[Vision2020] Letter to the Editor of the Daily News

Wed, 29 Oct 2003 12:39:38 -0800

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We'll see if they have enough you-know-what to run this...

At least it's factually correct!

Best,
Dale
  _____  

Back on 9 August, Nathan Alford wrote in "Accuracy Matters" that the Editors
were interested in correcting every error published in the Daily News. 

The Editors decided to run a headline story based on information from an
incorrect, anonymous flier. The article on 11 October contains the
following: Sanchez "decided to research the Christ Church-sponsored
conference in February that features the authors discussing history and
slavery." You have to wonder how much research Sanchez did when he does not
even know what the topic of the conference is. Perhaps for him and the
Editors, research means relying on an anonymous flier?

First, the History Conference is not, nor has it ever been, about slavery.
See:
http://www.christkirk.com/HistoryConferences/9thHistoryConference/Topics.asp
. Second, there has never been any intent to give a defense of slavery. And
finally, it is not a UI conference.

On 15 Oct, the Editors issued the following "qualification" in Accuracy
Matters: "The conference, sponsored by Credenda/ Agenda, will cover the
topics of revolution and modernity. Incomplete information appeared in the
Daily News."

However, not only was the information provided incomplete, it was factually
incorrect. One has to wonder if the Editors know the difference between
incomplete information and factually incorrect information. Further, the
article was carried subsequently in the Lewiston Morning Tribune and The
Idaho Statesman - they also carrying the incorrect information.

Do the Editor's actions meet the Associated Press's "Code of Ethics"
(http://www.apme.com/about/code_ethics.shtml)? In it, the AP says that a
"newspaper should guard against inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or
distortion through emphasis, omission or technological manipulation. It
should acknowledge substantive errors and correct them promptly and
prominently."

The Editors have refused to correct the information in spite of being asked
repeatedly. Why? Because creating news is more a tactic of the National
Enquirer than of a reputable newspaper? 

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<BODY>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>We'll=20
see if they have enough you-know-what to run this...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>At=20
least it's factually correct!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2>Best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D294323720-29102003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =

size=3D2>Dale</DIV>
<DIV>
<HR>
</DIV>
<DIV>Back on 9 August, Nathan Alford wrote in &#8220;Accuracy =
Matters&#8221; that the=20
Editors were interested in correcting every error published in the =
Daily=20
News. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Editors=20
decided to run a headline story based on&nbsp;information =
from an=20
incorrect, <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: =
italic">anonymous=20
flier. The&nbsp;article on 11 October contains the following: Sanchez =
&#8220;decided=20
to research the Christ Church-sponsored <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: maroon">conference in February that features the authors =

discussing history and slavery.&#8221; You have to =
wonder how much=20
research Sanchez did when he does not even know what the topic of the =
conference=20
is. Perhaps for him and the Editors, research means relying on an =
anonymous=20
flier?</DIV>
&nbsp;
First,=20
the History Conference is not, nor has it ever been, about slavery. See: =
<A=20
title=3Dhttp://www.christkirk.com/HistoryConferences/9thHistoryConference=
/Topics.asp=20
href=3D"http://www.christkirk.com/HistoryConferences/9thHistoryConference=
/Topics.asp">http://www.christkirk.com/HistoryConferences/9thHistoryConfe=
rence/Topics.asp</A>.=20
Second, there has never been any intent to give a defense of slavery. =
And=20
finally, it is not a UI conference.
&nbsp;
On=20
15&nbsp;Oct, the <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Editors=20
issued&nbsp;the following &#8220;qualification&#8221; in =
Accuracy Matters: &#8220;The=20
conference, sponsored by Credenda/ Agenda, will cover the topics of =
revolution=20
and modernity. Incomplete =
information=20
appeared in the Daily News.&#8221;
<FONT=20
face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>&nbsp;
However,=20
not only was the information provided incomplete, it was =
factually=20
incorrect. One has to wonder if the Editors know the difference =
between=20
incomplete information and factually incorrect information. Further, the =
article=20
was carried subsequently in the Lewiston=20
Morning Tribune and The =
Idaho=20
Statesman &#8211; they also carrying the incorrect information.
&nbsp;
Do=20
the Editor&#8217;s actions meet the Associated Press&#8217;s &#8220;Code =
of Ethics&#8221; (<A=20
title=3Dhttp://www.apme.com/about/code_ethics.shtml=20
href=3D"http://www.apme.com/about/code_ethics.shtml">http://www.apme.com/=
about/code_ethics.shtml</A>)?=20
In it, the AP says that a &#8220;newspaper should guard against =
inaccuracies,=20
carelessness, bias or distortion through emphasis, omission or =
technological=20
manipulation. It should acknowledge substantive errors and correct them =
promptly=20
and prominently.&#8221;
&nbsp;
The=20
Editors have refused to correct the information in spite of being asked=20
repeatedly. Why? Because creating news is more a tactic of the <I=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">National Enquirer than of a =
reputable=20
newspaper? </BODY></HTML>

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