Traditionally, many news organizations have applied the rules to only political reporters and editors. The ethic was summed up by Abe Rosenthal, the former New York Times editor, who is reported to have said, "I don't care if you sleep with elephants as long as you don't cover the circus."

MSNBC.com searched for contributions to federal candidates, PACs and parties.... but only for "donors in news jobs, not corporate executives or publishers, who are allowed by nearly every news organization to donate."

I've just skimmed the story and may have missed a sidebar... but if I run across a separate list of contributions by publishers or directors of media companies, I'll link to it. I suspect those folks are more likely to be buying skyboxes as well as cheering in them... while some downsized reporters get to sleep with metaphors for not having a job.

One publisher does appear on the MSNBC list, the editor and publisher of Rolling Stone, a magazine better known for covering a different circus. Other employers of the campaign contributors include NBC and MSNBC, ABC, CBS, Fox News Channel, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker and more.

The story also includes a selection of publications' ethics polices about such things.

(Thanks to Mark Hamilton for linking to the story and lots of other great stuff I don't have time to read, even in the summer...)