12/29/2003

Editing the Editorials

The InstaPundit says neither he nor Stefan Sharkansky nor Terry Teachout could remember a newspaper making an editorial correction.

LINK TO POST 

Newspapers want us to read and heed their editorials.

After all, much thought and careful consideration goes into those opinions. Another InstaPundit reader, Linda Seebach, asked an editorial-page listserv. The listservers said that newspapers DO make corrections, but they sometimes appear in the "corrections box" rather than on the editorial page. This seems to show that newspapers want us to consider their opinions, but are less than enthusiastic to show us their mistakes.

InstaPundit, Sharkansky, and Teachout are three well-read, intellegent folks. They probably pay more attention to what they read then an average newspaper consumer. The fact that these three couldn't remember ever seeing an editorial correction says something. I can't remember seeing a editorial correction either.  Most editorial page listserv participants knew that corrections were made because they are probably in the newspaper business.

Are editorial corrections written for newspaper readers or for fellow newspaper editorial writers? Shouldn't corrections be written for readers?

12/15/2003

Liliks on Saddam


James Lileks has come back from his self-imposed exile for a one-off on the capture of Saddam. I don't agree with Lileks all of the time.  Even when I don't agree with him, his writing is shining, excellent, and convincing.
Many have noted that the sight of Saddam looking like Nick Nolte’s mugshot will have a harsh effect on our old seething friend, the Arab Street. They will see him looking like a piss-soaked bum with matted hair and bags under his eyes that look like Kathy Bates’ bosom, and they’ll see the Proud Example brought low, the man who had stood up to America humbled and unmanned.
Ouch! That's an insult to Kathy Bate's bosom. Like all the other web logs say, go read the whole thing.