Here’s Raleigh News & Observer Executive Editor for News Melanie Sill doing (subscription req'd) what she does so often: Tell readers what an ethical newspaper the N&O is, especially about how seriously it takes factual reporting.
We require reporters, photographers or other staff members who make mistakes to explain in writing what happened and what they will do to reduce the chance of further errors.And here’s Editor Sill responding to readers who complained that in the N&O’s now discredited Mar. 25 interview story with the anonymous accuser the N&O repeatedly told readers she was the victim:
Managerially, we stress accuracy and use our performance reviews to set goals for progress. We take seriously any concerns about a staff member's reliability or credibility -- raised by colleagues, supervisors, sources or readers.
Comment from: Melanie Sill [Member] • http://www.newsobserver.comHere’s a reader responding to what Sill has just told readers was a “factual” response to something they had “twisted.”
10/12/06 at 09:24
A factual note: The much discussed interview with the woman referred to her as "the accuser" or "the woman who reported the rape." Not sure how this has been twisted otherwise.
Comment from: Brian Johnston [Visitor]You’re not surprised to learn Editor Sill has never responded to Reader Bryan Johnston, would you?
10/17/06 at 17:58
Melanie,
Please, please, try to get it right!
Your comment earlier in this section:
Comment from: Melanie Sill [Member] • http://www.newsobserver.com
10/12/06 at 09:24
A factual note: The much discussed interview with the woman referred to her as "the accuser" or "the woman who reported the rape." Not sure how this has been twisted otherwise.
Melanie, please actually read the article of March 25, and these quotes from it:
“It is The News & Observer's policy not to identify the VICTIMS of sex crimes.”
”Jason Bissey, who was on his porch next door during the party, saw the VICTIM that night.”
“He [Bissey] recalled the racially charged statements at least one man was yelling at the VICTIM.”
“Addison, the police spokesman, said that between receiving the call and searching the house, police were interviewing the VICTIM, residents of the house and other witnesses.”
Melanie, I hope you weren’t wordsmithing in your comment; attempting to parse the interview portion of the article from the remainder of the article with four references to the woman as victim. That would imply that you were trying to be sneaky in your response.
Any of these references could have substituted “accuser” or “complainant”.
Please reply in the Editor’s Blog by explaining your comment above.
Brian
If you'd lik to do your own fact checking here's a link to the Mar. 25 story.
I’m sending the following email to the N&O Public Editor, Ted Vaden, with a copy to Editor Sill.
______________________________________
Dear Ted,
Please read this post, “The ‘factual’ Editor Sill.”
Do you have any concern about the level of honesty with readers evident in Sill’s “factual response?
Is there any discussion at the N&O regarding retracting the Mar. 25 story and issuing a front-page apology to the players and their families?
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
John
www.johnincarolina.com
cc: Melanie Sill
6 comments:
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John,
Since you haven't blogged on it I guess you weren't at the panel discussion at Duke Law School today. Thought you might be interested in some of the comments, especially from Bob Ashley and John Drescher. If you're interested, I've blogged three posts about the panel on Right Angles.
OOPS! explains much of what they have published on this case at the N & O.
Neff is an exception to that OOPS! procedure there. Thank you Joseph!
Thank you John for this blog, and thank you jon ham for the link.
FROM THE LINK
"The N&O’s John Drescher said, “Sure there are some things I’d do differently,” and then added, “I think overall our coverage is good. I’m proud of it.” He did say that early on his paper used the word “victim” instead of “accuser” in stories. “I definitely regret that we weren’t careful enough with that word.” And also: “There were a few times I think we emphasized the class angle too much.”
See here for my report on the panel
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1721830/posts?page=254#254
"John Drescher, managing editor of The News & Observer of Raleigh, said race and class had nothing to do with his paper's coverage, which he said was focused on divining the details of "what happened that night."
Here's the spin...
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