That’s one step. As he notes, it’s also important for each paper to keep the lines of communication open with readers about how the submitted reports are having an impact. DeRienzo’s column and subsequent blog post are examples of this.
“One of the key things about it to make it successful is to report back regularly to readers about how it’s working,” he says. “Don’t just make it so that people send [reports] out into the ether and don’t know if an editor has seen it or not.”
Along with being open and responsive, it’s important that a true digital first news organization is also always learning and adapting. During our chat, I mentioned that the paper should have an online corrections page that communicates its policy and lists recent corrections. Within a few hours, DeRienzo announced on Twitter that they had launched it.
Correction of the Week
“Bell councilman: In the Oct. 13 Section A, a profile of Lorenzo Velez, the only Bell City Council member not charged with a crime, described Bell as ‘a city dominated by blue-color Mexican immigrants like himself.’ It should have said ‘blue-collar.’” - Los Angeles Times
Many papers make it an ordeal to list one correction statements. They want your address, name, phone, and email. then you must sign in and provide a password as if the dozens of passwords I already have to use wasn't difficult enough.
Thanks for the article.
#1 Posted by max berry, CJR on Mon 25 Oct 2010 at 05:13 PM
why not hire someone just to correct mistakes and turn them into a separate digital page (or 40 pages if you're going to include items not properly researched in this post-it now age)? Bet ya that would generate more hits than those township meetings.
#2 Posted by Todd, CJR on Tue 26 Oct 2010 at 12:03 PM
Correction of the month:
http://www.tbd.com/blogs/amanda-hess/2010/10/hiv-positive-black-gay-men-to-get-the-bayard-rustin-project-a-district-campaign-against-aids-2873.html
#3 Posted by Adam, CJR on Tue 26 Oct 2010 at 02:09 PM
Here's a perfect example of where Fact Check could generate Depth. This NPR story on how national health and height are correlated fails to mention whether any of studies controlled for immigration: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130732488
While the larger point about health policies is interesting, neglecting the immigration nuance in a globalized age makes for naive journalism.
#4 Posted by Evan O'Neil, CJR on Tue 26 Oct 2010 at 02:31 PM