Wednesday, September 15, 2004
The Boston Globe inches backward
Here's the text of a fairly extraordinary correction in today's Globe:
Errors, of course, can be unintentional errors of sloppiness, or intentional errors involving profound failures in judgment. How is it possible that a Globe editor could make that kind of "error" unintentionally on an article that he or she knew would be the subject of massive and immediate scrutiny?
Millions read the headline, thousands will read the correction. This "error" involved an intentional effort to defend the Globe as an institution, or John Kerry as a candidate, against the overwhelming evidence that the Killian memos are forgeries. The subsequent correction allows the professionals on the Globe staff to keep their self-respect.
For the record
September 15, 2004
Correction: Because of an editing error, the headline on a Page One story Saturday on whether documents released by CBS News about President Bush's Texas Air National Guard service are genuine ("Authenticity backed on Bush documents") did not accurately reflect the content of the story. The story quoted one analyst saying that the documents could have been produced on typewriters available in the early 1970s, but the analyst did not vouch for the authenticity of the documents. A second analyst quoted in the story said he doubts the documents are authentic. (emphasis added)
Errors, of course, can be unintentional errors of sloppiness, or intentional errors involving profound failures in judgment. How is it possible that a Globe editor could make that kind of "error" unintentionally on an article that he or she knew would be the subject of massive and immediate scrutiny?
Millions read the headline, thousands will read the correction. This "error" involved an intentional effort to defend the Globe as an institution, or John Kerry as a candidate, against the overwhelming evidence that the Killian memos are forgeries. The subsequent correction allows the professionals on the Globe staff to keep their self-respect.
1 Comments:
By 
, at
Wed Sep 15, 08:47:00 AM:
Apparently there are precious few of them -- professionals, that is.
Jim
Parkway Rest Stop
http://parkwayreststop.com
