Bee publishes results of Griego Erwin probe (43 fake sources)

sacbee.com ^ | June 26, 2005 | Dorothy Korber and John Hill

[talosiv]

From Jan. 1, 2004, until her final column on April 26, Griego Erwin wrote 171 columns. The Bee's investigation found 30 names in 27 separate columns that could not be verified during that time period. The people could not be found in voter registration rolls, property records, telephone books, identity databases or through scores of phone calls.

In light of those findings, the review expanded to include a sampling of columns spanning her 12-year tenure with the newspaper, and 13 additional cases in another 10 columns were found.

Many of the columns in question fit a template: essays, often with a surprising O. Henry twist, about a singular person who faces a challenge and surmounts it. Their stories frequently reflect a theme taken from current headlines - wildfires, for example, or prison brutality, school shootings, murderous road rage or a high-profile trial.

Some don't show up where they should: Donald Burton, a "barber" who is not on the state's list of licensed barbers. Margaret Brown, a "retired teacher" who is not on the rolls of the teachers retirement system. Others are described as longtime homeowners whose names do not appear on property records for their communities.

These are not anonymous sources; they all have names. And Griego Erwin often provided intimate details about the individuals and their lives, from the creases in their faces to the names of their pets.

"These are people we should have been able to find," said Bee Executive Editor Rick Rodriguez. "It kills us that we can't. We still hope they will turn up, but we're presenting the facts as we found them. Obviously, we feel strongly that we should have been able to find these individuals."

[talosiv]

The left coast media gets it's Jayson Blair.

Supposedly, she contributed to projects that won the Pulitzer and other journalism awards while working at other papers.

-R

[devolve]

another fakeroo media creep bumperoo!

Can't get away with that on FreeRepublic.com!



I get occasionally get nailed for dumb errors but never for deliberate misleading or lies -

[bitt]

http://www.csuchico.edu/pub/inside/archive/00_04_20/3.griego.html

Journalism Department Brings Pulitzer Winning Sacramento Bee Columnist to Campus

Diana Griego Erwin, Sacramento Bee columnist, urged young journalists to immerse themselves in the communities they cover. (photo RL)

Invoking awe and inspiration in a roomful of budding journalists, Sacramento Bee columnist Diana Griego Erwin spoke of winning a Pulitzer Prize as a first-year journalist, the importance of investigative journalism, and the need for reporters to immerse themselves in the communities they cover.

Erwin's April 5 presentation was part of a week-long Celebration of Excellence by CSU, Chico's Department of Journalism in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Orion, the university's student-run newspaper.

Erwin's reporting career began as a high school student in Los Angeles. Never aspiring to become a journalist, Erwin joined the school's newspaper staff at the urging of her English teacher. When she began undergraduate work at CSU, Fullerton, she made a beeline for the Daily Titan newsroom.

"Journalism is like quicksand," she said. "Put your foot in it, and good luck getting out."

After graduation, Erwin applied for an internship with the Los Angeles Times. She failed the required intern test, but the editors were impressed by her writing and awarded her the position. During her internship, she wrote several stories that appeared on the front page of the Times' Metro section, but when she applied for a full-time staff position, Erwin was told she needed five to eight more years of experience before they would hire her.

But a Times sports writer saw Erwin's potential, and contacted a colleague at the Denver Post. Erwin was offered the job, although it was not what she was looking for.

Erwin said she realizes, however, that she would not have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize if she had declined the job, because at a larger paper her story idea would have been passed to a more seasoned journalist.

Erwin earned the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service Journalism in 1985 -- an honor almost unheard of for a first-year journalist -- for her work on a series of stories that questioned the contention that thousands of children are abducted by strangers each year.

At the time, Erwin was the self-described "low man on the totem pole" at the Post -- writing the stories that other reporters didn't have time to write. After about two months, she came across a story about a dentist in Boulder, Colorado, who was placing identification chips into the teeth of child patients. The innovation was at the height of the "Stranger Danger" campaign, where it was reported that 1.5 million children are abducted each year -- 15,000 of that number by strangers. That translates to about one child in every classroom.

Erwin wrote the story, then set about confirming the numbers. She called several different agencies, and was quoted different statistics each time. Finally, after being advised to "write around it" by her editor, Erwin contacted the FBI.

The real number was sixty-seven. The gross discrepancy was due to a number of factors, including computer reporting errors. Erwin's discoveries led to a series of stories and eventually the respected award.

After the Post, Erwin was hired as a reporter with the Orange County Register. It was there, at age 29, that she was offered a position as the paper's first female columnist. After attempting her first two columns, Erwin had found her calling.

"I was drawn to writing about people who had no voice, and trusted theirs to me," she said.

In 1994, Erwin joined the Sacramento Bee. She continues to be passionate about writing columns because of the freedom it allows, going beyond traditional reporting by questioning how those involved are affected.

"I encourage you to go out and report on everyday people," she said. "Don't have them as talking heads, but [discover] what is their motivation behind their passion." -- RL

[potlatch]

These are people we should have been able to find,"

Maybe they all left the country, could there possibly be illegal aliens in Mexico? LOL

I am always in wonder of people who lie like that, I would be quivering every moment thinking I would be found out!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[cricket]

"I'm sorry our work with Diana Griego Erwin didn't meet our expectations or yours. Our recent lessons have been painful, but you have my word that we are committed to improving. Nothing means more to us than your trust and readership."

. . .their lessons?

And what about the 'offending liar' ; doing a 'Reality TV' show or what?

No price to pay even to giving up her Pulitzer?

(Libs response, no doubt. . .well; it DOES reflect a reality; coulda/shoulda/woulda happened; had all these characters been real. . .)

[devolve]

Nice coverage bitt!

"These are people we should have been able to find," - Sacramento Bee


"Maybe they all left the country, could there possibly be illegal aliens in Mexico? LOL" -- potlatch


Walter Durante - Stalinista - NYT - Pulitzer

Mz. ?? - WaPo - Pulitizer (ghetto fables)

Diana Griego Erwin - Denver Post - Pulitzer

Senator Teddy Kennedy - Cheated on exams - kicked out of college

Senator Joe Biden - multi-plagiarist!

Senator Hillary Clinton - flunked her DC bar exams!



Jason at the NYT got rooked bigtime!!!!!

[cricket]

" . .I would be quivering every moment thinking I would be found out!"

You might think after Jayson and a few more recent 'outings' of so-called journalists. . .

. . .but sociopaths are tough; and without conscience; they do not quiver.

[potlatch]

You are right, if you have no conscience you become like Hillary!! If anybody says something you just attack them and make them the bad-guy.

[Grampa Dave]

I wonder if she, Mary Mapes and Jayson Blair did some creative ghost writing with the Downing Street Memo?

[lainie]

Was all her fakery done in opinion pieces? Did she ever do any actual investigative journalism?

[devolve]

I imagine the email trails are interesting



Mapes --> Kerry/DNC --> NYT --> Mapes


endless love.....

[birbear]

I never read her columns, but always thought it was a cute photo of her next to her columns.


(No, I really had nothing relevant to add to the thread, I'm just posting to hear myself type.)