11 Apr 2010
Interesting op-ed from the Times’ Public Editor, Clark Hoyt, on recent editorial snafus attributed to the ever-accelerating news cycle.
There is often going to be a tradeoff between speed and accuracy when it comes to information.
The lessons I take away from the Times’ recent slipups are twofold:
1) We all lead public lives now, so you always have to be thinking about how what you say can be perceived — explicitly including context is critical;
2) The cost of transparency will eventually outweigh the benefits — for both news organizations and news consumers.
The top news organizations like the Times and the Journal have to consider that they built their brands on being definitive sources of accurate — and timely — information. The question is: which is more important?
I’d argue that accuracy is more important most of the time, particularly as digital/social media has suitably filled the immediacy role.
