Ethical challenges for theater writers

[Frank8]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 11:13pm

Forbes writer Lee Seymour

Lee Seymour is an investor in The Inheritance on Broadway and he writes a weekly column on Broadway grosses in Forbes.  He does declare at the end of his column that he is involved in The Inheritance when he writes about the show.

Here's the ethical challenge.  Should he be writing about Broadway sales in an editorial capacity when he is involved in producing a show on Broadway?

Each week he careful explains the sales numbers for The Inheritance as the growth of a show that is settling in, while trashing competing shows that are not selling well suggesting they will close soon.  

Surely, if the magazine has any journalistic integrity, Forbes should assign another writer who doesn't have a personal interest in Broadway sales, to cover the weekly grosses.  At least while The Inheritance is running.

Am I missing something?

Thoughts?

 

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 12:00am

I don't know what Forbes's guidelines are, but as a business publication, nearly ALL of its writers have small conflicts-of-interest due to stocks and other limited shares. Broadway investments are just structured a little differently. And it's not like he's the lead producer of The Inheritance. (His Broadway investment could also make him a more knowledgeable reporter.)

What you call "trash"ing is factual reporting (at least in this week's case). Nobody with common sense would have good things to say about the numbers for Great Society, Linda Vista, Lightning Thief, etc. Now, if he was a Lightning Thief investor trying to put a positive spin on its numbers, then I'd be much more concerned.

It's far less concerning than a certain NYPost reporter writing puff pieces about his producer-friend's shows, when in reality the numbers are abysmal. Showbiz, baby!

Updated On: 10/29/19 at 12:00 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 5:59am

If his involvement is stated, it's up to the reader to think critically.

Hell, its always the reader's responsibility to read critically.