Does Excellence Always Equal Success?

Carol Marin is a highly respected investigative reporter for a CBS affiliate in Chicago and a contributor to “60 Minutes II,” the national weekly television news magazine. In 1997, during the time that Marin worked for NBC-owned Channel 5, the channel hired Jerry Springer to do a series of commentaries for Marin’s nightly news show. Marin objected to the management’s decision to hire Springer, the nationally syndicated host of a salacious talk show, because she felt that his approach violated essential journalistic standards. After some soul-searching, Marin resigned. In the aftermath of the Springer incident, the goodwill that Marin had gained among the Chicago public opened up an opportunity for her to serve as the anchor for a major local station’s 10 p.m. news show. Under her direction, the show produced a string of probing, in-depth stories, the equal of which have rarely been seen on local news. Unfortunately, Marin’s seriousness of purpose and admirable public-mindedness did not translate into market success, and the station canceled the show at the end of its eighth month.

Carol Marin is a highly respected investigative reporter for a CBS affiliate in Chicago and a contributor to 60 Minutes II, the national weekly television news magazine. Marin’s career itself became newsworthy during May 1997. At the time, she was a co-anchor and news reporter with NBC-owned Channel 5. In a highly publicized controversy, the station hired Jerry Springer, the nationally syndicated host of a salacious talk show, to do a series of commentaries for Marin’s nightly news show. Marin objected, and suggested to management that Springer’s approach promoted a “cynical trivialization” of the news and violated essential journalistic standards, but her protests fell on deaf ears. 

After some soul-searching, Marin resigned. At the conclusion of her farewell newscast, Marin’s newsroom colleagues gave her a standing ovation. Her co-anchor, Ron Magers, resigned a few days later. The Chicago public expressed its support of Marin and its displeasure with Channel 5 by turning away from the station in droves. Most damaging was the fact that this public spurning occurred during the critical “May Sweeps” ratings period. As a consequence, after only three days on the air, Springer resigned from Channel 5. By then, Marin was already preparing to move to the competition across town. In the Chicago area, there was a widespread public perception that Marin’s actions, which were extensively covered in the local news, affirmed in an enduring way, the mission and high standards of traditional journalism. 

Marin represents a particular kind of response to market-driven pressures toward sensationalism and trivialization of the news. She confronted these pressures through an explicit and unyielding protest. The protest led Marin to her solution of resignation, the ultimate act of moral resistance in the professional world. 

In the aftermath of the Springer incident, the goodwill that Marin had gained among the Chicago public opened up an opportunity for her: a major local station offered her the anchor spot—and more importantly, editorial control—over its 10 p.m. news show. Marin responded to this opportunity with energy and integrity. Under her direction, the show produced a string of probing, in-depth stories, the equal of which have rarely been seen on local news shows. On several occasions, the show’s investigative staff broke news that revealed new information on problems of pressing public interest, ranging from consumer issues to politics. 

Unfortunately, Marin’s seriousness of purpose and admirable public-mindedness did not translate into market success. Her show began with strong ratings, no doubt due to the attention generated by the fight over Springer. But after a few months, the ratings had dwindled to the point where Marin’s 10 p.m. news ranked a poor fifth among local offerings. The station canceled the show at the end of its eighth month. What went wrong? A cynic might claim that the mass public is too simple-minded and depraved to provide a profitable local market for journalistic good work. But Marin and her critics have two other explanations. Journalist watchdog groups, generally sympathetic with Marin’s intent, gave her 10 p.m. news low marks on its “production values,” including its slow pace and its lack of local community color. In response, Marin complains that eight months was simply not sufficient for her to develop a winning formula and a loyal following. The actual reasons may be some combination of the above. 

This setback was only a temporary one, and Marin eventually became an integral part of the esteemed 60 Minutes news team.

Are there other, less dramatic options that Marin might have exercised before resigning? Have you ever considered walking away from a job because you were asked to do something you didn’t believe in?