Did the author give the key targets of their negative coverage sufficient time and opportunity to respond to their allegations, and were their responses fully incorporated into the resulting piece, such that the overall content and tone of the coverage was fair and balanced?
Given the prominence of the comments sections in the venues where this piece has been published, I’d say allowing the targets to comment satisfies the value expressed by this. At any rate, I do think it’s good to incorporate responses from the targets of the coverage (as was done here), and I think that the overall tone of the coverage should be fair. I don’t know what “balance” is supposed to convey beyond fairness: I think that responses from the targets would ideally be reported where relevant and accurate, but otherwise I don’t think that e.g. half the piece should have to be praising the targets.
Given the prominence of the comments sections in the venues where this piece has been published, I’d say allowing the targets to comment satisfies the value expressed by this. At any rate, I do think it’s good to incorporate responses from the targets of the coverage (as was done here), and I think that the overall tone of the coverage should be fair. I don’t know what “balance” is supposed to convey beyond fairness: I think that responses from the targets would ideally be reported where relevant and accurate, but otherwise I don’t think that e.g. half the piece should have to be praising the targets.