Unethical but not illegal: Revisiting brown envelope journalism practice in Kuwait

Abstract

Ethical journalism repudiates the practice of brown envelope solicitation or the acceptance of any form of gifts that might influence news sourcing, production and publication. The authors of the present study therefore revisited their earlier inquiry (2014) on brown envelope journalism practice in Kuwait to determine if the situation has changed or relatively remained the same. Results from the present study mirror the findings in the previous inquiry in the conceptualization of ethics by journalists in Kuwait, the use of part-time journalists in the country, the lack of measures by editors and supervisors to stamp out this form of journalism and discipline erring reporters, and the journalists’ view that it was up to individual reporters to accept or reject brown envelopes in the course of duty. The authors contend that primary responsibility to curtail this behaviour falls on editors and supervisors in media houses as well as the journalists themselves and their association. Survey and interview instruments were used in this study.