A Worrisome Trend in Our Online Newspaper

[thisnewday]

In reference to a botched headline, as well as the spate of similar errors we've been seeing in Syracuse.com lately, it truly saddens me to see this happening.

Years ago, we used the local newspaper as a classroom teaching aid. Back then, the paper was regarded as a somewhat objective source of information presented in a reasonably error-free and accessible format. And I still appreciate the Post-Standard for doing what my hometown paper does not: it allows readers to comment without incurring the cost of an online subscription.

But lately, the standards in reporting, editing, and forum monitoring have slipped considerably and it's been painful to see. My first thought was that this might be due to seasonal availability of staff due to vacations, but someone else's suggestion, that it might be a reflection of the sort of staffing cut-backs that have decimated many fine newspapers in recent years, is also a possibility.

For the sake of the community which relies on this paper, as a source of local information and for the free exchange of opinions and ideas, I truly hope it's not the latter...

And, a little later...

The thing is, even a reasonably competent summer intern should be able to look through these comments and make the simple corrections that are suggested here.

In the past, the writers themselves have responded with not only the needed corrections but also a word of thanks to their vigilant readers.

But in recent weeks these errors have become not only more frequent and obvious, but have remained mostly unacknowledged and uncorrected.

And that's worrisome to those of us who still regard the local paper, in its online form, as having an important role in our shared conversation.

LPK
LiveJournal
7.3.2012