"I don’t permit deception; I would not allow it," said Amanda Bennett, editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer. "We go into reporting in a straighter way. We are not private investigators, we are journalists. Undercover is a method of the past."
The editors were commenting on the Spokesman-Review's controversial coverage of Spokane Mayor West, whom the paper reported had led a secret gay life, had allegedly molested boys years ago, and had "been trolling the Internet for young lovers while serving as mayor." The stories first ran last Thursday and have sparked national interest while prompting West to take a leave of absence from his post.
As part of the paper's reporting, Spokesman-Review editors hired a computer expert to pose as a gay man in an online chat room, uncovering some of West's alleged Internet conversations. Editor Steven Smith has said this was necessary to confirm what the paper had learned by other means. While he continues to defend this approach, he has also speculated that it will prevent these stories will from winning any major awards.
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