Abstract #5
The first article I read this week was “Calling for Back-up” from the Boston Globe’s ombudsman. The article brings up an important, but often overlooked, aspect of newspaper accuracy. I have to admit that I often spend less time looking up facts and assertions when copy editing opinion pieces at the Alligator. I guess I just assume – or maybe trust – that the writers, who are often senior editors themselves, know what they are talking about. Yet, I see how this can bring up some serious problems – especially when opinions come in from outside or less credible sources.
I think the solution offered in the article, to add source notes in the initial copy, is a good one. Something we have been doing here in the newsroom is having people who write columns also e-mail the copy desk information concerning their sources. This helps us to verify their facts and makes the whole process a bit more efficient. Keeping opinion columns accurate helps the very people we are trying to influence by making the opinions expressed have a solid backing.
The second article I read was “How the press can prevent another Iraq” from Nieman Watchdog. The article follows a common theme we have discussed this semester: that of questioning stories, reporters and their sources – especially authority figures such as the government. I think the author gives a brief but effective list to look over when writing stories, especially those that deal with such weighty issues as foreign policy and war. Interestingly enough, we were just discussing the Iraq issue in ethics class last week. I was dumbfounded to find out just how many news organizations were willing to simply go along with the flow and plaster one-sided government assertions as front-page headlines. In one instance, Vice President Cheney cites an article in the New York Times during one of his appearances in support of the war. In reality, the tip for the article had come from the government, thus promoting a circular justification for the war.
Things like this really make you wonder how much of this actually occurs on a regular basis. I liked how the author makes his point about being skeptical of authority and that it’s probably best to assume they are lying. Then he says that we should demand proof and then demand proof of that proof. I thought it was an amusing but potentially useful strategy. I agreed with his point that we need to focus on giving more voice to the minority whistleblowers and those whose viewpoint differs from the official word of the government. By doing so, we can hope to at least make people think a bit more before supporting another potentially senseless war, especially since most wars don’t seem to be motivated by public opinion as the author points out. I like his point that we should pay attention to those who got it right last time, as they are likely to have some key advice this time around.
The final article I read was “The Discerning Eye: Truth in Storytelling” from Mother Jones. The idea of a so-called “Discerning Eye” with regards to the media is an interesting one for me, yet one that seems to hold much truth. I thought the author’s analysis of recent media blunders regarding assertion of facts was pretty much on point. Although it would be hard to draw a strong connection between the Eye falling on an organization that has been recently doing well, it does make sense that this would make them a bit careless and thus draw its wrath in the first place. It is an interesting concept, albeit one that is more self-fulfilling than a proven formula.
As I mentioned earlier, it is hard to let laziness get the best of us and not make a concerted effort to check facts as thoroughly as possible – especially on deadline. However, we must do what we can to avoid such embarrassing, false stories being published and the damage they do to newspapers’ reputations. Another useful part of the article was how he related it to James Frey’s memoir and the related scandal that some parts were fabricated. Since some of us are thinking about going into the book publishing business at some point, I think this is an important case to keep in mind. No matter how much money from sales might be at stake, the principles that apply to news accuracy must be upheld no matter what medium we are working in.
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