What a Collective of Superficial, Patronizing Hogwash

Responding to the 2003 Jayson Blair "color by numbers" reporting fiasco where he simply made things up as he went along, the New York Times formed an internal committee to study the matter. It was their intention to present recommendations on how to increase reader confidence.

Here's most of what they came up with:

--making reporters and editors more accessible through e-mail
--reducing errors
--increasing coverage of middle America
--increasing coverage of religion



Here's some of what's missing:

--Removal of OpEd approach to hard news items

--Removal of By Lines that attempt to shape opinion in hard news items by inaccurately reflecting the story

--Standing Paul Krugman on his head and giving him an enema while carefully warning neighbors to seek high ground.

--Understanding that a majority of their potential readership (majority of the Country) does not subscribe to their general ideology or Newspaper.

--Understanding that labeling a faction "Middle America" confirms that their staff is NOT within that over simplified generalization. Readers would be much less wary of a media outlet that just refers to this country as "America."

--Understanding that coverage of a topic or an ideology does not translate to trust, honesty and integrity. Only a non-biased reflection of facts can do that.

--Over simplification of their failings can rarely assist in correcting those errors if the errors are never defined

--Ceasing the spiking of news stories that don't reflect the publication's understood political ideology.

--Ceasing the burying of news stories that don't reflect the publication's understood political ideology.

--Ceasing the commonality of regurgitating Democratic Talking points, and assisting in the strategic efforts of that party (read: Tom Delay)

--Using cheap ink that comes off on my damn hands worse than the toner of a busted photocopy machine (personal issue)

--Ceasing the practice of including editorials that have no defined author.

--Hiring personal assistant for Maureen Dowd to make sure she takes her medication regularly

--Applying all of the above items to their international sister (International Herald Tribune) so as to cease efforts in molding foreign opinion counter to the United States.