Carl Bernstein exemplified this unprofessional ethic in his use of a countdown to confirm a fact from a source. Furthermore the confidence with which he informed his editor about this confirmation was less than truthful and a breach of what I believe should be the reporter editor relationship.
The methods used by Woodward and Bernstein were understandable with the knowledge that these were two young and enterprising journalists. Additionally a story such as this would cause any journalist to clamor for confirmation no matter their age or experience.
However I believe that the methods used by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were poor and unprofessional. It is the fact that their story proved true which vindicated their use of questionable methods of journalism.
If I had been in the place of Woodward or Bernstein I would not have used the same methods. With that said I believe I may not have acquired the story as they did. Woodward and Bernstein took a huge risk and did what they had to in order to succeed but in the process they sacrificed their journalistic integrity.
The nature of politics and the government organization however was also responsible for the manner in which Woodward and Bernstein conducted their journalism. Surrounded by secrecy and protection Woodward and Bernstein used their sources to the fullest in order to circumvent the bureaucratic wall.
Instances such as Woodward's utilization of his source, Deep Throat for leads, and Bernstein's persistence with and FBI agent are what allowed the pair to uncover the story. Had they not been under the intense pressure for time and the fear of their own safety perhaps Bernstein and Woodward could have successfully written their story while avoiding the risks of shady journalism.
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