Replies

Room was full. Here are some things in random order---

Footlick mentioned just how bad Brodhead had looked by not finding out himself what was going on but relying on news reports, etc..

Bilas remarked how important the blogs had been in influencing the story. He gets it. Also remarked that how ridiculous he found it to be when he was on a show with some woman from Detroit who was commenting on the state of race relations in Durham. Bilas is an impressive guy.

Drescher replied with the standard newsie canard that the blogs aren't vetted for accuracy. (Ya'll done laughing yet? - OK then - let's continue.)

Drescher opened his comments by noting that "the N&O broke the story first" (I think it was the Chronicle actually but Darby didn't call him on it) and that how in their very first article which was triggered by the mass DNA test they noted how unusual that was and tried to give the appearance that they were wise to Nifong from the start. He also said that the N&O hadn't really played up the race/money/gender angle much (barf barf gag gag). Was challenged on why N&O had portrayed players as not cooperating with police (e.g. not reporting team captains going down to police station w/o lawyers) and said police and Nifong hadn't told them that but was putting up the idea that the players weren't cooperating. Wanted to be judged on the fact that they had gotten the story right in their later reporting (as if the earlier damaging hysterical reports could now be overlooked.)

Ashley remarked that H-S was embarrassed by getting scooped by N&O and that was trying to play catchup. Mentioned competition between news outlets. Implication was that had driven story quickly and in the wrong direction.

Darby recalled fielding phone calls from NYT asking what was going on (normally the reverse is true) and just what a rumor mill the campus was at that time and how hard it was to track down any facts.

Meadows says she regretted that the three mug shots appeared on the cover of Newsweek and felt that the article for which she was responsible was fair.

Coleman didn't have much to say except toward the end when Drescher was trying to say that early coverage was so one sided because the laxers wouldn't talk to the N&O on the advice of their lawyers and Coleman reminded him that Nifong had said "why would anyone who's not guilty need a lawyer"

One questioner asked (voice breaking) why the panel considered this to be some kind of light-hearted exercise when people's lives had been destroyed and would the media take responsibility for their actions? Uncomfortable squirming and spinning followed. Yes, of course we know that our news reporting has important consequences - blah blah blah.

Except for the one ranting woman mentioned in post above, vocal members of audience were uniformly critical of media handling. I had on my blue "Innocent" wrist band and saw several others. Saw several people with a 3 inch diameter lapel button displaying crossed lax sticks with "Innocent Until Proven Innocent" written on it. Person next to me thought he identified Peter Wood in audience but he said nothing.

One question by Stasio concerned media policy on mentioning name of "rape victim" and he was called down by someone in audience mentioning that in this case no rape had ever been proven and that he needed to say accuser or something else to give the accused benefit of doubt. Each on panel said their media organizations don't identify accusers by name but, surprisingly, thought that policy might/should change because of the aspersions cast on the accused that were hard to defend.

Drescher's body language said "I don't want to be here" and it was fun watching him squirm. Ashley seemed much more comfortable.

Coleman? (can't remember) said it was terrible idea for players to talk to cops w/o lawyers. It was mentioned that Duke had told them to not call their parents and cooperate with police. Dresher and others on the panel seemed unaware of that fact. Footlick shakes head in disbelief. (I'm a little scrambled on this one as several people were talking at once.)

Reporterette from WTVD 11 (had camera crew there) had long rambling incomprehensible question that basically boiled down to, I think, being PO'd that local broadcast media weren't included on panel. She wasted about 10 minutes of the question period with her little speech.

Darby said that while there are some race issues on campus they didn't see that bad to her. Meadows disagreed.

That's all that comes to mind right now. Wanted to nail the N&O guy but there were so many people that wanted to blast him that I didn't get a chance.

Richard Reeves was there. Watch his writings in the next few weeks to see if he has anything to say.

Nice job. It will be interesting to see how the N&O and HS describe their own performances.

Good stuff LB. Thanks a million. Bilas is a stud, and I am sure he gets it. Coleman is a stud too, but I am sure he has been getting an earfull lately.

Your next assignment...an interview with Crystal. I bet you could pull in 6 figures if you could pull it off.

Dang, I wish I was there. You will never hear any of them admit an error or bad reporting -- they know full well that they have libel risk if they admit they got the story wrong. For example, the N&O buried material information. Did they act with malice and in reckless disregard of the truth? Perhaps, but they will never admit they were wrong or mistaken. That will have to be proven in court. Some folks (like Nancy Grace) may have greater exposure because of their way over the top presumptions and now are nervous at how this all turns out. What they will do is pee all over Nifong, so that if they wer edead wrong they will cite Nifong as the reason. THe press is not exactly known for being a bunch of stand up people.

Outstanding work!

It was mentioned that Duke had told them to not call their parents and cooperate with police.

Boy, talk about a classic frame-up.

Folks, if anybody ever tells you or your children that, don't listen. State you will answer questions only with your lawyer present. If you can't afford a lawyer, ask if you are being charged and tell them you want your free lawyer, and keep your mouth shut.

If you don't exercise your Constitutional rights, you have given them up.