By Mark Willis, RTDNA Region 6 Coordinator

If you are like me, you probably love to listen to the radio. My background is in radio news and I really enjoy listening to the different news anchors from around the country. By the magic of the internet, I've learned a lot listening to journalists deliver the news which enables me to learn about the different aspects of life in their community. Some of the anchors have their own unique brand of delivering the news, some are great story tellers, some have flair for the dramatic. It's all good.

Listening to some of them has given me a chance to keep up with the latest trends so I can be better at my job at keeping my listeners informed.  But there is one thing I am hearing more and more radio anchors do that's captured my attention and has raised a few eyebrows among some of the people I've talked to in the business.

I am hearing more and more radio news anchors endorse commercial copy on the air. The principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity and public accountability are in danger with this practice. 

We are crossing the line, throwing ourselves into the position of becoming irrelevant in the eyes of the community. The Honda dealership has new muscle when the on-air anchor comes out of a hard news story to tout the benefit of driving a Civic. Weight loss products are being pitched by the news anchor that just read the latest news from Washington. Do you see where I am going with this? Where do we draw the line? A reporter should deliver the news not discuss how to get rid of chronic heel pain. Yep. Heard that one the other day in Dallas. In this day and age of tough economic times, I understand the need for stations to generate revenue. I get it. I really do. With more people spending time with their iPods or listening to their favorite venue on line, stations are doing everything they can to keep the precious few listeners they have left. Don't drive them away with the morning news anchor reads a commercial spot for the latest breakfast special at IHOP.

The sales staff may be excited because "Bob, the morning anchor" just endorsed the local Honda dealership in a commercial. But is "Bob" believable when he does a story about a GM recall? By the way, "Bob the morning anchor" also gets to drive a Honda in exchange for his endorsement. I know of a station where that is actually happening

News anchors and reporters should not be touting the latest miracle cream, car leasing special or weight loss hype. News is the name of the game. When we reduce the role of the anchor or reporter to the role of  carnival barker, no one is served.

It takes years for a station to develop it's reputation as a news leader in the community. In one 30 second spot, a station can drive the reputation right off a cliff. The trend of radio news anchors giving their endorsement of a commercial product is sending the wrong message to listeners, damaging the believability of the anchor while also dismantling brick by brick the foundation a station may have built it's reputation on.

I would really like to hear your thoughts on this. Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you think reporters or anchor should endorse commercial products? Or have we crossed the line. Write to me here and I promise I will do a follow up.  Let's get back to journalistic integrity. Right after this message.