A Tale of Two Titles (NYT vs Outside Media)

NYT & LA Daily News | 5-9-03 | cgk

[cgk]

While researching articles on our country's fallen heroes, I came across one article, originally published in the New York Times by one of their own reporters. But I then found that same article, picked up and published in other media outlets carried a slightly different title.

Here is the NYT link Doubt and Death on the Drive to Baghdad, (archived, now), and first paragraph of the article.

Doubt and Death on the Drive to Baghdad

By STEVEN LEE MYERS (NYT)
Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 1 , Column 1

The sandstorm lasted two days, sapping morale and twice turning the setting sun the color of blood. Lt. Col. Steven E. Landis called the slanting and choking sands ''the wrath of Allah.''

Supplies of water and ammunition ran low in these first days of the war as Iraqi fighters launched unexpectedly fierce attacks on troops and supply lines that now stretched nearly 300 miles to the rear.

Here is the same article, as published in the LA Daily News Speeding to Victory. Link provided includes the full published article.:

Speeding to victory

By Steven Lee Myers
The New York Times

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The sandstorm lasted two days, sapping morale and twice turning the setting sun the color of blood. Lt. Col. Steven E. Landis called the slanting and choking sands "the wrath of Allah."

Supplies of water and ammunition ran ominously low in these first days of the war as hundreds of Iraqi fighters launched unexpectedly fierce attacks on troops and supply lines that now stretched nearly 300 miles to the rear.

[cgk]

I am pleased that the L.A. Daily News chose to re-title the article, obviously not wishing to upset the tide of patriotism its readers were riding (and are still riding) during the War.

[cgk]

I can find no other links to the NYT story that haven't expired, but if memory serves, (I read it before when there was a lot of discussion on the anti-War, anti-Bush bias of the NYT), the story in the LA Daily News might be missing a paragraph or two at the end from the original NYT article. If anyone has access to the full article and can answer if this recollection is correct, please let me know. :) I'd be interested in seeing what, if anything, they might have omitted in deciding to use a positive title.

[Tamzee]

I have access to Lexis-Nexis and can probably find the articles tonight... have to run out for an appointment right now, sorry.

I'll try to post the articles or snips later. BTW, how much of a NYT article are we allowed per the FR agreement?

[cgk]

I don't think NYT is covered in the settlement with LAT/WP... Here is where I (didn't) see it. ;)

Related Publications in the LAT/WP vs Free Republic Settlement Agreement, posted by JimRob.

Jim, can we post full text articles from the NYT?

[deport]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/892116/posts

Click the above link for the article from the NYT that was posted on FR back on Apr. 13....

[cgk]

Wow, okay. It looks like they edited more than "one or two paragraphs" from the original NYT article when they published it with that new positive title. Thank you!