The Bush administration opposes a bill that would shield reporters from being forced to reveal their sources. Media advocates say that without the bill journalists will continue to be jailed due to their refusal to give up sources. New York Times magazine writer, William Safire, says: “The movement to force journalists to reveal their sources is an attempt to turn the press into an arm of the law.''
In The New York Times Magazine William Safire wrote a witty article commenting on the difference between a “clarification”, “correction” or “admission of error”, and a “recantation”. The recent retraction by Newsweek of an article referring to US military treatment of the Koran (see former posting) and the brought up questions about anonymous sources after the source Deep Throat was revealed (see former posting) , provided interesting examples of how specific phrases in the English language can have further implications than one may originally expect. Take the recent Newsweek retraction as an example for analysis. After publishing the controversial article the magazine at first merely issued an apology. Newsweek was then criticized by the White House for not actually retracting the article. But what exactly was the difference, if the article had already been printed and read across the world? In this case it seems that “retraction” was the only word that would confirm the mistake of the article and imply the magazine’s attempt to mitigate the great damage done. A “correction” concerns setting right a fact rather than a judgment. Essentially, after having made a mistake a publication may want to think about its phrasing of apologies or corrections in its self-correction box, or “editor’s note.”
Source: The New York Times
In The New York Times Magazine William Safire wrote a witty article commenting on the difference between a “clarification”, “correction” or “admission of error”, and a “recantation”. The recent retraction by Newsweek of an article referring to US military treatment of the Koran (see former posting) and the brought up questions about anonymous sources after the source Deep Throat was revealed (see former posting) , provided interesting examples of how specific phrases in the English language can have further implications than one may originally expect. Take the recent Newsweek retraction as an example for analysis. After publishing the controversial article the magazine at first merely issued an apology. Newsweek was then criticized by the White House for not actually retracting the article. But what exactly was the difference, if the article had already been printed and read across the world? In this case it seems that “retraction” was the only word that would confirm the mistake of the article and imply the magazine’s attempt to mitigate the great damage done. A “correction” concerns setting right a fact rather than a judgment. Essentially, after having made a mistake a publication may want to think about its phrasing of apologies or corrections in its self-correction box, or “editor’s note.”
Source: The New York Times
William Safire, the ultra-conservative Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times since 1973, will write his final column for the page on Jan. 24, 2005, the paper announced yesterday. Mr. Safire, however, will continue to write his Sunday column, On Language, which has appeared in The Times Magazine since 1979. Mr. Safire, 74, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary in 1978. Before joining The Times, he served as a senior White House speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon."
It will be difficult for Bill Keller, NYT editor to find someone as conservative as William Safire, but nothing impossible in today's american media landscape: why not try a Fox News executive?
Source: New York Times
William Safire, the ultra-conservative Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times since 1973, will write his final column for the page on Jan. 24, 2005, the paper announced yesterday. Mr. Safire, however, will continue to write his Sunday column, On Language, which has appeared in The Times Magazine since 1979. Mr. Safire, 74, was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary in 1978. Before joining The Times, he served as a senior White House speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon."
It will be difficult for Bill Keller, NYT editor to find someone as conservative as William Safire, but nothing impossible in today's american media landscape: why not try a Fox News executive?
Source: New York Times
