• The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, July 22, 2010 11:39 PM

ESPN's internal journalism watchdog sharply criticized the cable-sports network for what he said were ethical missteps in its recent broadcast of a TV program devoted to basketball star LeBron James, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Walt Disney Co. network two weeks ago aired a one-hour special about James, who used the program to announce he signed with a new team, the Miami Heat. In an unusual arrangement, James's sports-marketing company suggested the program to ESPN and brokered an arrangement whereby the show's advertisers donated money to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a charity James supports. James also requested one of the interviewers for the program.

In a 4,600-word column Wednesday on ESPN's website, the ombudsman harshly criticized ESPN for overhyping its coverage of James, for failing to explicitly disclose to viewers the ties between James and ESPN, and for what he said was an effective payment for a news story -- which is typically considered improper for journalists.

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »