Uhm..that's not good
We had a Phil Spector story on our front page. Underneath? Results from our online poll saying that 92 percent of our readers believe that Spector killed Lana Clarkson. Our placement should have been better.
September 7, 2007
June 23, 2007
Salman Rushdie
I should have blogged on this last week. The latest calls for assassinating the author by Islamic fanatics should have, as Tim Rutten notes, been loudly condemned by every writer, blogger, newspaper and editorial in this country. Instead, it was swept aside within the next news cycle. Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy, and the continued threatened and real violence to end it should prompt us all to stand up and fight.
June 22, 2007
I'm a Communist
No, I'm not really. But would it matter? As a journalist, if I slanted everything I wrote because of my political convictions, only people who supported those positions would continue to read me. That's why I think the latest hand wringing over political contributions made by journalists is much ado over nothing. A sports reporter at the Tribune was noted on the list. And? Now, are there ethical lines here? yes. I shouldn't give money to candidate A if I'm covering candidate A. And I could probably come up with a few more if I really wanted to think about it, but I don't.
fyi: I'm a libertarian (small l) for the most part, and I have never given money to a political candidate or committee. I'm too cheap and would rather give it to a bartender or Dino's Chicken and Burger in Azusa.
UPDATE::"100,000 newsroom employees nationwide" and they find 144 who gave money.
May 22, 2007
You have got to be kidding?
And what did Claremont learn from the reaction that Pomona received when it sent a threatening letter to a local blog? Apparently nothing.
From the DBulletin: "Former Claremont Mayor Diann Ring said she thinks the blog in her city is potentially heading toward litigation as well.
The Claremont Insider - also penned by an anonymous blogger - writes about Claremont city officials and the "goofy, too-serious, power types that run most of the town's service organizations, charities and city commissions."'
-- This all started with local blog Foothill Cities getting a 'cease and desist' letter from Pomona for posting reasons about its city manager resigning. It was overreaching by the city. And that's just from the experts. The city of Fontana should be the model for how to deal with blogs with the mayor and others posting: "Fontana's Director of Public Works Curtis Aaron also logs into the forums with regularity and answers the residents' questions.
"Most of 'em are usually people speaking out about something they don't understand or are frustrated with," Aaron said. "If there's something going on there that's an issue, we don't wait for it to get out of hand. We keep an eye on the blogs, and ... we can get on it right away."'
May 17, 2007
Coda on online free speech battle
Some have said that we are paying a bit too much attention to the spat between the city of Pomona and local blog Foothill Cities.
The Daily Bulletin looked into the accusations about the possible reasons the city manager resigned, but couldn't substantiate them. Does that mean Foothill Cities should not have aired the comments? I don't know.
But once the government takes an official action, it becomes reportable.
I don't agree with some bloggers who think they can do better journalism day in and day out than most journalists can. They might be able to make hits now and then, but this is a fulltime job. It takes skills that take years to perfect.
But I also don't agree with the old media types who think that we are the only ones who can come to the table and play.
Bloggers fill an important niche, and as much as some people might not like it, they are truly part of the press. Protecting their free speech rights is, in the end, protecting ours.
May 15, 2007
A steep learning curve every day
The New York Times has an interesting reader question and answer segment with editors and reporters. The latest one is with Matthew Purdy, investigation editor: "The best reporters are humble enough to ask "dumb" questions (two or three times, if need be), smart enough to know what they don't know and brave enough to let go of their first impressions. You are right that there is a danger in getting part of a story and mistaking it for the whole story. The only way to guard against that is to report against the findings of your story, in other words to test your conclusions. The best reporters, when they are finished with an article, understand what people who disagree with their conclusions would say about the subject and make sure that it is reflected in the story."
- It's the hardest skills for reporters to learn, and some never do.
May 10, 2007
Reader question
Warren Fonteneau, a reader, has asked some interesting questions about editors:
"I believe in fairness to all the SGVT readers, we should know who you are.
As an example
1) Where did you grow up....in the San Gabriel Valley? Did you go to school here.
2) What organizations do you belong to ? If you belong to the National Rifle Ass. it might explain the tone of an editorial. Just as it would if you are a member of the ACLU...or PETA
3) Do you own a business in the Valley...if so ..in what city.
- These are mostly generic questions but I am sure you get my point. I do believe a little truth in where an editorial comes from or what it says may be better understood if the public knows the background of the editorial board members. It comes down to credibility."
-- These are all interesting questions, and throughout the day will try to answer them. But first, and foremost, I'm the city editor, which means I supervise straight news. Most times I don't even know what our editorial page has written until the following day, if ever. I don't get involved in editorials, endorsements or positions. l learned that lesson as a reporter, when I became outraged that we didn't support a local school board member who had taken heat for the principled stances he took. I strode (yes, I pompously did) into the editorial page editor's office, demanding to know why. He calmly looked at me and said read the editorial. "You report; we write the opinions." He was right, and I was wrong and had crossed the line. Usually, it's the publisher, op-ed editor and executive editor decide on the positions that the paper takes. I don't particularly like editorials or endorsements. I personally think they are overrated. But...I'm just the city editor.
April 12, 2007
My only comment on this is what Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said: "freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth."
UPDATE: ok maybe it won't be my only comment because here's an ominous quote that Rev. Al Sharpton reportedly said, "It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. This must be a walk that CBS now does. It must be a walk that others will do. Then we must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and what is not permitted."
- Once you decide that anyone can set a standard for allowed speech it's a slippery slope down to whatever you say that offends me can be squelched. And believe me, we're not that far off.
UPDATE II. Aram garners comments on the firing, and Michael Meyers says Let the Idiocy be Heard.
March 30, 2007
While I've been away, Foothill Cities slaps me upside the head and adds comments.
The story from Alison Hewitt that he's talking about, and is behind our ludicrous paywall, is copied on the jump.
March 23, 2007
I went to a talk by David Wallis the other day on the scarcity and slow demise of the cartoonist. I'll post more on my thoughts on that later.
March 14, 2007
A tale of small town politics
Editors need to balance what readers want and what they need. Most times stories meet both criteria, sometimes not. As I have said before, I thought these arrests were minor, a short story at best, but some believed that we should have reported on it before Election for various reasons. I still think we made the right decision. After digging through archives, finding court documents and talking, or trying to talk, to everyone involved, this is what Alison Hewitt found. And considering how some of the players in this story acted before and how some of them are acting now, it reveals an interesting tale of small town politics. But one that should have waited until after Election Day.
March 9, 2007
So far it's 2 to 1 against our decision
Reader Kyle also thinks we should have printed the story about the Glendora teens arrest before the election, so he joins Foothill Cities who feels the same. Another person who sent an e-mail backed my stance, so maybe I'll get a late push.
March 6, 2007
My column
No bias. No favor.
It’s a mantra we journalists try to live by. And around election time, the standard guides us as we decide which stories to publish before Election Day and which ones to publish afterward.
Every year in the weeks heading up to the day people vote, tips of skullduggery flood our phone lines: Candidates or their supporters misusing campaign contributions, lying about their accomplishments or other candidates’ histories and destroying lawn signs. These are just a few of the usual accusations.
March 4, 2007
The Richard McKee experiment
I've known Rich McKee for a few years now, and I still don't quite understand why he so zealously advocates the ideals of open-government.
He is a Pasadena City College chemistry professor, served as president of the California First Amendment Coalition and recently resigned from Californians Aware. For nearly 20 years, I think, he has challenged local municipalities and public agencies to follow the Ralph M. Brown Act and the Public Records Act. This includes filing lawsuits that he almost always won, forcing them to follow the law.
As part of our attempt to get more community voices in our paper, Rich, a La Verne resident, has become a columnist of late. It gives him a chance to spread the word about local open-government issues, and gives us unique opportunity to educate the public.
It's an experiment because Rich has to stay a chronicler and stay away from being a newsmaker. The transition so far has been smooth. But he becomes outraged quickly when he thinks someone has disregarded open-government laws, so it should be fun. Here's his latest column.
March 3, 2007
Much ado Glendora political mischief
Roiled..er..not really. Unless of course you read the breathless prose of this LA Times story today.
"The 18-year-olds, Keleigh Marshall and Christina Giammalva, set out the night of Feb. 19 to engage in some mischief by putting stickers on the political signs of Glendora elected leaders. The stickers read, "This sign violates Glendora city ordinance," a reference to Glendora's law prohibiting campaign signs on public property.
Notwithstanding that law and an accompanying set of rules that regulate the placement of campaign material, the same council members who passed the regulations appeared to be violating them — and thus the protest by Marshall and Giammalva."
Notwithstanding that it's only later that you find out that Marshall is the daughter of a former council member, this reporter obviously accepted that the teens were just "protesting" the signs placement not the candidates themselves. Remember, when John Harrold, Paul Marshall and Richard Jacobs were recalled, Clifford was one of the people who replaced them and was supported by the group that was behind the recall effort.
We did a short story on the arrest, and after looking further into it decided it was a type of story that is blown out of proportion before it's near an election. There are many unanswerable questions and possible motivations. Politics as usual indeed.
Updated: put some added details in. Because we have a dumb pay wall for archives, I pasted two stories after the jump that gives some additional informatin on the recall, and other possible explanations for the "protest." Notice the attorney's name as well.
March 2, 2007
Our legislators looking out for us
Homeland Security committee: "Jefferson insists he has an honorable explanation, which he will provide when, and if, he's charged with a crime"
March 1, 2007
'Tis the season
This is the fun time for newspapers as we near Election Day next week. We get a slew of unconfirmed tips and one-sided complaints about council candidates and anything else on the ballot. Stolen and defaced signs. Campaign paraphernalia stuck in public right of ways (in violation of election code). Our task is to carefully walk the minefield and try to find the wheat from the chaff.
February 28, 2007
City Manager Resume
It's always fun trying to get rarely asked for public records. You know city officials are going to say no, because they always do. One of those are resumes. I just asked Irwindale* for their city manager's resume, and they declined citing personnel exemptions. According to Terry Francke, general counsel for Californians Aware, that's baloney. And he cites case law. I'll be citing it too when I ask for it again. I'll put up the relevant case law when I find it.
*For some reason I had a brain-lock and put in Monrovia. I haven't (yet?) asked Monrovia for the city manager's resume.
UPDATE: Francke e-mailed the case law. Relevant part - "plaintiffs would obtain information as to the education, training, experience, awards, previous positions and publications of the auditor. Such information is routinely presented in both professional and social settings, is relatively innocuous and implicates no applicable privacy or public policy exemption."
Full decision after jump:
February 27, 2007
"I did nothing wrong, but if I did, you were doing it too" defense
According to AP, founder of the Minuteman Jim Gilchrist who has since been fired and accused of embezzlement, filed a lawsuit, saying the " the firings were illegal and that board members also illegally spent Minuteman money, seized its Web site and stole 20,000 pieces of letterhead."
Gary Miller responds to our coverage
Journalists are by nature inquisitive and paranoid. Questioning everything our leaders do, whether locally or nationally, and then questioning everything we ourselves do. That habit smashed together in our last story about Rep. Gary Miler, R-Brea. Miller challenged our reporting on this story and so we turned our critical eye on our reporting. Despite hours of reviewing our work and exchanges with Miller and his office, we found the reporting by Fred Ortega and Gary Scott bullet proof. But since the newspaper is part of the discussion, we have an obligation to give the other side say. Most times that means allowing someone to write an Op-Ed piece. Instead we gave Miller space on our letters page. We don't agree with his conclusions, but we should allow him the opportunity to respond like we give other readers of our paper. It will also have no effect on our future reporting.
February 24, 2007
Baldwin Park Councilman David Olivas
A fascinating article about the city of Cudahy, to the southwest of us, by LA Weekly's Jeffrey Anderson mentions Baldwin Park Councilman David Olivas, and not in a good way:
"The methods of Beltran, Leal and Olivas left a mark on their former law partner Jesse Jauregui, who broke all ties with the group in 2001. Jauregui has this — and only this — to say about his old colleagues: “I’m glad to no longer be a part of Tammany Hall–style politics. How far it goes, I do not know. It became a seamy situation.”
The legal maneuvering that led to new leadership in Cudahy was part of a larger strategy, says former Cudahy councilwoman Araceli Gonzalez, a child of Mexican immigrants. “They were very outspoken,” says Gonzalez of the lawyers who advised Cudahy and Bell Gardens. “They were telling people they were going to take over these cities and put Latinos in power.”
Olivas, now in his own law practice while wearing two hats — as Cudahy city attorney and councilman in Baldwin Park — argues that the move to anoint Perez as Cudahy city manager was about Latino self-determination, and that change in leadership in small southeast L.A. County cities was for the better."
January 29, 2007
Letters to the editor and public records
As I have said before, sometimes our letters section is a great source for potential stories. One last week caught my eye.
Brooks A. Pangburn, of Duarte wrote about our public records audit and his own wranglings with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and concealed weapon permits. The applications are public record, except for where and when an individual is vulnerable and mental health information - everything else is public. But apparently Pangburn is getting the runaround and not getting the information. I had my own experience with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The irony is the 1985 case that gives the legal precedent forced disclosure of -- the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
January 22, 2007
Intrepid reporter or loose canon
Interesting story about an investigation into a jail house interview with Michael Devlin. He is accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Ben Ownby just after the boy got off a school bus Jan. 8 in Missouri. Police found Ben and Shawn Hornbeck at Devlin's apartment on Jan. 12. Shawn, now 15, had been missing since 2002.
Apparently, no media was allowed to interview him. But a reporter, who did the story for the NY Post, slipped in, signing herself in as a friend, according to Devlin's lawyer and police. I was interested in the 'expert's' opinion that the reporter damaged the credibility of journalism by the subterfuge.
I did one jail house interview. And I tried to go the media designated route, but they kept sending me to a line where you could only sign up as friend or family. After a few hours arguing, the woman who arranged the times for the county jail put me down as friend. I immediately identified myself as a journalist to the inmate before I talked to him, so I believe I was on the right side of the ethical standard.
We are not bound by what lawyers or police say when we pursue a story as long as we don't break any laws. As I said about our public records audit, there are rare times when not identifying yourself is the only way you can get information. But I'm not as quick to condemn this reporter. This story is of great public interest, partially by the families own hand after the fact. I don't know the protocal in Missouri. But if the reporter identified herself to Devlin as a reporter, before she interviewed, good job, I say.
January 20, 2007
Censor bloggers to stop corruption...almost*
My cousin Marshall Tracy sent me a note about this the other day, but this was the first time I had a chance to look at it.
It's intended to stop corruption and *had a section that would have made hash of that little known First Amendment:
"political bloggers who make or spend $25,000 per quarter and who encourage readers to contact their elected representatives would be forced to register as lobbyists--or face up to 10 years in prison."
* - This is what happens when you're late to catch up. It appears that the section was deleted late Thursday.
Audit regret?
Nope. But we could have done some cooler stuff online for our public record audit of law enforcement agencies. The Sacramento Bee had an interactive map. My only complaint: they should have allowed users to just rollover the dots for information.
January 18, 2007
Photo of Jorge Garcia denied again
We tried once again to get a photographer into the arraignment of Jorge Garcia who is accused of killing sheriff's Deputy David March scheduled for Jan. 25. We had previously been denied, but with a new judge we thought we might get in. Today we found at we were denied. The judge gave no reason, and since it's at his discretion, we don't have recourse unless we attempt to go to court. Once again, I'm hard pressed to find a reason why we were denied, considering that politicians, law enforcement and the District Attorney has made this such a cause celebre.
January 17, 2007
Public access
Californians Aware hopes to revive a bill that makes it tougher for state and local agencies to stop people from gaining access to clearly public records. We'll be working on a story about in the next several days. I've heard from several people that our public records audit was important work. I expect to hear otherwise soon.
January 16, 2007
Editors' Corner column
You have a right to know what your government is doing.
That right includes having access to public records, so you can verify how, and how wisely, your tax dollars are being spent.
And a part of our mission as a newspaper is to protect that right.
That’s why joining a landmark public records audit of law enforcement agencies that was released last week was so important.
January 12, 2007
The people's right to know
Part of our mission as a paper is to constantly monitor how public agencies release information that the public has a right to know. That's why joining a landmark statewide audit of law enforcement agencies was so important. Most of the local, county and state agencies, we contacted did miserably. We asked for simple documents, such as police reports and statements of economic interests. Now our reporters were instructed not to represent themselves as reporters. A tactic rarely used in journalism but was the only way for us to see how the public would be treated. No one lied. If they had no other choice, they had to answer who they were. Of course, agencies have no right to ask your name or ask for identification or why you want the information. You want it because you're the taxpayer and they work for you. That is enough. Hopefully, the audit will prompt some agencies to do things differently. I hope in the future to do similar audits of other agencies.
January 11, 2007
Update on the Garcia case
Photo wasn't allowed, apparently, into court room for the arraignment of the man suspected of killing a LA County sheriff's deputy because the presiding judge said no, and they have full discretion. Could have fought it, and we still might. The arraignment was postponed until Jan. 25.
And Mary as far as the Pomona case, I'm unsure. But I will check.
January 10, 2007
No photos of Jorge Arroyo Garcia.
Law enforcement agencies and politicians have played big the pursuit and extradition of Garcia, suspected in the death of a LA County sheriff's deputy. Garcia is expected to be arraigned Thursday at Pomona Superior Court. But for some odd reason, the DA is refusing to allow photo. Their refusal to allow certain media in an open courtroom truly has no good explanation.
December 6, 2006
Naming witnesses who may have been intimidated
We'll be carrying stories from our sister-paper, the Long Beach Press-Telegram, about the trial of 10 black youths who are accused of beating three white woman on Halloween. There is a growing interest for the story, partly because of the races involved and the hate crime statutes included in the charges, but also because of alleged witness intimidation of an 18-year-old black woman who testified against the defendants. The Press had declined to name the woman because of these apparent threats, while the L.A. Times have named her. We will not be naming her for the same reason the Telegram isn't. And to be frank, it's not really needed for the story, especially if the naming may put someone's life in jeopardy. There is no clear-fast rule, but sexual crime victims and people genuinely worried about their safety are, in general, a no-brainer, in my opinion. But every case is different.
-note that I'm not linking to the Times story, because if I did what would be the point of not naming the witness.
December 3, 2006
Blogger for sale?
Getting paid to blog about the people you're blogging about by the people you're blogging about. Nice gig if you can get it, but it ain't journalism.
Update: Micah Sifry believes it's much ado about nothing, while Jeff Jarvis believes there should be a clear line between journalism and advocacy.
November 30, 2006
So who is Mr. Hussein?
The AP story we ran Saturday is still in the news, with apparently no resolution.
"The Associated Press said in its story yesterday that Mr. Hussein “has been a regular source of police information for two years and had been visited by the AP reporter in his office at the police station on several occasions.? The military, meanwhile, seems to suggest that Mr. Hussein is not a police officer, nor a civil servant in the employ of any Iraqi agency.
November 29, 2006
What is a civil war?
Iraq: civil war or sectarian violence
What do you call a problem like escalating sectarian violence in Iraq?
“A civil war,? said Matt Lauer on the Today show on Nov. 27. NBC brass had discussed it, he told viewers, and had come to the bold and publicity-generating—if not exactly jaw-dropping—conclusion that democracy is maybe not flourishing quite the way we planned.
The other two broadcast networks, equally boldly, have not followed suit.
“It was their decision to make and their process,? said Jon Banner, the executive producer of ABC’s World News. “We constantly discuss editorial matters here—all the time, every day. How that decis ion got made there I have no idea, nor do I want to guess.?
“To be honest with you, I think it’s a political statement, not a news judgment,? said Rome Hartman, the executive producer of the CBS Evening News. “We deal with the events of the day, and we decide the best way to describe those events based on the news of the day, not by—never mind, I’m not gonna go there.?
Then he did.
“It should be noted that the day that this pronouncement—and who makes pronouncements anyway? But that’s what it sounded like—was a quiet day, relatively speaking, in Iraq,? he said.
CNN’s official statement on th matter is: “CNN will continue to report on what is happening in Iraq on a day-to-day basis. And we will also report on the ongoing debate in academic and political circles about what constitutes a civil war.?
It perhaps goes without saying that the Fox News Channel has not leaped onto the civil-war bandwagon. Fox anchors will join most of their colleagues in television news in anticipating their own Cronkite Moments.
November 28, 2006
Washington Post backs AP story.
It's been a major discussion in the blogosphere.
"They then blasted open the front of the mosque, dragged six worshippers outside, doused them with kerosene and set them on fire. This account of one of the most horrific alleged attacks of Iraq's sectarian war emerged Tuesday in separate interviews with residents of a Sunni enclave in the largely Shiite Hurriyah district of Baghdad." (via Patterico)
Public information and the LAPD
I've been a bit late on this story about Mariel Garza, a columnist for sister-paper Daily News, and her students class project to obtain public documents from the LAPD.
As soon as I find the link to the original story, I'll put it up.
Update: Her story is on the jump....
AP stands by Iraqi story on burned Sunnis
"The Associated Press is standing by its report that six Sunni men were burned to death in Baghdad Friday by Shiites, even though U.S. military officials have accused the wire service of relying on a source who "is not who he claimed he was," an Iraqi police captain.
Military officials also say they cannot confirm that the incident took place and have asked AP to retract or correct the story, which was repeated by media around the world and cited as a grim example of Shiites taking revenge for a deadly bombing that killed more than 200 people a day before.
"The attempt to question the existence of the known police officer who spoke to the AP is frankly ludicrous and hints at a certain level of desperation to dispute or suppress the facts of the incident in question," AP International Editor John Daniszewski said in a statement e-mailed to On Deadline this afternoon.
Questions about some Iraqi war stories
The story that came out of Iraq Friday that six Sunnis were burned alive now is being questioned.
"The U.S. military said Saturday that Iraqi soldiers securing Hurriyah found only one burned mosque and were unable to confirm residents' and police accounts that six Sunni Arabs were dragged from Friday prayers and burned to death."
A blogger is also questioning the identity of a man who is frequently quoted in stories, especially about violence, coming out of Iraq.
I don't believe anyone willfully prints inaccurate information and Iraq has to be the toughest place to report on. It does give pause though about taking everything you read without a critical eye.
UPDATE: Associated Press is standing by their story and will be releasing another one with more detail today.
November 27, 2006
Putting journalists in jail
If law enforcement truly needs to find out who committed a crime, they have no other choice and a compelling reason, I can see the argument backing suponeas against journalists. But the onslaught of legal attacks lately against reporters should concern everyone. The problem is that we are undersiege at a time when we appear to have few defenders.
"Years of journalistic mis- and malfeasance have left many people thinking the Fourth Estate could use a little oversight, regardless of where it comes from."
November 23, 2006
Plagiarism and Gerald Boyd of the NY Times
Stealing someone's else work and calling it your own is one of the worst sins in journalism. The death of Gerald Boyd, former managing editor of the NY Times, starkly makes the case. Though he was not the one who plagiarized or just plain made stuff up, his obituary puts front and center the stain that destroyed his career nevertheless.