MORE HEADS ROLL IN RADIO LOAN SCANDAL (Air America Fraud Update)

Just sent my email to the old (ugly) grey lady...

Byron Calame
public@nytimes.com
Phone: (212) 556-7652

Address: Public Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036-3959

Dear Editor:

Why is your paper not reporting the news re: Air America and the "loans" it received from the Gloria Wise Cluib? The public is waiting for your paper to produce coverage of this on-going investigation. Journalism should be fair and balanced...can the old grey lady measure up to that very simple "Journalism 101" standard?

On another subject that I know is so near and dear to your ethical standards: Why are you not reporting this little tidbit?

Iraqi civilians took unusual action to protect coalition forces
American Forces Press Service ^ | August 9, 2005 | Compiled from Task Force Baghdad and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

In Baghdad, Iraqi civilians took unusual action to protect coalition forces after a car-bomb attack Aug. 6.

After U.S. medics treated the wounded at the scene in the Sumer al Ghadier District, local residents constructed a hasty barricade with trees, bricks and anything else available to protect the soldiers from additional danger.

"This is the first time that I can remember where Iraqi civilians actually built a barrier to protect my soldiers," U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steven Merkel, commander of 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, said. "The soldiers are still talking about the helpful actions of the local community and have asked to go back to the neighborhood to thank those responsible."

Capt. David Ahl, 1-9 FA information operations officer, said, "It became very obvious that the Iraqi people are tired of terrorist activity. When I saw them putting up barricades to protect us after the (car bomb) exploded, I knew right then that the days of terrorist activity are counting down fast."

The Baghdad citizens not only helped to physically protect the soldiers, but also were forthcoming with valuable information about the area, which led to the apprehension of a man suspected of involvement in a previous car-bomb attack.

"The continued commitment of the Iraqi people to help their Iraqi security forces and coalition forces demonstrates, more than ever, that they are growing increasingly intolerant of the violence brought on by the terrorists and more eager to play a positive role in the future of Iraq," Merkel said.

(Compiled from Task Force Baghdad and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Your journalistic standards are blatant. As an on-line reader, (as one of many on-line readers), I scour the internet news sites for, get ready for it......NEWS...unbiased news. If I can find this information, than your paper should be able to do so.

Simple Suggestion: REPORT ALL NEWS. Your readers are demanding it.

Respectfully,

jp3

Here's the message I sent:

	From: 	  < my e-mail address >
	Subject: 	Gloria Wise story
	Date: 	August 11, 2005 9:45:00 AM EDT
	To: 	  public@nytimes.com

Can you point me to the Times' coverage of the 
Gloria Wise / Air America situation?

I was sure that the Times would be interested in a 
Bronx organization illegally funneling taxpayer
money to a leftist political organization, but I cannot
find anything on your site about it.  Now that the
executive director and two assistant E.D.s have fled,
I would think that you would be even more interested.

But I cannot find any stories regarding this - it's almost
as if you were deliberately ignoring the story.

< my name >

We'll see...

I got back a form message:

From:   public@nytimes.com
Date: August 11, 2005 10:23:15 AM EDT
To:   < my e-mail address >

Thank you for your comments. Everything sent to this mailbox is read by
either me or my associate, Joseph Plambeck. If a further reply is
appropriate, you will be hearing from us shortly.

Don't forget, when referring to a specific article please include its date,
section and headline.

If you do not wish your message to be published or relayed to other editors
and reporters, be sure to let us know.

-- Byron Calame
    Public Editor

The Public Editor's web page is available at the following link:

http://www.nytimes.com/top/opinion/thepubliceditor/index.html

Byron Calame's web journal can be accessed at:
www.nytimes.com/byroncalame

---- I'm sure the next message will be thanking me for reporting this amazing story to them - they'll get right on it!

I got an answer from NYT:

	From: 	  public@nytimes.com
	Subject: 	8/19 RE: Air America
	Date: 	August 19, 2005 12:06:58 PM EDT
	To: 	  < my e-mail address >

Dear Reader,

Thanks for writing to us about the paper's coverage of Air America. Just so
you know, Mr. Calame addressed this issue Wednesday on his Web journal,
nytimes.com/byroncalame.

Sincerely,
Joe Plambeck
Office of the Public Editor
The New York Times

Note:  The public editor's opinions are his own and do not represent those
of The New York Times.

My original letter was Thursday 8/11.

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