A journalist asks: Should we reconsider moderating panels?

In the wake of revelations that ABC News anchor George Stephanopolous didn't disclose his contributions to the Clinton Foundation--a conflict of interest with his political coverage--New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof asked a different question on his Facebook page that got a lot of comments: Should
journalists continue to moderate panels, particularly when the organization has some tie to a politician?

Kristof clarified in response to one comment that the moderator roles he was referring to are unpaid for journalists. But you'll see a wide range of comments, questions, and perspectives in the comments about moderators and moderation of panels, all useful to conference organizers, moderators, and panel speakers, about such topics as whether the moderator appears to represent the organization putting the panel on, and how moderators are selected. Scroll through the comments and get some perspective on this critical public-speaking role.

(Creative Commons licensed photo of Kristof moderating a panel by the UK Department of International Development)

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