So far, so good, although unseating Sodrel on Wednesday afternoon isn't as hopeful a prospect as unseating him on a Tuesday in November, 2006.
The article is compiled from "staff and wire reports," which is newspaper-speak that means the Tribune failed to send someone over from its building, approximately fifty yards away, to cover the event.
Well, it happens. After all, it was lunchtime.
The Tribune article continues:
Hill made several stops in the 9th District and made his announcement in New Albany on the steps of the City-County Building.
Say what?
Here's the photo from yesterday's NA Confidential coverage of Hill's announcement.
No ugly columns anywhere in sight. Looks like a conference room to me.
The Tribune article continues:
Hill was joined by his wife, Betty, and three adult daughters.
Those of us who attended the event, as opposed to those who transcribed press releases, know that Hill's wife could not make the New Albany stop, and taking her place was one, not three, of Hill's daughters, who is pictured here.
The Tribune's transgressions this week are multiplying. First came a substandard, poorly reasoned Sunday editorial by Chris Morris, then muddled web site placement and inadequate coverage of the Wal-Mart movie screening, and now pure, unadulterated laziness with respect to coverage of former Rep. Hill's New Albany visit.
Wasn't all this supposed to change?
Integrity is what is missing.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can't teach it!!
The truly sad part, aside from getting it so ridiculously wrong, is that it was reported as local news. Who exactly is the staff person that reported on this? Doesn't a mention of staff imply that a Tribune staffer was present at the event?
ReplyDeleteThis is happening more and more in nearly all media. The next time you watch "local" news and they run a story from out of town, look to see if they attribute the source. A lot of times, stations will air footage shot by another affiliate, add their own voice over, and never explain the process so that it seems as if the local station sent someone to cover that court case in Georgia, etc.
By doing so, the conglomerates that own numerous media outlets make it appear as if they're making an extreme effort to provide thorough coverage when in actuality they're cutting the number of reporters and the coverage they provide in order to boost profits.
It's a frighteningly dishonest practice that's become the regular M.O. of corporate media as our federal government continues to allow a relatively small number of companies to monopolize media ownership.
This is one documented, corporate Tribune instance so far. Hopefully the new editor has the decency to not only correct the story but to sincerely apologize for it. "Sorry for the inconvenience" doesn't cut it in this case. Purposely or not, our watchdog just lied to us.