Stephanie Willey General Manager of WMDT has shared the following statement with AllSourcesVerifed@proton.me:“Message sent to everyone at our station:
We at 47ABC-WMDT follow the basic principles of journalism to provide our community with truthful, fact-based news stories that are impartial and objective. I believe our reporters have upheld their duty to apply those principles to the news stories presented to our viewers.
Although I don’t believe that anything improper has occurred, we want to reassure our viewers that they will continue to receive objective reporting about what is happening in their community. For that reason, any story that focuses on the actions of the city of Salisbury or its personnel will be reviewed by Han for the evening news or John Trout for the morning or early edition news. Investigative pieces involving the City should be coordinated with Han. For now, Joe is recusing himself from participating in or reviewing stories concerning Salisbury.
Thank you!
Stephanie”
Willey had prior knowledge of the relationship between News Director Joe Carmean and Salisbury Communications Director Victoria Idoni. Her Instagram account shows a “like” on a public photo of the two kissing. [images attached]
Her statement is grossly inadequate.
Why the Statement Is Inefficient and Inadequate
Willey’s internal statement attempts to reassure recipients about WMDT’s journalistic integrity, but operationally it does little to resolve the core ethical and workplace issues raised by the situation.
Failure to Eliminate the Conflict of Interest
Simply rerouting Salisbury coverage to other staffers does not address the fact that the News Director, the person in charge of newsroom culture, hiring, evaluations, and story direction, is in a personal relationship with a city’s top communications official. The relationship inherently creates a bias risk, whether or not the News Director directly touches Salisbury stories. Decisions about coverage priorities, tone, or assigning reporters can still be influenced.Leaving Staff Vulnerable to Retaliation and Coercion
A News Director who is romantically involved with a powerful city official can indirectly pressure reporters to avoid sensitive questions, drop leads, or soften coverage. Staff may fear that pursuing certain stories could damage their standing in the newsroom if their boss perceives the reporting as critical of the city or their partner.No Structural Separation
Willey’s plan relies on internal reassignment rather than true structural separation of authority. Carmean still holds his position and maintains managerial power over reporters who might be covering Salisbury indirectly, such as budget issues, regional politics, or police incidents. Ethical safeguards in such situations typically require either a formal leave of absence, transfer, or outside editorial review, not just informal recusal.Culture of Silence and Hostility Risk
By asserting internally that nothing improper has occurred despite evidence that Willey knew about the relationship, management sends a message that personal ethics and workplace boundaries can be dismissed if leadership sees fit. This discourages staff from speaking up about inappropriate conduct, favoritism, or harassment, increasing the risk of a hostile work environment.No Public Accountability
Because this statement was not shared publicly, the audience cannot know that any conflict of interest is being addressed. Without transparency, the public cannot assess whether WMDT’s steps are genuine safeguards or internal damage control.On Monday, August 11th, 2025 at 10:15 AM, AllSourcesVerified <AllSourcesVerified@proton.me> wrote:
- Archive of photo posted publicly of WMDT News Director Joe Carmean & City of Salisbury Communications Director Victoria Idoni sharing a kiss at a public event in Downtown Salisbury – https://archive.ph/37oKf
- Archive of photo posted publicly of City of Salisbury Communications Director Victoria Idoni & WMDT News Director Joe Carmean together in public at Assateague Island National Seashore among friends (witnesses) – https://archive.ph/VfJ4x
- https://salisbury.md/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/COS-Handbookv2023.pdf
- “It is the responsibility of employees to read and become familiar with the provisions in this Employee Handbook or as amended from time-to-time. All employees agree to abide by all the rules and policies in this Handbook and any additional; rules or policies of the City. If something is unclear, contact the Director of Human Resources.”
- “Gifts: City employees are not permitted to accept gifts, gratuities or loans from any organization, business or individual with who the employee has an official business relationship with as a representative of the City—except for small gifts with a value of less than $20.00 and, up to $50.00 aggregated from a single source in any given calendar year. Any employee receiving a gift in excess of this limitation must promptly notify the Department Head of such gift and the gift shall immediately become the property of the City of Salisbury.“
- “Accountability: Each employee is responsible for knowing and adhering to the values and standards set forth in this Code and for raising questions if we are uncertain about company policy. If we are concerned whether the standards are being met or are aware of violations of the Code, we must contact the Human Resources department.”
- “Promote Substance Over Form: At times, we are all faced with decisions we would rather not have to make and issues we would prefer to avoid. Sometimes, we hope that if we avoid confronting a problem, it will simply go away. At the City of Salisbury, we must have the courage to tackle the tough decisions and make difficult choices, secure in the knowledge that the City of Salisbury is committed to doing the right thing. At times this will mean doing more than simply what the law requires. Merely because we can pursue a course of action does not mean we should do so. Although the City of Salisbury’s guiding principles cannot address every issue or provide answers to every dilemma, they can define the spirit in which we intend to do business and should guide us in our daily conduct.”
- “Avoid Conflicts of Interest: We must avoid any relationship or activity that might impair, or even appear to impair, our ability to make objective and fair decisions when performing our jobs. At times, we may be faced with situations where the business actions we take on behalf of the City of Salisbury may conflict with our own personal or family interests. We owe a duty to 6 | Page the City of Salisbury to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises. We must never use the City of Salisbury property or information for personal gain or personally take for ourselves”
- “Create a Culture of Open and Honest Communication: At the City of Salisbury everyone should feel comfortable to speak their mind, particularly with respect to ethics concerns. Managers have a responsibility to create 5 | Page an open and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable raising such questions. We all benefit when employees exercise their power to prevent mistakes or wrongdoing by asking the right questions at the right times. The City of Salisbury will investigate all reported instances of questionable or unethical behavior. In every instance where improper behavior is found to have occurred, the City will take appropriate action. We will not tolerate retaliation against employees who raise genuine ethics concerns in good faith. Employees are encouraged, in the first instance, to address such issues with their managers or the Human Resources Director, as most problems can be resolved swiftly. If for any reason that is not possible or if an employee is not comfortable raising the issue with their director or Human Resources Director, the City Administrator does operate with an open-door policy.”
- “Build Trust and Credibility: The success of the City of Salisbury is dependent on the trust and confidence we earn from our employees, citizens and businesses. We gain credibility by adhering to our commitments, displaying honesty and integrity and reaching our goals solely through honorable conduct. It is easy to say what we must do, but the proof is in our actions. When considering any action, it is wise to ask: will this build trust and credibility for the City of Salisbury? Will it help create a working environment in which the City of Salisbury can succeed over the long term? Is the commitment I am making one I can follow through with? The only way we will maximize trust and credibility is by answering “yes” to those questions and by working every day to build our trust and credibility.”
- Core Values:
- Accountability – We accept responsibility for our personal and organizational decisions and actions.
- Continuous Improvement – We provide the highest quality service with the resources available by promoting innovation and flexibility to meet the changing needs in the community.
- Diversity – We embrace differences and variety in our workforce and community.
- Environment – We are concerned about our natural, historic, economic and aesthetic resources and endeavor to enhance the sustainability for future generations.
- Ethics – We set high standards for our personal, professional and organizational conduct and act with integrity as we strive to our mission.
- Respect – We treat our coworkers and the public with courtesy and dignity.
- Integrity – We are honest and transparent in our words and actions.
- Safety – We use education, prevention and enforcement methods to protect life and property in our business and residential neighborhoods, and maintain our infrastructure and facilities to provide a safe environment in which to live, work, shop and play.
- Teamwork – We work together to plan, develop recommendations, deliver services and openly communicate with the public and each other by soliciting feedback and sharing information to achieve our goals.
- Trust – We realize the perception of our organization is dependent upon the public’s confidence in our commitment in our core values and to meeting the goals set collectively by the Mayor and City Council.
On Sunday, August 10th, 2025 at 4:08 PM, AllSourcesVerified <AllSourcesVerified@proton.me> wrote:
Yet again the fact that Carmean couldn’t keep it in his pants has created an issue at work.