To: Jay R. Smith, President
Dear Mr. Smith,
In a stunning admission, the editors at The Dayton Daily News have admitted an agenda to exploit and misrepresent gun-related issues.
Recommending that "horrifically violent events" be exploited as "opportunities to be used," the paper essentially advocates dancing in blood as a way to shape public opinion.
"Proposed reforms can't be called 'gun control'," the editorial continues, "even though that plainly is what they are. Better to spin them as 'law enforcement.'"
They are telling their readers--your readers--they will not just present straight facts. They will dupe them, if they have to, in order to promote what they see as a greater good.
Dear Mr. Smith,
In a stunning admission, the editors at The Dayton Daily News have admitted an agenda to exploit and misrepresent gun-related issues.
Recommending that "horrifically violent events" be exploited as "opportunities to be used," the paper essentially advocates dancing in blood as a way to shape public opinion.
"Proposed reforms can't be called 'gun control'," the editorial continues, "even though that plainly is what they are. Better to spin them as 'law enforcement.'"
They are telling their readers--your readers--they will not just present straight facts. They will dupe them, if they have to, in order to promote what they see as a greater good.
This is not only a gross violation of accepted journalistic ethical standards, it is a betrayal of your subscribers, an insult really. Why not just tell them you consider them too stupid to just present facts to? Why not just explain you don't want them to form their own conclusions?
Once trust has been demonstrated unmerited like this, what are the safeguards to assure readers it's not just on the opinion pages, but in news accounts as well, where they can't be certain they're not being manipulated? When an editor publicly endorses being a propagandist, why is there a reason to believe anything he prints is unbiased and reliable? And when the journalists in the organization see this tone set by their leadership, what pressure compromises the integrity of their work in order to please their bosses?
I call on the leadership of Cox Newspapers to fire the editor of the Dayton Daily News and issue an immediate apology to their readers. It's really the only way such an egregious lapse of standards should be dealt with, and the only way to begin restoring public trust and a reputation that has perhaps been irreparably damaged by personal zeal to promote a pet crusade.
If you don't apply severe sanctions and repudiate this outrage, the signal you'll send to the rest of your newspapers is it's OK--regardless of the issue, they can exploit and spin with your blessing as long as it fits a greater agenda. They can go ahead and abuse the trust of your customer base and you'll watch their backs. That will be the reputation you'll ensure for your entire empire.
Once trust has been demonstrated unmerited like this, what are the safeguards to assure readers it's not just on the opinion pages, but in news accounts as well, where they can't be certain they're not being manipulated? When an editor publicly endorses being a propagandist, why is there a reason to believe anything he prints is unbiased and reliable? And when the journalists in the organization see this tone set by their leadership, what pressure compromises the integrity of their work in order to please their bosses?
I call on the leadership of Cox Newspapers to fire the editor of the Dayton Daily News and issue an immediate apology to their readers. It's really the only way such an egregious lapse of standards should be dealt with, and the only way to begin restoring public trust and a reputation that has perhaps been irreparably damaged by personal zeal to promote a pet crusade.
If you don't apply severe sanctions and repudiate this outrage, the signal you'll send to the rest of your newspapers is it's OK--regardless of the issue, they can exploit and spin with your blessing as long as it fits a greater agenda. They can go ahead and abuse the trust of your customer base and you'll watch their backs. That will be the reputation you'll ensure for your entire empire.
I call on the leadership of Cox Newspapers to fire the editor of the Dayton Daily News and issue an immediate apology to their readers. It's really the only way such an egregious lapse of standards should be dealt with, and the only way to begin restoring public trust and a reputation that has perhaps been irreparably damaged by personal zeal to promote a pet crusade.
If you don't apply severe sanctions and repudiate this outrage, the signal you'll send to the rest of your newspapers is it's OK--regardless of the issue, they can exploit and spin with your blessing as long as it fits a greater agenda. They can go ahead and abuse the trust of your customer base and you'll watch their backs. That will be the reputation you'll ensure for your entire empire.
I'd ask myself, especially in today's competitive, evolving, and most importantly, shrinking newspaper market--if you can really afford to give up another point or two of market share because political activists on your payroll recklessly and needlessly blew off yet more public trust. That doesn't serve you, it doesn't serve your owners, it doesn't serve your advertisers and it certainly doesn't serve your readers.
I urge you to fix this--no spin, no manipulation--just make it right and do it now.
Sincerely,
David Codrea
[Via Blogonomicon]
If you don't apply severe sanctions and repudiate this outrage, the signal you'll send to the rest of your newspapers is it's OK--regardless of the issue, they can exploit and spin with your blessing as long as it fits a greater agenda. They can go ahead and abuse the trust of your customer base and you'll watch their backs. That will be the reputation you'll ensure for your entire empire.
I'd ask myself, especially in today's competitive, evolving, and most importantly, shrinking newspaper market--if you can really afford to give up another point or two of market share because political activists on your payroll recklessly and needlessly blew off yet more public trust. That doesn't serve you, it doesn't serve your owners, it doesn't serve your advertisers and it certainly doesn't serve your readers.
I urge you to fix this--no spin, no manipulation--just make it right and do it now.
Sincerely,
David Codrea
[Via Blogonomicon]