We spent a lot of time in the newsroom debating about how to handle this story, which finally ran over the weekend. Mainly, we were trying to balance concern for the family of the deceased with the news value of the story -- that news value being that the victim of the fatal car crash should not have been on the road in the first place, because of a series of "driving with license revoked" arrests.
We did a couple of things to mitigate any pain the story might have brought -- first, we waited until after the funeral; second, we ran the story inside, rather than on the front.
So, do you think this story was newsworthy, or should it have been left out altogether?
Monday, July 31, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Out to get Burns?
Interesting thread to which I responded on the Star message board regarding the use of Burns in the lead of the tragic story of an apparent homicide.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Unbelievable!
Note the passages in bold. This is everything that's wrong with modern-day environmentalism.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily stopped construction on a $320 million irrigation project Thursday, ruling the changes could disturb the habitat of a woodpecker that might or might not exist.
Scientists had thought the ivory-billed woodpecker was extinct until a kayaker reported spotting one in 2004 near the White River in eastern Arkansas. Ornithologists flocked to the area but were unable to prove conclusively that the woodpecker exists.
U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson said that, for purposes of the lawsuit, he had to presume the woodpecker exists in that area. He said federal agencies may have violated the Endangered Species Act by not studying the habitat fully.
``When an endangered species is allegedly jeopardized, the balance of hardships and public interest tips in favor of the protected species,'' Wilson wrote. ``Here there is evidence the IBW may be jeopardized.''
At the same time, aquifers beneath eastern Arkansas soybean, cotton and rice fields have become less reliable water sources. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last year began construction on the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project, 14 miles from where the bird was spotted.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily stopped construction on a $320 million irrigation project Thursday, ruling the changes could disturb the habitat of a woodpecker that might or might not exist.
Scientists had thought the ivory-billed woodpecker was extinct until a kayaker reported spotting one in 2004 near the White River in eastern Arkansas. Ornithologists flocked to the area but were unable to prove conclusively that the woodpecker exists.
U.S. District Judge William R. Wilson said that, for purposes of the lawsuit, he had to presume the woodpecker exists in that area. He said federal agencies may have violated the Endangered Species Act by not studying the habitat fully.
``When an endangered species is allegedly jeopardized, the balance of hardships and public interest tips in favor of the protected species,'' Wilson wrote. ``Here there is evidence the IBW may be jeopardized.''
At the same time, aquifers beneath eastern Arkansas soybean, cotton and rice fields have become less reliable water sources. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last year began construction on the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project, 14 miles from where the bird was spotted.
Monday, July 17, 2006
The Star gets some ink, er .... pixels
Steve Buttry, of the American Press Institute, wrote a column on API's web site about The Star's innovations. I'd be interested in any comments on his column.
It is very interesting to see and hear the responses of industry folks to the things we are doing. You might be surprised at how few papers have on-line video, blogs, etc.
Even some television stations have yet to feature video on their web sites!
It is very interesting to see and hear the responses of industry folks to the things we are doing. You might be surprised at how few papers have on-line video, blogs, etc.
Even some television stations have yet to feature video on their web sites!
Monday, July 10, 2006
Too long ...
Been too long since I've updated -- sorry about that.
Wanted to open the floor to story ideas -- topics, people, events you would like to see covered in the paper.
Let's have 'em!
Wanted to open the floor to story ideas -- topics, people, events you would like to see covered in the paper.
Let's have 'em!
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