that the Stossel segment was meant to show the difference between " primary

radiation " and radiating food for the purpose of preserving it.

He called Neufeld " a man of immense integrity " who would not keep an

important story off ABC. Neither Neufeld nor any one person has such power,

wrote Downs.

However, the letter by the co-host did not rebut the main charge in the

Extra! story that there has not been a negative nuclear story on " 20/20 "

since Victor Neufeld assumed leadership of the show.

Said the Downs' letter:

" Many follow-up stories on the nuclear issue tend to evaporate as more

knowledge of proportionate risks and trade-offs become available.

" Years ago, I believe that Amory Lovins was correct in saying, " Nuclear

energy is a future technology whose time has passed. " I no longer view it

that way ... I feel no impulse to strive for a shutdown of nuclear energy

plants. Mrs. Neufeld's efforts to get across her clients views on these

matters is perfectly legitimate (although I have never been approached by

her).

" But the idea that ABC News policy could in any way be manipulated by a

public-relations person or firm is really farfetched... "

Lois Neufeld worked on the U.S. Council for Energy Awareness account in 1980

when she was with DWJ Television, which had the Council as a client.

DWJ, the second largest firm in video news release production, still works

for the Council.

GRAPHIC: Picture 1, Roderick and Michele , a PR/journalist

" supercouple. " ; Picture 2, PA PRO IS SPOUSE OF REPORTER -- In the release,

Sony Corp. of America announced the appointment of C. Nahley as

Director, Public Affairs. She is the wife of Reilly, Wall Street

Journal reporter. Prof. Louis W. Hodges, who teaches applied journalistic

ethics at Washington and Lee University, said the release should have

mentioned Reilly by name and occupation.; Picture 3, TRAVEL SPECIALISTS --

Joe Brancatelli, husband of Burson-Marsteller travel PR specialist Ann

Rea, writes a two-page column called " Travel Adviser " for Travel Holiday,

575,000-circulation monthly of the Reader's Digest Assn.; Picture 4, AUDIO

COUPLE -- Ivan Berger is Technical Editor of Audio magazine, writing a

column called " Road Signs " which reviews audio equipment. His wife is

a Thumim of Thumim Communications, New York, whose clients include

Niles Audio, NHT Loudspeakers and Electronic Industries Assn.; Picture 5,

POWER COUPLE -- Valeriani was a Washington correspondent for NBC

News for nearly 20 years, covering the White House, State Dept. and

Pentagon. His wife is Kathie Berlin, head of the New York office of &

Cowan from 1979-85 and most recently Senior VP, Production, Marketing and

Publicity, MGM, New York. Berlin, a friend of President Clinton and Hillary

Clinton since 1983, worked on Clinton's Presidential campaign and is a

member of Hillary's " Kitchen Cabinet. " ; Picture 6, WIFE IN PR FIRM --

, Editor of the Page Six gossip column in the New York Post,

is married to Nadine , who has a PR firm specializing in restaurants,

hotels and fashion clients. Nadine says her husband only prints news of her

clients if the item is " too good to pass up. " ; Picture 7, PATTERN OF

AVOIDANCE SEEN -- Extra!, the bimonthly of Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting,

said that months of research and 125 interviews disclosed a pattern of

avoidance of environmental and nuclear topics on ABC-TV's " 20/20. " The

article notes that Victor Neufeld, Executive Producer, is married to Lois

Neufeld, whose PR firm works for nuclear and environmentally related

clients.; FIANCE OF OPRAH -- Chicago PR pro Stedman Graham is the fiance of

talk show host Oprah Winfrey. He is the head of S. Graham & Assocs.,

Chicago, which handles PR for Winfrey. The PR firm also handles sports

marketing. Graham supervises Winfrey's charitable giving and currently helps

on a program to feed the elderly in andria, South Africa.

List of 15 PR/lobbyist people married to journalists

(in alphabetical order by the name of pro/lobbyist)

PR PERSON JOURNALIST

Gerard, National Director Carolyn Friday, Boston Bureau

Marketing and Communications reporter for Newsweek for 10

Deloitte & Touche, Wilton, Conn. years until Dec. 31, 1993.

Todd R. Hunt, PR advisor to Rutgers Karli Jo Hunt, Director of

State University of New Jersey Editorial Pages, New Brunswick

and Professor, Department of Home News, N.J.

Communications.

Nadine , President, Nadine , Editor, Page Six

PR, New York, handling (gossip) page of New York Post.

fashion companies, resort hotels

and other clients.

Michele , Lodestro PR, St. Rod , Chief of the Chicago

, Ill. Bureau, Copley Newspapers.

Les Leuchter, Manager of Corporate Phyllis Fine, Senior Editor, Travel

Development, East Coast, Bender, Agent magazine, New York.

Goldman & Helper, Los Angeles/

New York entertainment PR firm.

Tim Metz, Managing Partner, Geraldine Fabrikant, financial

Abernathy MacGregor Scanlon, reporter, New York Times.

New York, handling financial and

corporate PR accounts.

C. Nahley, Director of PA, Reilly, reporter for the

Sony Corp. of America, New York. Wall Street Journal assigned to

the retail beat.

Lois Neufeld, President, Media Victor Neufeld, Executive Producer,

Access, New York PR firm with ABC-TV's " 20/20. "

nuclear and chemical industry

clients.

Ann Rea, VP and Director of ph Brancatelli, an editor and

the Travel Group at Burson- writer for Travel Holiday

Marsteller, New York. magazine, 575,000 circ. monthly

of Reader's Digest Assn; Exec.

Editor of Frequent Flyer

magazine 1990-93, and former

travel columnist, Los Angeles

Times.

Beth Bierut Rosenthal, Rosenthal, Washington

Director of Federal Government Editor, New York Times and son of

Relations, Biotechnology Industry A. M. Rosenthal, former Executive

Organization, Washington, D.C. Editor of the Times and now a

(married Jan. 15, 1994) Times columnist.

Rosenthal, Senior Executive Terri , Director, Knight-

VP, J. stein Assocs., Bagehot Fellowship in Economics

New York. and Business Journalism,

Columbia University and former

reporter, U.S. News & World

Report, now a columnist for Lear's

magazine.

Salerno, Director, Tom Mc, Anchor, " Sports

Communications Group, Extra, " weekend editions, WNYW

Thirteen/WNET, New York. Fox 5 TV, New York.

Marie Salerno, formerly principal Sam , New York Times " Metro

of Salerno/Marie Salerno PR, Matters " columnist seven years

New York, who joined the New until Jan. 24, 1994, now on

York Public Library in January of general assignment for the Times.

1994 as VP-PA.

Ted Smythe, Director of Corporate Breasted, novelist (Why

Affairs, Heinz Co., Pittsburgh. Should You Doubt Me Now and

two other novels), former New

York Times reporter; contributor

to The New Republic and other

magazines.

a Thumim, Thumim Ivan Berger, Technical Editor,

Communications, New York PR Audio magazine, New York.

firm handling Niles Audio, NHT

Loudspeakers and Electronic

Industries Assn., among other

clients.

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Power PR/J couples need monitoring

March 1994

PR people married to journalists constitute a " power communications

couple " -- no question about it.

The PR half of the marriage gets to socialize with all the reporter's

friends in the news business. Entree is gained where it might otherwise be

denied.

" I treat all publicists as though they were my wife, " commented the

journalist half of one PR/J combo.

The PR person can also get lots of intelligence from the reporter half and

vice versa. Knowing what's coming up is important for both PR and J pros.

Since more wives are working now, conflicts are popping up in all sorts of

careers. The Feb. 21 Business Week had a feature on " Couples, Careers and

Conflicts, " describing problems facing such " power partnerships. "

PR/J partnerships must be in the open so we can all monitor them. The

problem is they haven't been, partly because of the modern custom of the

wife not taking the husband's name.

Reporters were recently shocked at one major business news medium when they

learned a fellow scribe was married to a PR executive. Both use different

names and the reporter never mentioned what his wife did.

Accounts must be published

All these couples must be " outed " and watched. Some reporters have gotten

very prickly with us over this subject, saying we are accusing them of

wrongdoing.

A professor who watches a class take a test is not accusing the students of

cheating. The professor is monitoring.

PR firms cannot be monitored if we don't have their client lists. None of

the U.S. PR groups requires this although it is a rule of the PR Consultants

Assn. of the U.K. This is a major flaw in the U.S. PR ethical codes.

Only one PR firm in the couples article in this issue would not give us an

account list -- Media Access, headed by Lois Neufeld, wife of " 20/20's "

Victor Neufeld. Extra! magazine has done a good job of tracking avoidance of

certain topics on " 20/20 " and we have yet to hear a convincing rebuttal from

the program.

Prof. Louis Hodges, an ethics specialist, says couples may not realize they

are favoring one another. That's why monitoring is needed and the couples

should help with it.