The New York Times’ Jacques Steinberg raises questions about Sunday’s interview between Howard Kurtz and CBS’s Kimberly Dozier on CNN’s Reliable Sources. Kurtz wife, Sheri Annis, is a publicist for Dozier’s new book, “Breathing the Fire,” which Dozier had come on to discuss.
Kurtz did disclose after the interview, “I should mention that my wife has done some promotion work for Kim Dozier’s book.”
But was the disclosure enough? “The notion that my wife got Dozier on the show is a bit silly,” said Kurtz. “I have wanted to book Kimberly on the show for a year, since she told me she was writing a book, which I mentioned in a lengthy Washington Post profile.”
Kurtz did say he asked his producers first, who suggested the interview move forward as long as a “disclaimer” was used.
• Related: A TVNewser tipster tells us CBS’ Lesley Stahl’s (not Leslie) name is misspelled on the jacket cover of Dozier’s book.
• Earlier: TVNewser’s Gail Shister interviews Dozier about her book.
• Update: FishbowlDC has put the question to a poll — so far, respondents are more in the “Kurtz shouldn’t have done the interview” camp.