Hess, a Weber State University journalism professor who was a reporter for KSL-TV for 12 years, said that editorials have an important place in the news but that they should be kept separate from actual news stories and be delivered by someone other than journalists who provide the daily news.

"Did folks recognize that this was an opinion?" she asked regarding viewers' perceptions of Wood's comment. "If journalists routinely took a position on what they were covering, who would be left to cover the news?"

Wood's actions came after the station had already announced its editorial stance opposing Divine Strake, but the commentary was his idea. He said the written comments he submitted were approved without anyone changing a single word, and time was set aside during the regular evening program for him to express his thoughts.

News director John Fisher said Friday that the station supports Wood and does not plan to take any disciplinary action toward him. "Wood's was an editorial commentary, and it just so happens that his position is primarily shared by the station," Fisher said.

The station's viewers have written more than 400 e-mails about the broadcast, with some praising Wood and only a handful objecting to the way in which the issue has been handled.

"This permanently disqualifies him to report on any policy-related issue in the future and calls into serious question the ethics of his reporting in the past," wrote one viewer, L. Minert.

But Fisher said the news program's staff members would continue to report objectively on the issues surrounding the Divine Strake test.

Wood admitted he took a risk in delivering his own opinion.

"It won't affect my reporting of the issue, and if it affects someone's opinion of me or the news station, then I'm sorry," Wood said.

"I couldn't just sit and read the story night after night," he added. "It was time to make a personal statement, and I did it. I will have to live with the consequences."

The video clip of the news program and Wood's comment may be viewed at: www.abc4.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoID=59263.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com