Keller @ Large: Gawker Gave Journalism A Bad Name

BOSTON (CBS) - We in the news media are always quick to demand accountability from others, as we should be.

When politicians violate basic ethical standards, we expose them.

When police officers abuse their power, we denounce them.

When businesses exploit their customers or employees, we howl for action.

But what happens when it's a media outlet that ignores the most basic requirements of fairness and decency, models unparalleled arrogance and cruelty, and uses the First Amendment as a cover for profiteering while shunning even the most minimal responsibilities that accompany that precious right?

I'm referring to Gawker, the odious website that will shut down next week.

While another company bought its sister websites in the fire sale that followed a successful invasion of privacy lawsuit by wrestler Hulk Hogan, no one wanted to be tainted by association with Gawker or its slime peddlers.

This should be cause for celebration.

But on its Twitter feed, a group called the Freedom of the Press Foundation actually called Gawker's demise "a dark day for independent journalism and press freedom."

That's exactly backwards.

Gawker did have some good people working for it, and I feel sorry for them, because they are forever linked with a place that was party to blackmail schemes, recklessly slandered people, and didn't follow the basic rules of journalism, like calling its targets for comment before publishing.

Places like Gawker give journalism a bad name.

No one who really cares about the craft will shed a tear over its demise.

Listen to Jon's commentary: