Thursday, August 17, 2006
201k Letter to NY Times' "Public Editor" - August 17th
Hello Mr. Calame or Mr. Plambeck;
I'm the editor of the political blog www.201k.com. In the past I've exchanged emails with Mr. Bovino, who was always very helpful.
Today I encountered something odd on the Times online that I hope is simply a mistake. The story "Bombs Aimed at G.I.'s in Iraq Are Increasing" By Michael R. Gordon, Mark Mazzetti and Thom Shanker (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/17/world/middleeast/17military.html) -- which is on the front page of the online Times Thursday, August 17, 2006 at 1:14 PM ET, and which begins with the paragraph:
First, one of them, to an article entitled, "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" now brings a reader to an entirely different article that has nothing to do with Zarqawi. Additionally, a search of the Times for an article entitled "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" returns no results, and a search for "Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" does not find the June 8 article on Zarqawi.
We were hoping to do a comparison of the content of the August 17 article, "Bombs Aimed at G.I.'s in Iraq Are Increasing" and the content of the June 8 article, "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency". Can you tell us what happened to the June 8 analysis, and provide a link to it for our readers? We don't have as many as the Times, but we have a few.
Second, can you provide a link to or transcript of John F. Burn's video report -- also from the front page of June 8 -- entitled, "The Times's Baghdad bureau chief explains the impact of today's announcements in Baghdad." The link for this report, which also no longer works, is: http://www.graphics.nytimes.com/audiosrc/international/20060608_burns.mp3.
Third, we found that the headlines of three other articles on the death of Zarqawi --all from the front page of June 8 -- have changed:
On June 8 the headline of the story at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/08cnd-iraq.html was, "Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq Is Killed." Now it's, "U.S. Strike Hits Insurgent at Safehouse".
The headline of the story on June 8, found at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/07cnd-reaction.html was, "With Note of Caution, Bush Hails Killing of Zarqawi.". Now the headline is, "Bush Cautiously Notes Chance to 'Turn the Tide'".
Similarly, on June 8 the headline of the story at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/08cnd-bush.html was "How the News Spread in the White House." Now it's "After Welcome Piece of News, a Decision to Stay Silent".
Can you tell us when -- and why -- these headlines were changed, and what the Time's policy is on changing headlines after an article has been published online? Can you also tell us whether other changes were made to these articles besides the headlines?
On its face it's somewhat troubling, given the news that the death of Zarqawi has had no effect on the insurgency in Iraq, that of the five stories on his death featured on the front page of the Times on June 8 -- only two and a half months ago -- three have new headlines that lessen the import of Zarqawi, the White House reaction to his death, or both -- and two are seemingly no longer available.
Can you provide some illumination - and links to the missing articles?
As always, this letter will be printed on our website.
Thanks for your attention,
Editor - 201k.com
I'm the editor of the political blog www.201k.com. In the past I've exchanged emails with Mr. Bovino, who was always very helpful.
Today I encountered something odd on the Times online that I hope is simply a mistake. The story "Bombs Aimed at G.I.'s in Iraq Are Increasing" By Michael R. Gordon, Mark Mazzetti and Thom Shanker (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/17/world/middleeast/17military.html) -- which is on the front page of the online Times Thursday, August 17, 2006 at 1:14 PM ET, and which begins with the paragraph:
- "The number of roadside bombs planted in Iraq rose in July to the highest monthly total of the war, offering more evidence that the anti-American insurgency has continued to strengthen despite the killing of the terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi"
First, one of them, to an article entitled, "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" now brings a reader to an entirely different article that has nothing to do with Zarqawi. Additionally, a search of the Times for an article entitled "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" returns no results, and a search for "Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency" does not find the June 8 article on Zarqawi.
We were hoping to do a comparison of the content of the August 17 article, "Bombs Aimed at G.I.'s in Iraq Are Increasing" and the content of the June 8 article, "Analysis: Eliminating a Face of the Insurgency". Can you tell us what happened to the June 8 analysis, and provide a link to it for our readers? We don't have as many as the Times, but we have a few.
Second, can you provide a link to or transcript of John F. Burn's video report -- also from the front page of June 8 -- entitled, "The Times's Baghdad bureau chief explains the impact of today's announcements in Baghdad." The link for this report, which also no longer works, is: http://www.graphics.nytimes.com/audiosrc/international/20060608_burns.mp3.
Third, we found that the headlines of three other articles on the death of Zarqawi --all from the front page of June 8 -- have changed:
On June 8 the headline of the story at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/08cnd-iraq.html was, "Leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq Is Killed." Now it's, "U.S. Strike Hits Insurgent at Safehouse".
The headline of the story on June 8, found at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/07cnd-reaction.html was, "With Note of Caution, Bush Hails Killing of Zarqawi.". Now the headline is, "Bush Cautiously Notes Chance to 'Turn the Tide'".
Similarly, on June 8 the headline of the story at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/world/middleeast/08cnd-bush.html was "How the News Spread in the White House." Now it's "After Welcome Piece of News, a Decision to Stay Silent".
Can you tell us when -- and why -- these headlines were changed, and what the Time's policy is on changing headlines after an article has been published online? Can you also tell us whether other changes were made to these articles besides the headlines?
On its face it's somewhat troubling, given the news that the death of Zarqawi has had no effect on the insurgency in Iraq, that of the five stories on his death featured on the front page of the Times on June 8 -- only two and a half months ago -- three have new headlines that lessen the import of Zarqawi, the White House reaction to his death, or both -- and two are seemingly no longer available.
Can you provide some illumination - and links to the missing articles?
As always, this letter will be printed on our website.
Thanks for your attention,
Editor - 201k.com
