An editor at the Courier-Journal misleadingly changed the title of an Indianapolis Star article while taking it upon him or herself to edit a news report on charter schools in Indiana. 
Anyone who reads the Star’s complete original article will realize that, collectively, the comments there much better support the Star’s own headline over the more negative headline the Courier fabricated. Charters in Indiana are starting to show some notable gains over traditional public schools even if the Courier doesn’t want to admit that.
Actually, even the material that survives in Courier’s edited article provides ample information to raise doubts about the Louisville newspaper’s choice of title. This is why I called the Star to find out what was really going on.
I couldn’t believe a competent editor would get a headline so wrong.
The Star’s editor didn’t.
The Courier’s did.
Mr. or Ms. Courier editor, please take your uninformed biases against charter schools to the opinion page, or out of your paper altogether. Whatever you decide, get those biases out of your news reporting section. Kentucky deserves more accurate news coverage than this, especially when the news team on the scene has already come up with a more accurate title.
By the way, the Prichard Committee didn’t read the Courier’s article very carefully, either.
Unless one of our readers tells them, I’ll bet Prichard won’t ever take the time to find out that the real headline for this article and what is actually in the full article tell a rather different story from the biased fallacies about charter schools that the Courier pushes.
Here is the source link for the original Indy Star article (which actually didn’t get posted to their own newspaper’s web site until sometime after it got sent out on the Gannett Newspapers’ wire).
And, this is the link to the Courier’s article.
Select the “print” option in each of these web posts to access the headline versions I show above.
After you read these articles, tell us what you think about the Courier changing the news.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Courier-Journal alters news title to hide charter school advantage
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4 comments:
Wow! Terrific research!
The CJ is not supposed to write editorials about a topic unless they have reported on it first. So, I wonder why they were railing in the editorial section in "JCPS' Rogue Board" about a couple of topics they have completely failed to report.
Richard, they are mess, that's why!
RE: Education Voodoo
Thank you for the comment.
As far as editorials go, I don't know if the Courier has stated the policy you mention or not, but as a privately owned enterprise, I've always felt they can do what they want on the editorial page.
But, if they misrepresent the news, that is another matter.
Read more about the C-J at Gannett Blog: http://gannettblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/louisville-says-its-hiring-up-to-100.html
Louisville is going to be a hub for Indy soon. Look out for more doctored headlines and biased reporting.
The Gannett Blogger used to work for Gannett (including the C-J!) so he has a lot of interesting posts about inside operations. Lots of disgruntled Gannett employees chime in, too. I'm sure you've probably seen it - but if you haven't, have fun!! Lots of goodies there.
RE: Education Voodoo on March 9, 2011 5:56 PM
Wow! I had no idea that the news for the Cincinnati Enquirer now might be massaged by people at the Courier. Wait until folks in N. KY hear about that!
Great find, EdVoodoo!
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