society of professional journalists

When I heard the news that NBC's news division had hired a private jet to entice David Goldman to grant them his one and only interview as he flew to Brazil to pick up his long lost son, I was shocked. A news organization has enough money to pay for its own private plane?!? I didn't think ANY news outfit would have enough money to pay for its own private bathrooms.

The Society of Professional Journalists has issued a public statement criticizing the news division for using an "extensive gesture" to score an exclusive with Goldman and thus "jeopardized its journalistic independence and credibility in its initial and subsequent reports."

Did NBC cross a line or should the reporter with the biggest bank account score the scoop?