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As the Newt Gingrich campaign confronts uncomfortable revelations from the candidate's second wife, Marianne Gingrich, that he asked her for 鈥渁n open marriage鈥� 鈥� charges that will air Thursday night on ABC鈥檚 "Nightline" 鈥� questions are also surfacing about about the network鈥檚 motivations for broadcasting it now.聽

Does ABC have it in for Mr. Gingrich? Is the show timed to hurt his prospects, which have been rising, in Saturday's South Carolina primary? Why dredge up now something that happened 10 years ago?聽

The full interview won鈥檛 run until after the CNN-sponsored GOP presidential debate Thursday evening, but clips of it have gone viral on the Internet, and reporter Brian Ross appeared on ABC鈥檚 鈥�The View鈥� to discuss the potential effect of Mrs. Gingrich's interview. 鈥淪he spoke in measured tones,鈥� he said, attempting to play down what co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck introduced as 鈥渂ombshell鈥� allegations." He also noted that the final impact is 鈥渇or the voters to decide.鈥�

Defending the network鈥檚 decision to broadcast the interview two days before the South Carolina primary, Mr. Ross noted that ABC has been scrutinizing all the candidates, pointing to its reports Wednesday night on Mitt Romney鈥檚 possible tax evasions. Beyond that, he said the interview took place on Friday. ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider says "Nightline" 鈥渞eached out to the Gingrich campaign鈥� for a response. The candidate has declined to comment on the allegation.

鈥淭his is one of the toughest decisions news executives and producers face,鈥� says former ABC News producer John Goodman, via e-mail. 鈥淵ou have a story that can impact a political campaign. Do you go with it, or sit on it?鈥� he says. 鈥淭he journalist in you says you have to air it. But you clearly understand that by doing so, you create a PR nightmare.鈥�

The fact that most of Mrs. Gingrich's comments are 鈥渙ld news,鈥� and that the South Carolina primary is days away, feeds the 鈥渟uspicion by the average American that ABC has a liberal bias and can鈥檛 wait to air the story to destroy Gingrich鈥檚 presidential hopes,鈥� Mr. Goodman says. In obtaining the interview, he adds, ABC must ask itself this question: Does she have a vendetta to destroy her ex-husband? 鈥淭here鈥檚 no clean-cut, no-brainer, right-or-wrong answer,鈥� he says. "You just have to do what you feel is the right decision.鈥�

ABC is not Marianne Gingrich's only recent brush with the media. The Washington Post published an interview with her on Thursday, in which she said she was speaking out for the first time because she 鈥渨anted her story told from her point of view, rather than be depicted as the victim or suffer a whisper campaign by supporters of Newt Gingrich鈥檚 presidential bid.鈥� At the same time, according to a CBS spokesman, 鈥� '60 Minutes' passed on this one.鈥澛�

Withholding a story is justified only on the rarest of occasions, says Lee Kamlet, dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., and a former ABC News producer. It might be justified if national security is threatened, or if a person's life could be put in danger. 鈥淣either is the case here,鈥� he says, via e-mail.

The standard should be simple: 鈥淚f it's news, it should be broadcast, regardless of the timing," he says. "The voters can decide its relevance to their decision.鈥�

An internal debate over a story鈥檚 potential impact on the campaign is a no-win proposition, adds Mr. Kamlet. 鈥淚f ABC News decided to hold the story until after the South Carolina primary, they would be just as susceptible to speculation and criticism that they withheld it in order to avoid embarrassing Newt Gingrich,鈥� he says. Moreover, the candidate himself has made聽his marriages public fodder, he notes.

鈥淗e has spoken about them and addressed the question in at least one nationally televised debate. Once the candidate puts a personal subject like that out before the public, he has made it fair game for reporting by any news organization,鈥� he says.

However, this does not suspend obligations聽for careful reporting, says Len Shyles, a communication professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. It is critically important, he says, for the media not to 鈥渟ully another person with the rants of a disgruntled former associate.鈥�

But if information can be validated and confirmed, 鈥渋t should be shared immediately," he says. "Then let the chips fall where they may.鈥澛燗 former spouse raises unique challenges concerning corroboration, but that still does not remove the necessity for it. 鈥淚t comes down to the need for evidence,鈥� he says. Without that, there is no proof, and 鈥渋t should be passed over in silence.鈥�

The history of such personal revelations amid a primary season suggests that the public would like to be the final arbiter. Revelations about Bill Clinton鈥檚聽 relationship with Gennifer Flowers became a major campaign issue, yet "he was ultimately elected," says Karen Curry, a Drexel University professor and former NBC News bureau chief. The key, she says, is for the candidate to step up and take the heat immediately. Gingrich is in a good position to do so, she says, adding that he has already introduced the notion of being a changed man, regretful about past mistakes.

鈥淭he redemption narrative plays very well in American politics,鈥� she says. But 鈥渢he candidate has to step up right away or it will appear something is being hidden.鈥� 聽