WMAQ-Channel 5, Chicago’s NBC-owned station, announced Oct. 28 that it has sold its journalistic integrity.

We at the Northern Star weren’t aware it was ethical to make business deals with government organizations, but apparently Channel 5, CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 and ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 don’t see a problem with it. Channel 5 beat out the other news organizations for a “deal” with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority Board.

For the next two years, NBC-5 will promote the I-PASS toll system and other tollway services in exchange for traffic information and live video images from 120 roadway cameras on the Illinois Tollway system. The deal is worth as much as $2 million in promotions to the tollway system. Channel 5, of course, has said it will not affect its news coverage of the state agency.

Sure, it won’t.

In response, news organizations across the state have debated the ethics of such a deal. But there shouldn’t be much discussion – it is clear that news organizations, whether broadcast or print, should not enter into partnerships in which they are required to promote an organization in exchange for information that might give them some “good” news.

This applies even more so to government agencies. It is pretty well-known that the media and government are not always the best of friends. After all, one of the roles of the media is supposed to be a watchdog.

That’s not to mention that the surveillance equipment is paid for by taxpayers’ money. Given this, if one news organization is to have access to footage, everyone should.

Channel 5’s decision would be like the Star offering to promote NIU’s Student Association in daily articles and advertisement in exchange for getting access to some really juicy stuff. Both the Star and the SA have more ethics than that.

It’s a shame that a so-called professional news organization like Channel 5 doesn’t.