Deseret News Opposes Transparency
Deseret News reporter Bob Bernick laments,
Who are the bloggers attacking Bob and his work? Searches on Technorati and Google Blogsearch reveal surprisingly little discussion about Bob. So, it seems Ric Cantrell mostly sums up Bob’s blogging critics.
What are those bloggers saying about Bob? The bloggers are saying that Bob made up a story aboutUtah
How are those charges “misinformation,” “inaccurate,” or “unfair?” It would be simple for Bob and the D News to contradict these charges. They recorded the editorial board meeting at issue. Open it to public scrutiny. If I’m wrong, I’ve offered to eat my blog. I’ll double down. If I’m wrong about Bob fabricating this story, I’ll donate $100 to the Utah Democratic Party on Bob’s behalf. (Someone please convey this to Bob, since he does NOT read blogs).
So, why the lie in the follow up story? Why the Edwardsian attack on the “inaccurate and unfair blogs?” Bob’s just smarting that his ability to make up news is somewhat checked by people’s enhanced ability to communicate and exchange information for themselves.
This creates an interesting situation. The focus of Bernick’s sworn wrath* – the Utah Legislature – has become much more transparent to the public. Yet, the watchdog doggedly refuses to open itself to public scrutiny, and even castigates the public for daring to question it.
Who are the bloggers attacking Bob and his work? Searches on Technorati and Google Blogsearch reveal surprisingly little discussion about Bob. So, it seems Ric Cantrell mostly sums up Bob’s blogging critics.
What are those bloggers saying about Bob? The bloggers are saying that Bob made up a story about
How are those charges “misinformation,” “inaccurate,” or “unfair?” It would be simple for Bob and the D News to contradict these charges. They recorded the editorial board meeting at issue. Open it to public scrutiny. If I’m wrong, I’ve offered to eat my blog. I’ll double down. If I’m wrong about Bob fabricating this story, I’ll donate $100 to the Utah Democratic Party on Bob’s behalf. (Someone please convey this to Bob, since he does NOT read blogs).
So, why the lie in the follow up story? Why the Edwardsian attack on the “inaccurate and unfair blogs?” Bob’s just smarting that his ability to make up news is somewhat checked by people’s enhanced ability to communicate and exchange information for themselves.
This creates an interesting situation. The focus of Bernick’s sworn wrath* – the Utah Legislature – has become much more transparent to the public. Yet, the watchdog doggedly refuses to open itself to public scrutiny, and even castigates the public for daring to question it.
posted by steve u. at 8/23/2008
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3 Comments:
Steve, your blog has become the best thing on the internet.
Never have I seen a public official have the courage to take on a lying reporter with such force and clarity.
This needs to be done.
And if the story about the "declaration of war" is the same thing I have heard, and if it is true, then the clock has run out on Bernick.
He is a dinosaur -- failing to adapt to the challenges of free media and the blogosphere.
In this day and age an establishment reporter can no longer lie with impunity.
Just ask Dan Rather.
Steve, do you have more details on the wording, timing and delivery on his apology?
2nd Anon.,
The day Bernick's piece ran, I spoke with President Valentine, Sen. Bramble and Ric Cantrell, asking if it was another Bernick fabrication. They verified that it was more of Bernick's, um, work. Bramble and Valentine had talked with D News employees who had been at the meeting, to see if any of them left with the impression that GOP leadership was going to make a run at the referendum process. None had left with that impression, and they agreed that Bernick -- who had not been at the meeting -- made up the story.
The next day, Bernick called President Valentine and apologized, saying that he'd acted unethically in covering a meeting he hadn't attended. He said he'd run a retraction.
As I have explained, he did not run a retraction; instead, he compounded his lie. And, now, despite Bernick and his editors admitting that the story was made up, Bernick uses D News space to criticize the "misinformation" of his "inaccurate" and "unfair" critics.
Keep on plugging away.
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