Thursday, February 16, 2006

The bogus Raleigh News & Observer N&O Live show today

JinC regulars know I’ve posted on the liberal trending left Raleigh News & Observer’s bogus N&O Live internet show here and here.

A reader submits a question in advance. N&O staff review it and decide whether they want to answer it on N&O Live. If they do the question answered "live" by an N&O reporter or editor who types out an answer that appears on your monitor. Days can elapse between the submission of the "live" question and its "live" answer.


Today, Feb. 16, 2006 N&O Live readers were told

Editorial page editor Steve Ford took your questions about N&O opinions and current events.
The transcript for today’s “live” show is here.

Below are all of the questions Editor Ford was asked on N&O Live today. I've put them together for the softball fans among you. Take a look.

You'll notice that for some "live" questions no reader is mentioned.

Depending on who I talk to at The N&O, I've been told the N&O itself makes up some the its "live" questions because the show doesn't always get enough questions from actual readers. Another explanation I've gotten is that the questions The N&O makes up are ones the professional journalists at The N&O believe readers really want to know about.

Well, I report; you decide.

Anyway, here are today's "live" questions to Editorial page editor Steve Ford.
Moderator: Heather S. writes: "Thank you for taking the time to hold this forum and for the increasing attention you have paid on the opinion pages of the N and O to international foreign assistance issues.

I am concerned that readers may overestimate what the US actually contributes to global health and poverty aid (less than 1 percent of the annual budget). What is the best way we as concerned citizens can help facilitate getting this message across, along with suggestions for proactive measures, through the editorial pages of the N and O?"
...

Moderator: Many people don't realize that the editorial department is not a part of the newsroom. How much does one influence the other?


Moderator: Would you walk us through the process of writing an editorial?


Moderator: How involved is N&O publisher Orage Quarles in the newspaper's editorial decisions?


Moderator: How are letters to the editor selected? And what increases the chances?


Moderator: Heather writes: "I would like to know if thanking or acknowledging a particular NC politician - US representative or senator - for his or her support of particular global health and poverty legislation or other actions is appropriate within an Point of View piece or letter to the editor. Does this hurt the chances of getting published?"

Moderator: Thanks, Steve. We're out of time.
Too bad N&O Live ran out of time.

I was betting the next question would be something like:
Moderator: Jason writes: "I travel a lot and read newspapers all over the country. I don't think at least some folks here realize what a terrific paper The N&O is, especially the editorials and the agenda pieces in the news columns.

My question is: How are you folks able to turn out such a terrific newspaper day after day?"
Now a serious question: What should we think of a newspaper that puts together a canned and previewed Q&A show and calls it N&O Live?


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn, a walk through that "Live" Q&A field makes me feel like I need to scrape off my shoes. I have walked through hen houses with less chance of shoe or boot contaminant.

Are they really fooling anybody?

JWM said...

Dear Straightarrow,

Would you mind if I sent your comment here along with a link to the post to The N&O's public editor.

Your comment put the point on what I was saying in the post: Who does The N&O think they're fooling with this sort of show?

Please let me know with a comment here.

John

Anonymous said...

You may post anything I write here anywhere you wish or use it how you will so long as it retains its original meaning. That goes not just for this comment, but for all in future.

I would appreciate knowing where they go, but it is not a condition.