Fox commentator fails to disclose his Navy PR work

The editor of a Washington defense trade publication appeared on Aug. 8 on Fox News to downplay reports that a nuclear submarine leaked tiny amounts of radiation across the Pacific Ocean for two years. What the editor didn't say was that he's also a Navy Reserve public affairs officer. Reserve Lt. Cmdr. John Robinson, who is editor of Defense Daily in his civilian job, told Fox News' Bill Hemmer that the radiation leak of the fast-attack submarine Houston was "not serious" and a "non-story from many angles." Robinson repeated a point, which had been part of earlier messages from Navy spokespeople, that the Houston had released about as much radiation as would be found in a household smoke detector. "The Navy has such extremely high standards for safety when there's any sort of infirmity or anything that's at least a little bit out of line," he said. "But clearly no one was ever in any danger." During the interview, Robinson wore civilian clothes and was identified only by his name and affiliation with Defense Daily. In his reserve job, Robinson is the operations officer with the Navy Office of Information Detachment at Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, VA. He is a drilling reservist. Robinson told Navy Times that, in retrospect, he should have been clearer about his background, and that he was giving his own opinion. "Those were my views and my views alone," he said. Defense Daily often gets calls from the news media seeking reporters to give their views on military matters, Robinson said. He acknowledged people could perceive a conflict of interest between his day job and Navy Reserve life, but that could be "managed" by better explaining his reserve duties. He said he did not tell Fox News officials that he is in the reserve when he was asked to come on the show. Fox News spokesman Richard White said the producers of the segment didn't know that Robinson was also a Navy Reserve PAO when they booked him. Mike Hoyt, executive editor of the Columbia Journalism Review, said Robinson should have volunteered his reserve status, and Fox News producers should have asked him about any conflicts ahead of time. "He's paid by the Navy to put out a line, put out certain storylines, and to not disclose it, and to treat him as if he's a neutral reporter, is just wrong," Hoyt said. "It's basic journalism to ask these kinds of questions about your sources, and either not use them, or identify them correctly." CNN first reported the Houston leak on Aug. 1, touching off a fresh round of controversy regarding the Navy's presence in Japan, particularly with respect to nuclear warships. Anti-military activists in Japan and Guam staged protests demanding more information from the Navy.