Dropping a dime on a reporter

ShiningPath · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:11 am

I’m a new member and thought I would toss out an office ethics question that’s been troubling me. Say you’re editing a story and a supposedly experienced reporter has written that Turkey is an Arab country, and that India is, too. You fix it, of course, and since it’s your job to fix mistakes, you don’t stand up on your chair in the middle of the newsroom and announce it to the gathered throng. You just fix it and move on. But under what circumstances do you send a note to the reporter’s boss, pointing out that the supposedly experienced reporter thinks anyone swarthy is an Arab, and that if the reporter isn’t re-educated, he or she is likely to confuse Iran and Iraq next, thinking they’re just alternate spellings for the same place? Is it more ethical to fix it and shut up, or to complain to the reporter’s boss, or to gather string on the reporter so that you have a nine-count indictment before lodging a complaint?

tommangan · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:55 am

First thing to keep in mind is copy editors and reporters are not the Israelis and the Palestinians. A reporter is your professional colleague and both of you need each other.There may come a time when screwing the reporter by ratting him out to the boss is the right thing to do, but it had better be Jayson Blair material, elsewise you'll do more damage to yourself than to the reporter, because the editor will tend to side with the reporter, much the way your desk chief will tend to side with you. A kindly note to the reporter should suffice. And maybe a reminder if the reporter forgets sometime later. When it becomes clear the guy is deliberately ignoring you, then go over his head. But if you go all hardass from the getgo you're going to poison a potential well of good will that might prove useful in the future. My theory is: always try nice until the other person proves to be an asshole. Even then, be civil. But when you get to the point where you're screwing with somebody else's career, you'd better have powerful ammo and had better be able to duck, because he could just as easily come back at you with all he's got. So, be careful and don't make enemies of people if there are alternatives available.

Wayne Countryman · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 5:36 am

I'm with Tom: Going to a reporter's supervisor can do more harm than good, in a number of ways.Is the reporter experienced or not? Not clear from the post.Does the reporter makes mistakes of that nature often? Is accuracy in general a frequent problem with this reporter? With the reporting staff?Sometimes, going directly to the reporter is the best way.Other times, taking the problem to YOUR supervisor is the best way (i'm hoping supervisors at your paper DO take action.)Copy editors need to be sure of their intentions when ratting someone out. And even if the intentions are the best, the message must be delivered with care.

KfitzR · **Posted:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 8:21 am

Oh Yi!
Ignorance is not, in and of itself, a crime. It can be overcome by intelligence. We are all ignorant of many things in this world, and ill informed on many more.
I've been a reporter; I've been a copy editor; I'm now a communications person for a trade union. In that role I do a fair bit of media training for union members, and my prime advice in dealing with the media is quite simple:
1. Assume they know absolutely nothing about the subject. [Assume ignorance.]
2. Assume they are intelligent and willing to get the point if it is explained clearly.
I think those two rules would work very nicely here, and I could not agree more with those who say bring it up with your reporter colleague directly.
If you had made a mistake, who would you want to hear it from - a friend who tipped you off nicely, or someone who could doom you to permanent weekends? And how would you feel about the person who put it in your boss's head to come down on you with hobnailed boots?

Karenna Awtry · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2003 11:57 pm

Another possible approach: If you're uncomfortable pointing out the error to the reporter, mention it to that person's editor in such a way that you're showing concern for what you're sure was an "honest mistake." Avoid any tone of accusation, any hint that you're seeing fault with the writer's beliefs. Tell the editor why you made the change and ask if he or she would mind discussing it with the reporter because you didn't know how to approach the topic.
It works here, but it's a small paper. I don't know the politics of large metros.

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