Here's an interesting item, moved by the Associated Press. I have asked AP whether its copy editors check names and organizations cited in its stories, which should be routine. I haven't heard back yet.
AP's compilation of spokesmen made up by its rogue reporter is useful, but it doesn't take away from the responsibility of newspapers that run AP copy. It has to be checked, just like a local story. All of us here know that it also has to be edited, which it is far too seldom ("Why waste time? It's already edited before we get it!") How many of these stories did you handle?<p>The Associated Press is transmitting for corrective use a list of stories by a former reporter that contain quotations from experts whose existence cannot be verified. <p>The reporter, Christopher Newton, was dismissed Sept. 16 after the AP received inquiries about a Sept. 8 story about crime statistics. AP transmitted a story correcting that piece. <p>Before his dismissal, Newton was asked about questionable material in a number of his stories. He maintained that the experts in those stories were real and accurately quoted, but was unwilling or unable to provide proof of their authenticity. Newton had worked for AP since 1994 in Texas, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. <p>Following a review of hundreds of his stories, AP is providing a list of 39, in addition to the Sept. 8 piece, which contained quotations from individuals who cannot be located. Most were identified by Newton as having academic or public policy credentials. <p>Following a review of hundreds of his stories, AP is providing a list of 39, in addition to the Sept. 8 piece, which contained quotations from individuals who cannot be located. Most were identified by Newton as having academic or public policy credentials.<p>Below are the stories and the names of people quoted in them who cannot be located by AP. The stories carried Washington datelines unless otherwise indicated.<p>- AM-Campaign Finance, a0773 of Jan. 13, 2000, from Harrisburg, Pa., quoted "Jeffrey Roberts."<p>- PM-Competing Teachers, a0405 of March 28, 2000 from Harrisburg, Pa., and AM-Competing Teachers, a0666 of March 27, quoted "Angelica Victor" of the "Education Alliance." AP was also unable to locate the organization.<p>- BC-Women Superintendents, a0407 of Oct. 26, 2000 and a0625 and subsequent writethrus of Oct. 25, from Harrisburg, Pa., quoted "Jocelyn Winters."<p>- BC-United Artists-Settlement, a0898 of Jan. 17, 2001, quoted "Robert Janson" of "Voice for the Disabled." AP was also unable to locate the group.<p>- BC-Submarine Children, a0418 of March 2, 2001, quoted "Joanne Fu" of "Across Cultures." AP was also unable to locate the organization.<p>- BC-411 Frustration, a0645 of March 14, 2001 and a0429 of March 15, quoted "John Martin" and "Morgan Isley."<p>- BC-Media-Crime Coverage, a0754 of April 9, 2001, and a0746 of April 10, quoted "Michael Hamilton."<p>- BC-US-China Apology, a0411 of April 11, 2001, and a0679 of April 10, quoted "Edward Briar" of "the Military Research and Study Group." AP was also unable to locate the group.<p>- BC-Bankruptcy-New Rules, a0421 of April 17, 2001, quoted "Hal Cassidy" and "Jim McLarnen, a spokesman for Fair Credit." AP was also unable to locate such an organization.<p>- BC-Stem Cell Lawsuit, a0763 of May 29, 2001, quoted "researcher Tim Dale of the Malen Clinic in New York." AP was also unable to locate the clinic.<p>- BC-INS-Expedited Visas, a0777 and subsequent writethrus of May 31, 2001, quoted "Arthur Gonzalez" and "Jennifer Talles, a spokeswoman for the Western Association for Immigration Rights." AP was also unable to locate the association.<p>- BC-Hunting Stealths, a0662 and subsequent writethrus of June 20, 2001 and a0415 of June 21, quoted "Hugh Brownstone, a physicist at the Intergon Research Center." AP was also unable to locate the center.<p>- BC-Prisons-Mental Health, a0481 of July 15, 2001, quoted "Roger Paine."<p>- BC-Cheney-Energy, a0699 of Aug. 3, 2001 and writethrus, quoted "George Brownstein."<p>- BC-Meat Safety, a0682 of Aug. 7, 2001, quoted "Mark Lenton, a spokesman for Pure Food, Clean Water." AP was also unable to locate such an organization.<p>- BC-Bush-Heartland Tour, a0423 of Aug. 20, 2001, from Crawford, Texas, quoted "Patrick Delraj," as did BC-Bush-Heartland Trip, a0424 and subsequent writethrus of Aug. 20 from Crawford and Milwaukee.<p>- BC-Attacks-Web Sites, a0978 of Oct. 11, 2001, quoted "Landry Bolville."<p>- BC-Lemur Mystery, a0416 of Oct. 18, 2001, quoted "Jake Parsons."<p>- BC-Attacks-Trying Bin Laden, a0433 of Oct. 18, 2001, quoted "Victor St. John," "Dean Leonard," and "Aljid Darah."<p>- BC-Generation's First War, a0431 of Oct. 20, 2001, quoted "Alan Douglas."<p>- BC-Charting the Dreamscape, a0452 and subsequent writethrus of Nov. 1, 2001, quoted "Linda Sveena" and "Russ Carter, psychiatrist at Leonard Institute." AP also was unable to locate the institute.<p>- BC-Criminal and Guns, a0475 of Nov. 4, 2001, and a0416 of Nov. 5, quoted "Paul Stevens" and "Jeffrey Wendell."<p>- BC-Attacks-Special Forces, a0411 of Nov. 5, 2001, quoted "James Thomas."<p>- BC-Attacks-Trying Terrorists, a0540 of Dec. 1, 2001, quoted "Mason Digby."<p>- BC-Bush-China-Trade, a0431 of Dec. 28, 2001, quoted "Richard Daisly."<p>- BC-Attack-Human Rights, a0475 and subsequent writethrus, of Jan. 16, 2002, quoted "Ralph Tagern" of "The Institute on Middle Eastern Policy." AP also was unable to locate the institute.<p>- BC-Afghan-Risky Business, a0618 of Jan. 18, 2002 and a0408 of Jan. 19, quoted "Jennifer Williams."<p>- BC-Afghan-Dead Enders, a0757 of March 7, 2002, and a0434 of March 8, quoted "Dennis Tyler."<p>- BC-Attacks-Enemy Within, a0411 of June 11, 2002, and a0427 of June 12, quoted "Jennifer Wayton."<p>- BC-Catching Liars, a0652 and subsequent writethrus of June 21, 2002 and a0407 of June 22, quoted "Justin Hammerstein," "Dale Jenang," and "Thomas Jakes, president of People for Civil Rights." AP was also unable to locate the organization.<p>- BC-Attacks-Citizenship, a0716 of July 16, 2002 and a0438 of July 17, quoted "Irma Gonzales."<p>- BC-Tracking Foreigners, a0742 of July 22, 2002 and a0456 of July 23, quoted "Edward Murrell."<p>- BC-Attacks-FBI Intelligence, a0823 of July 24, 2002 and a0440 of July 25, quoted "Donald Terrel."<p>- BC-Attacks-Al-Qaida, a0691 and subsequent writethrus, of July 26, 2002, and a0436 of July 27, quoted "Janice Paine."<p>- BC-Attacks-Guantanamo Lawsuit, a0842 of Aug. 1, 2002, quoted "Justin Willard."<p>- BC-Registering Aliens, a0733 of Aug. 12, 2002, quoted "Carl Baron."<p>- BC-Attacks-Investigation, a0675 of Aug. 23, 2002, quoted "Lynne Hallard" of "Civil Liberties Focus." The AP also was unable to locate the organization.<p>- BC-Attacks-Short Memory, a0632 of Aug. 26, 2002, quoted "Francis Neil."<p>- BC-Attacks-Intelligence, a0708 of Aug. 30, 2002, quoted "Vanessa Thompson."<p>[ October 21, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
AP's compilation of spokesmen made up by its rogue reporter is useful, but it doesn't take away from the responsibility of newspapers that run AP copy. It has to be checked, just like a local story. All of us here know that it also has to be edited, which it is far too seldom ("Why waste time? It's already edited before we get it!") How many of these stories did you handle?<hr></blockquote><p>AP copy certainly needs its share of editing; as noted in another thread, some reporters are too busy weaving their political biases into stories to be bothered with inconveniences like transitions and nut grafs.<p>But blaming the newspapers for Christopher Newton's literary excesses strikes me as blaming the victim.<p>Phil, do you really expect individual papers' copy editors to verify that names and organizations in an AP reporter's stories really exist? Granted, AP reporters aren't necessarily the cream of the crop. But if their copy were so unreliable that it had to be fact-checked as if written by an intern, newspapers wouldn't carry it.<p>Personally, I'm busy enough fact-checking local copy, in which possible errors are more obvious. I don't know of any newspapers in which the copy desks have the time to verify facts from stories across the country, if not the world.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gary Kirchherr:
[QB]<p>
Phil, do you really expect individual papers' copy editors to verify that names and organizations in an AP reporter's stories really exist? Granted, AP reporters aren't necessarily the cream of the crop. But if their copy were so unreliable that it had to be fact-checked as if written by an intern, newspapers wouldn't carry it.<p>[QB]<hr></blockquote><p>Yes, that's exactly what I expect. Most of the time, though, the "experts" can be edited out entirely. AP itself said they weren't checked because they were innocuous quotes. Innocuous, no; useless, yes. Be that as it may, it's a lot easier to verify names and organizations these days than it used to be. It's one advantage of the Internet.

I definitely have to go with Gary on this one. In a time when every set of five pissed-off people becomes an advocacy group with a name apparently chosen over a coffee table (then twisted into near-nonsense to form a stupid acronym), there's no way in hell that community papers' editors can check out wire-copy quotes and facts that were generated by such "groups" across the country. That's supposed to be part of what we shell out money to AP for. Those papers that aren't major metros generally have to devote the lion's share of their resources -- including fact checking and other content editing -- to local copy, not wire. It may not be the peak of professionalism, but it's reality.

I realize that few desks are going to bother to verify the existence of people and organizations mentioned in wire stories, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. Readers don't care whether a story is written by a local reporter or a wire service.
I admit to using this episode as an opportunity to promote the ideal solution, which is to stop using Dial-a-Quotes®.

Yeah, but strip us Gannett papers of our quota of Voicesâ„¢ and we'd be ... the Washington Post Co.<p>(Wait, that's not a bad idea...)

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Finn DeSiecle:
[QB]Yeah, but strip us Gannett papers of our quota of Voicesâ„¢ and we'd be ... the Washington Post Co.<p>QB]<hr></blockquote><p>I've lost touch. The Gannett papers are still required to quote people from a cross-section of communities, whose only connection to each other is that they know nothing and have no influence?

Technically, no. Under Gannett's "First Five Graphs mission" (translation: the basics of journalism, reinvented), reporters are supposed to be looking for the "human voice that takes the story from abstract to reality" -- i.e., talk to people affected by the subject of the story.<p>So in theory the quotes are supposed to add perspective, color and impact to the story, even if only of the " 'One more tax increase and I'll have to move down South,' the retirement community resident said" variety.<p>In reality, a number of times as I've headed into work in the afternoon, I've passed some hapless reporter waving & saying "Can't stop. I have to go out and get my quota of Voices for my story." (So once again a reasonable idea is turned, by company mandate, into an inflexible policy that results in wads of rushed rote-reportage.)

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
Here's an interesting item, moved by the Associated Press. I have asked AP whether its copy editors check names and organizations cited in its stories, which should be routine. I haven't heard back yet.
<hr></blockquote><p>I still haven't heard back.

BTW, does Jack Shafer at Slate.com read Testy Copy Editors? A lot of familiar ideas in this piece.<p>Thanks to Romenesko for the link.<p>[ October 30, 2002: Message edited by: Dean Betz ]<p>[ October 30, 2002: Message edited by: Dean Betz ]</p>

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
Here's an interesting item, moved by the Associated Press. I have asked AP whether its copy editors check names and organizations cited in its stories, which should be routine. <hr></blockquote><p>Thomas Kent of AP replied:
"We expect our journalists to check the validity and accuracy of any unfamiliar names and organizations. We'll intensify that effort as a result of the recent corrective."<p>***From which I infer the answer to my question was "No, but they will now."***

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p>Thomas Kent of AP replied:
"We expect our journalists to check the validity and accuracy of any unfamiliar names and organizations. We'll intensify that effort as a result of the recent corrective."<p>***From which I infer the answer to my question was "No, but they will now."***<hr></blockquote><p>Assuming he's not drawing a distinction between the copy eds and the reporters! ;)

<<Here's an interesting item, moved by the Associated Press. I have asked AP whether its copy editors check names and organizations cited in its stories, which should be routine. I haven't heard back yet.>><p>Just so you know, AP has no copy editors.<p>My wife is a longtime AP writer and editor. She writes, the night news editor edits, and it's on the wire two minutes later. News editors are both assigning editors and backfielders. There is no "final" read.<p>The Chris Newton thing has been a hot topic in our home for weeks. In the AP hierarchy, reporters are held in greater regard than most editors (exceptions being chiefs of bureau and each bureau's main news editor) and as such they are given near-absolute trust. Newton broke that trust. <p>As for AP reporters not being the best of the best: Not so. Yes, many are young, and some are jaded after having to churn out so much pap over the years. But the state correspondents and the national writers are the best in the business, and paid commensurately so. <p>Another common misperception concerns AP staffing levels. While it is the world's largest newsgathering organization, they're pretty thin on the ground. Generally there aren't more than 6-10 reporters per state. Often, they'll write four or five stories a day. <p>Newton was able to advance quickly to the Washingtion bureau because he had a rep for turning around stories quickly. We now know how he did it.<p>Should Newton's sources have been checked by an editor at AP? I'll say maybe. I share your disdain for dial-a-quotes, but a better solution is to paraphrase, i.e. "critics have said bla bla bla" and leave it at that.<p>With regards to editing AP copy at a member paper, the beauty of AP is that while editing never hurts, you are paying for the ability to drop it in as is. If you're routinely checking AP sources at the WashPost, you need to have your workload adjusted...but having said that, if someting jumps out as not quite kosher, you should always check it out!

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bolder1:
With regards to editing AP copy at a member paper, the beauty of AP is that while editing never hurts, you are paying for the ability to drop it in as is. If you're routinely checking AP sources at the WashPost, you need to have your workload adjusted...but having said that, if someting jumps out as not quite kosher, you should always check it out!<hr></blockquote><p>You said it yourself: AP doesn't have copy editors. AP copy, if not riddled with errors, is far from perfect. Member newspapers that "drop it in as is" do so at their extreme peril. And, beyond errors, the writing is generally atrocious. I don't take anything away from the hardworking AP reporters, but they need editing, and lots of it. All reporters do.

Bolder1 describes, basically, how things are done at Bloomberg News as well. Editors are really assignment and copy editors in one. And we're also up against the proverbial ``deadline every minute,'' so we don't always have time to do fact-checking. <p>We really do rely on reporters to file accurate stories with quotes by real people. It's a matter of trust.
<p>[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bolder1:
Just so you know, AP has no copy editors.<p>My wife is a longtime AP writer and editor. She writes, the night news editor edits, and it's on the wire two minutes later. News editors are both assigning editors and backfielders. There is no "final" read.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p>You said it yourself: AP doesn't have copy editors. AP copy, if not riddled with errors, is far from perfect. Member newspapers that "drop it in as is" do so at their extreme peril. And, beyond errors, the writing is generally atrocious. I don't take anything away from the hardworking AP reporters, but they need editing, and lots of it. All reporters do.<hr></blockquote><p>Yeah, but you don't "routinely" check the bona fides of every source...that's a job for the fact-checkers at the New Yorker. Please tell me you're not required to do that.<p>I only said that if something stinks, you should check it out--whether it appears in a staff or wire service story. <p>Yours in testiness...

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bolder1:
<p>Yeah, but you don't "routinely" check the bona fides of every source...that's a job for the fact-checkers at the New Yorker.<hr></blockquote><p>I certainly check to the best of my ability to make sure that a quoted source exists, and that his or her name is spelled correctly and title is correctly reported. That's, uh, kind of "basic."<p>[ November 24, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p>I certainly check to the best of my ability to make sure that a quoted source exists, and that his or her name is spelled correctly and title is correctly reported. That's, uh, kind of "basic."<p>[ November 24, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]<hr></blockquote><p>
I'm impressed...but isn't that the job of the backfielder? I mean, you can't have copy editors doing <everyone's> work, can you? Shouldn't the responsibility for deciding which sources are used be shared by the reporter and assigning editor? <p>Still, I agree that it is unconscionable that NOT ONE of Newton's fabricated sources was ever exposed. One would think that someone, somewhere would have flagged something! <p>If I were his editor in Harrisburg or Washington, I'd be looking over my shoulder right about now.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bolder1:
<p>
I'm impressed...but isn't that the job of the backfielder? I mean, you can't have copy editors doing <everyone's> work, can you? Shouldn't the responsibility for deciding which sources are used be shared by the reporter and assigning editor? <p>Still, I agree that it is unconscionable that NOT ONE of Newton's fabricated sources was ever exposed. One would think that someone, somewhere would have flagged something! <p>If I were his editor in Harrisburg or Washington, I'd be looking over my shoulder right about now.<hr></blockquote><p>Reporters and assigning editors make mistakes. Our job is to find and correct them, among other things. As for Newton, unless they have slot men on the kitchen clean-up team at Olive Garden, I don't think we'll have to worry about him. I assume he will never work in the business again.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
<p> As for Newton, unless they have slot men on the kitchen clean-up team at Olive Garden, I don't think we'll have to worry about him. I assume he will never work in the business again.<hr></blockquote><p>I give Fox News six months before they've got him spouting off as a correspondent

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica ,sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by 4Jfan:
<p>I give Fox News six months before they've got him spouting off as a correspondent<hr></blockquote><p>Like I said ....