A few weeks ago I posted a video of a news anchor standing up and calling out a viewer who sent her an email that attacked her weight. Since then that video has gone viral. The anchor has even appeared on CBS News This Morning promoting her anti-bullying standpoint.

But there's another side to this story. There are those out there who would call this anchor the bully, or at the very least question her journalistic ethics.

When first confronted by the possibility that this anchor may in fact have turned into a bully over one email, I scoffed. I told myself, these people just don't understand what it's like to get countless emails and calls criticizing everything you do or say. But the possibility made me think.

As a producer, would I have given one of my anchors more than 4 minutes to chastise one viewer over an email they received? Not likely.

I think so many journalists reposted and liked this video because in all honesty it's what we wish we could do, and given the chance we all would do it without hesitation. But that doesn't change the fact that journalistically, what this anchor did was not ethical.

I find myself asking how a producer justified giving up four minutes of their show over hurt feelings. Sure, they preface the tirade by saying it's bullying prevention month, but the segment only devotes 30 or so seconds to actual bullying. Instead, this anchor talks about how hurt she was by this one email.
So why this email? I have a hard time believing it's the first mean viewer feedback she's gotten, and I'm sure someone has referenced her weight before now. If not, she should consider herself lucky. My anchors, reporters and even producers get a constant stream of rude emails, phone calls and actual snail mail. You read it, choose whether you want to respond to it, and then you move on. End of story. Never would it cross my mind -- seriously, anyway -- to call out our viewers on the air.

Do I believe this anchor should be upset over the email she received? Absolutely.

Do I think she handled the situation correctly? Not exactly.

Do I still wish I could have four minutes to give our mean viewers the what for? Without a doubt.

Would I ever do that? Definitely not.

When we give in to our critics, those people who only contact us to cast stones, we become no better than them, sacrificing our journalistic integrity in the process. And if you lose that integrity, you lose all credibility, and without credibility a journalist is worthless.

We should never let our critics determine our worth.