KLAS reporter Sharie Harvin is facing disciplinary action at the Las Vegas CBS affiliate after failing to disclose her ties to a church featured in one of her reports.
KLAS news director Ron Comings told TVSpy that Harvin was assigned a reaction story to yesterday’s Supreme Court rulings on gay marriage. After contacting more than 10 religious leaders for the story, Harvin told Comings that she was unable to find one willing to participate in the report except her own pastor at the Nehemiah Ministries Christian Church.
Comings signed off on the decision to quote Harvin’s pastor without knowing that Harvin helps the church with publicity and is listed on the website as Nehemiah Ministries’ director of public relations. The report did not mention Harvin’s involvement with the church.
“I think we probably wouldn’t have done it if we had known her role there. One thing’s for certain, we would have and should have put a disclaimer on it,” Comings said. “The credibility of the news department is at stake at something like this, and integrity is extremely important to us.”
Comings said Harvin is “subject to discipline” but declined to comment on specifics.
The online version of the story will be updated to reflect Harvin’s role at the Nehemiah Ministries Christian Church, Comings said.
>Update: a tipster points out that Harvin has reported on the Nehmiah Ministries on at least two other occasions. See the reports here and here.
Watch the report after the jump.