Yahoo!'s Tour of Duty

But Yahoo!'s new venture isn't without risk -- not just to reporters entering dangerous areas but to Yahoo! itself. Independent reporting on conflicts has a way of angering governments, the same governments that Yahoo! must work with in becoming a global company.

Last week, a controversy erupted over Yahoo's apparent cooperation in the indictment of a Chinese journalist now languishing in prison. If Yahoo! is faced with the choice of censoring its reporters or losing out on international opportunities, reporters like Sites may find themselves in conflict with their own employer.