I happened to come across this article at Editor and Publisher tonight. Ok it is 20 days old, but still, it is interesting to say the least.
NEW YORK Did Dave Murray of The Blade in Toledo, Ohio, cross an ethical line when he agreed to review a presentation the mayor was preparing for an international competition?
Or did he engage in good journalistic sleuthing that led to a news story about how the presentation included some misleading facts.
Since the presentation by Mayor Carl Finkbeiner at the International Awards for Livable Communities occurred last November, some in the Blade newsroom have questioned the decision by Murray, the paper's special projects editor, to agree to read over the presentation at Finkbeiner's request and offer some minor changes.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_c...
There's a great copyeditor with a newspaper in Perrysburg who runs circles around the Blade's Murray. Her name is Stella. But Carty had to call his erstwhile friends at the local daily for help. And to what end? Carty, you coulda been a contender! You coulda been a contender!
paper in Perrysburg? And I'm not surprised at this story. After all why settle for merely reporting the news when you can just make it yourself?!
But are you questioning the intregrity of the Blade to report the day's news events in as comprehensive and as fair a manner as possible? That is this newspaper's unwritten contract with the city and its environs, and it is one upheld on a daily basis by its reporting and editing staff. I know this because a cousin of mine delivers the Blade on the east side and told me so.
Not hold the Toledo Blade in the highest esteem?
(cough, that hurt, cough, cough)
they even acknowledged that there is questions about Murray's involvement, period.
Why do you think Carty gave the presentation to Murray in the first place?
Could it be he was currying favor for the future by letting Murray in on it?
Could it be he subscribes to the theory that if you let people participate in the process they are less likely to criticize or be critical of something they helped create?
Interesting to consider the politics of the situation and the motives of both parties involved. I do wonder about the journalistic ethics on the part of Murray. I'm pretty sure I would not have made the same decision as it implies a favor in return.
I wont allow either Carty or the blade on my front doorstep, but that being said, what's the issue here?
Some guy writes up a presentation and asks a pal who writes for a living to proof read it. Im asked to proof read presentations that friends are putting together every week.
doesn't become part of the news. And they don't have private or behind the scenes relationships with Mayors.
In short - a paper is not supposed to engage in MAKING news. And that in a nutshell is my chief complaint against the paper.