[Vision2020] Journalistic integrity

[Greg Burton]

  I have been reading this thread, albeit probably only the bottom half,
with some bemusement. So, I pulled up the Spokesman web copy of the article
by daily news scribe Alexis Bacharach. The web version may differ from the
print version, or even the version that ran in the DNews because different
editors often make changes later, even from versions shipped whole over the
AP news wire. 

  That being said, the web version today says "the Christ Church-sponsored
conference in February during which the authors will discuss history and
slavery." That's not the exact quote Doug W. writes below. And it makes a
clear distinction. The Spokesman web version of the DNews story also conveys
the idea that Sanchez believes Wilson and Wilkins "seek to provide a
biblical defense of slavery" in their book, not that they will do so at the
"History Conference." Another important distinction.
  My question is will Wilson and Wilkins discuss slavery or will they not?
  If so, the article is accurate in my mind. Many times, too, a journalist
will get a tip about something, examine the veracity and go with the
information if they can confirm it elsewhere. Maybe that happened in this
instance. If not, there should be a simple correction or clarification.
  Further, the "journalistic integrity" slug to this thread is a red
herring. The New York Times incident was about integrity and ethics, this
seems more like quibbling.

cheers, greg burton

on 10/28/03 10:18 AM, Douglas at dougwils@moscow.com wrote:

> Visionaries,
> 
> The more I meditate on this farrago of nonsense, the more curiouser I get.
> If I understood Bill London's argument correctly, he is saying that the
> Daily News did not err in saying that our conference is on slavery because
> I co-wrote a booklet with Steve Wilkins on slavery about seven years ago.
> This means that the conference is also on baptism, the sacraments, and the
> visible/invisible church distinction because I did a conference together
> with Wilkins in 2002 on those very topics. We two must talk about the same
> thing every time we appear together, musn't we? No, wait, ACTUALLY the
> conference is about biblical hospitality because Steve wrote a book on that
> topic that was published by Canon Press, and Canon Press has ties to Christ
> Church, which I pastor. By this means, the conference is allowed to be
> about anything except what the conference brochure says that it is about.
> 
> Look, this is not difficult. It is not something that should be allowed to
> be politicized. Let me quote. The article as it ran in the Statesman said
> that Sanchez decided to research "the Christ Church-sponsored conference in
> February that features the authors discussing history and slavery." This is
> what they call (at real newspapers anyway) a MISTAKE. It is, he explained
> further, an ERROR. Not wanting to put to fine a point on it, he
> nevertheless continued to insist that it is ALL GUMMED UP. This is not, as
> the Daily News muttered into its handkerchief, "incomplete." It is WRONG. A
> strange concept, I know.
> 
> The Daily News really needs to start an Accuracy Be Damned column, so that
> they can reiterate their commitments to earlier mistakes.
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Douglas Wilson
> 
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