The Warren Report's Forgotten Chapter: Press Response to Criticism of Kennedy Assassination Coverage

Abstract

This study examines press coverage of the Kennedy assassination in an ethical context. The Warren Commission's official report criticized the media, devoting an entire chapter to describing, among other things, how a “milling mass” of journalists contributed to the confusion in which Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald. The commission called on the press to adopt a code of conduct. This recommendation drew widespread attention, particularly among journalists. Many objected, often vociferously, saying a code would compromise press independence. Although the Warren Report's criticism yielded few tangible results, it made media ethics a national topic and put it on journalists' agendas. This informed future professional debates, especially those about free press-fair trial issues.