Comments on: Big-Time Apology http://krilefiles.wordpress.com/2007/12/28/big-time-apology/ Politics and Media, from an Arkansas perspective Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:02:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: TracyW http://krilefiles.wordpress.com/2007/12/28/big-time-apology/#comment-357 TracyW Sun, 30 Dec 2007 04:59:17 +0000 http://krilefiles.wordpress.com/2007/12/28/big-time-apology/#comment-357 Doug -- I didn't get to see the full report or apology. I wonder if the detail and, well, explicit nature of the apology is necessary in light of the willingness for other media outlets to jump onto the story, claiming innocence and responsible journalism by "attributing" the story to another source? In the "old days" when you and I were working, nobody else would have touched the story unless someone on the news team could verify the story through independent sources. In the "old days" having to attribute a story to competitor was shameful -- it was admitting the guys down the street whipped our tails on a huge story. Today, news outlets don't think twice about broadcasting, printing, or responding online to a rumor -- especially if they can attribute to another source. T'would seem that attribution is no longer a confession of sound defeat. Instead, attribution is more of a childlike, "He said it first! I knew it sounded wrong!" game of gossip. Doug –
I didn’t get to see the full report or apology. I wonder if the detail and, well, explicit nature of the apology is necessary in light of the willingness for other media outlets to jump onto the story, claiming innocence and responsible journalism by “attributing” the story to another source?

In the “old days” when you and I were working, nobody else would have touched the story unless someone on the news team could verify the story through independent sources.

In the “old days” having to attribute a story to competitor was shameful — it was admitting the guys down the street whipped our tails on a huge story.

Today, news outlets don’t think twice about broadcasting, printing, or responding online to a rumor — especially if they can attribute to another source.

T’would seem that attribution is no longer a confession of sound defeat. Instead, attribution is more of a childlike, “He said it first! I knew it sounded wrong!” game of gossip.

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