Posted on 04/08/2005 4:42:25 PM PDT by churchillbuff
National Society of Newspaper Columnists President Suzette Martinez Standring today called an April 3 column by Mitch Albom "bogus" and an "egregious ethical lapse." Columnists, she added, "do not fabricate events or characters and pawn them off as truth."
In an e-mail to E&P, she also quoted NSNC past president Pete Rowe of The San Diego Union-Tribune as speculating that Albom, "despite the take-time-to-smell-the-roses message of [his best-selling book] 'Tuesdays with Morrie,' is over-committed. He writes columns and books. Last I heard, he was still hosting radio shows and showing up regularly on ESPN. Maybe he's pressed for time and taking shortcuts?"
Meanwhile, Dave Robinson, a deputy managing editor at the Detroit Free Press, where Albom is based, told E&P that the columnist's error was "a serious offense but not a firing offense." And he said the newspaper has firmed up plans to investigate.
Robinson said Albom's mistake -- which involved writing in the past tense about something that hadn't happened yet (and in the end, didn't happen) -- will be investigated by the Free Press in the same way as if it was made by a less-famous staffer. He revealed that the Free Press team investigating the error will include an editor and reporters. "The review will be done quickly but thoroughly," he said. "It won't be finished in a day or two, but it won't be months, either."
The investigation was announced today in a note to readers by Carole Leigh Hutton, publisher and editor of the Free Press. Hutton, who could not be reached for comment, said such a review is standard under the paper's ethics policy and that the results will be reported in the Free Press.
Albom, in a column submitted April 1 for April 3 publication, wrote about something he thought would happen on April 2. Albom had interviewed two NBA players about their plans to get together at last Saturday's NCAA basketball game between Michigan State and North Carolina. Then he wrote in the past tense about their experience at the game. But the two players ended up not attending the game.
The columnist -- author of the current best-seller "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" -- wrote an apology in yesterday's Free Press. His syndicate, Tribune Media Services, attached the apology to an advisory it sent Albom's client newspapers (see E&P article).
In her statement, Standring suggested that early deadline pressure for Sunday papers might have contributed to the episode: "While Albom was wrong to write up early interviews as past-tense facts, what kind of pressure is regularly brought to bear on writers to jump the gun, and keep their fingers crossed that the future unfolds as written?" She added: "Perhaps this practice to beat the clock is more prevalent than newspapers want to admit."
Robinson was the Free Press' sports editor from 1985 to 1993, and oversees sports (as well as other departments) in his current deputy managing editor position. So he has known Albom for about 20 years, and feels the error is very atypical for the columnist. "He's a fine writer and reporter," said Robinson. "He does his homework and talks to tons of people. He's a good person who made a big mistake and owned up to it. The mistake was not malicious -- and not even central to the column. Only a few words would have had to be changed."
Albom, who could not be reached for comment, wrote in his apology that the "thrust" of the column was "about nostalgia and college athletes," but said what he did "was wrong just the same" and won't happen again.
According to Robinson, Albom received more than 50 mostly supportive e-mails after yesterday's apology, with many agreeing the columnist had made a mistake but appreciating his mea culpa. Robinson said e-mails and voice mails sent to the Free Press' public editor and others at the paper were more mixed, with some readers angry and critical
I assume this guy is a Lefty? What has he criticized Bush for?
MSNBC aired his radio show a few years back as they continue to do with Imus and he is definitely on the left and definitely opined on politics.
The guy is a major lefty. He is smug, condescending, arrogant and sanctimonious. He comes on after Rush here so I hear him more than anyone should have to.
Also, he implied in the column that he interviewed them at the game -- another deceit.
"What has he criticized Bush for?"
What hasn't he. Day before yesterday, he was on his usual rant that the Bush Administration wants to destroy the Constitution and take away the whole filibuster process. Of course he doesn't mention anything about how judicial nominations were handled for over 200 years and it was the Dems who had changed the Constitutional intent. He spews the same, tired lib-line that the Dems put out, but always insists he has no real political alignment - that he is an independent thinker. But whenever he speaks of this administration, one hears him rant and can almost imagine the spittle flying from his lips. Albom is a man who constantly proclaims his own virtue and is totally blinded to his bigotry.
"He is, however, dead."
Then....is dead MD4BUSH?
And what about that Gannon character?
LOL
Albom's a gun grabbing leftist. I'm not surprised he made stuff up.
ALBOM!!
...drives me nuts.
WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!
Where in Nell was all this outrage when it was discovered that CBS News already had an Terri Schiavo obituary slanted against the Schindlers in the can waiting for her to starve to death?
KSFO-AM San Francisco -- the station that gave America Michael Savage -- used to have the Mitch Albom show on Saturday afternoon only because he was a favorite of Jack Swanson, the program director, who is a liberal Democrat. He isn't left enough to be on Airhead-Merica, but the last time I heard his show, he was waling away on Christian parents who objected to the witchcraft inherent in Harry Potter books.
Albom's low ratings made it necessary to drop the show, Swanson conceded. FWIW, Swanson is married to KSFO's Melanie Morgan, a strong conservative and an FR lurker.
Big time lefty.From his Mar. 27 column,".....Tom Delay-whose list of ethical violations could fill a church pew....".No violations listed. [Iwonder,could it be because there aren't any?]Just innuendo and character assassination.I e-mailed him about it,never got a reply.Must have been too busy researching the bogus basketball article.
For those of you who have never read the Detroit Free Press, imagine the Minnesota Red-Star Tribune, but at a third-grade writing level.
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