What can be tawdrier than a newspaper publisher describing the use of “checkbook journalism,” that is, paying for stories.

What’s even more tawdry is using the checkbook to “catch and kill” stories to benefit an individual.

We’re not going into the specifics, but almost everyone has been following that trial and knows what we are talking about.

Practices like this do a great disservice to hardworking journalists everywhere who strive to get the story, get it straight, and get it all. But … who will believe us now?
...