ARTS & FARCES internet

Straight out of a Carl Hiaasen novel, a Miami politician, accused of money laundering and soliciting a male prostitute shoots himself on the “polished terrazzo floor” of The Miami Herald‘s lobby. That “polished terrazzo floor” bit must be the New York Times’ idea of adding color to the story.

But you know that can’t be the whole story, this being Miami and all. Herald columnist Jim DeFede secretly taped a telephone conversation with the politician, Arthur Teele Jr. That might be against Florida law. According to the New York Times, “all parties must consent to the recording or disclosure of the contents of any wire, oral or electronic communication.” Except for business calls. In 1991, a federal appeals court ruled that recording business calls without the other party’s consent was legal.

Here’s where it gets weird and will almost certainly make it into a Hiassen work sooner rather than later. The Miami Herald fires DeFede, but only after permitting him to transcribe the tape. The Herald then, according to Abby Goodnough’s account in the New York Times, “published portions of the conversation as described by Mr. DeFede.”

Here’s the money quote from the Herald‘s executive editor, Tom Fiedler:

“We expect our people to act in a highly ethical way, and Jim admitted that he had crossed that line, and I really didn’t see an alternative,” Mr. Fiedler said. “If we have that expectation and someone fails to abide by it, knowingly fails to abide by it, regardless of that person’s talent it means they can no longer be a part of The Herald.”

There’s lot’s of hand-wringing and whining going on in corporate media circles, but for all the wrong reasons. It’s highly unethical for the columnist to record a source without his knowledge. But it’s just peachy keen fine for the columnist’s employer to publish that conversation. That kind of twisted logic doesn’t work anywhere. Not even in Miami.