The "because I can" approach

"Because I can" is a great excuse for lots of things -- drinking too much at a party, flirting with your best friend's ex, skipping a class or two. "Because I can" is not a great excuse for publishing offensive content. In the news industry, we should publish things because they are newsworthy, not just because -- but it seems like too many newspapers are publishing the controversial Muhammad cartoons just to prove that they can.

As part of its blog operation, the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash., has several readers who blog about the paper's content. Recently, one of those bloggers called on the Spokesman-Review to publish the cartoons. To me, it sounds like he thinks they should run the cartoons simply to keep the free-speech muscle in shape.

There are many, many points to this controversy that can be argued. There are good arguments for publishing the cartoons, and in eHub's case, perhaps merely linking to them*. There are good arguments for simply describing the cartoons in words. There's valid points on all sides.

But for those who argue for publishing (or linking), keep one thing in mind. The First Amendment protects our right to publish offensive content, but it does not require us to publish offensive content. There's no "buy 11, get the 12th free" punch card, no frequent flyer miles for the First Amendment. If we pass on Mohammad, it doesn't mean that we can't run a story on the next big controversy.

So weigh this content for its own merits. Decide whether it would benefit your readers. Decide whether the actual images are required for your readers to understand why people are so upset. There's no universal right answer for all newspapers, TV stations and web sites. But don't just run the images to flex your free speech muscle.

*By the very nature of the web, sites can and must be judged by what they link to, and their links become part of their own web of content. To me, the difference between an <a href and <img src is aesthetic -- but that is peripheral to my argument here.