WASHINGTON NEWS COUNCIL'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 1999-2006

COMPLAINTS

For complaint details click here.

Received 22 formal complaints against media organizations, with following results:

1. King County Sheriff Sue Rahr's Office vs. Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- COMPLAINT UPHELD AT HEARING (On eight of 11 questions at Hearing in Seattle on Oct. 21, 2006. See Home Page for complete details.)

2. Steve Eugster vs Spokane Spokesman-Review -- DENIED (Complainant not named or alluded to in stories)

3. Joseph de Beauchamp vs. the Puget Sound Business Journal -- DISMISSED, then RESOLVED with WNC's assistance to complainant's satisfaction.

4. Three Gold Bar residents vs. www.ittakesgrit.org -- DENIED (Did not meet WNC guidelines.)

5. Sonya Zalubowski vs. The (Vancouver) Columbian -- DENIED (Complaint concerned an editorial opinion column, not factual inaccuracies.)

6. Washington State Beef Commission, Washington Dairy Products Commission, and Midway Meats Inc. vs. KIRO-TV -- COMPLAINT UPHELD AT HEARING (On eight of nine questions at Hearing in Seattle on June 14, 2003.)

7. Washington Arms Collectors vs. KIRO-TV -- DENIED (Complainant not named or alluded to in broadcast.)

8. Heidi Collins vs. The Valley View -- DENIED (Complainant not named in story.)

9. Des Moines Chamber of Commerce vs. Highline Times/Des Moines News -- COMPLAINT RESOLVED. (News Council successfully mediated between parties.)

10. Soap Lake Resident vs. The Seattle Times -- DENIED (Complainant asked to remain anonymous.)

11. Charles Seablom vs. KIRO-TV -- DENIED (Complainant not named or alluded to in broadcast.)

12. Richard Benjamin vs. Robinson Newspapers -- DENIED (Complaint concerned verbal remark, not published materials.)

13. Joseph Coomer vs. The Seattle Times -- DENIED (Complainant not named or alluded to in stories.)

14. Joseph Coomer vs. Highline Times -- DENIED (Complainant not named or alluded to in stories.)

15. Hubert Locke vs. The Seattle Times -- COMPLAINT NOT UPHELD AT HEARING (On three questions at Hearing in Seattle, Oct. 13, 2001).

16. Naval Avenue Neighborhood Council vs. The Bremerton Sun -- DENIED (Complainants completed complaint forms but did not finish documentation.)

17. Edward Shaffer vs. The Bellingham Herald -- COMPLAINT RESOLVED (Complaint withdrawn after newspaper ran correction and issued apology to complainant.)

18. Jim Weber vs. The Olympian -- DENIED (Complainant did not comply with WNC procedures and guidelines.)

19. Michael Morgan vs. Seattle Gay News -- DENIED (Complaint accepted and hearing scheduled, but cancelled when follow-up story was revealed.)

20. Glenn Ledbetter vs. The Seattle Times -- COMPLAINT RESOLVED (After complaint was filed, follow-up story and letter-to-the editor were published, so complaint was withdrawn.)

21. Mick Sheldon vs. North Kitsap Herald -- DENIED (Insufficient grounds)

22. Bernard Friedman vs. The Olympian -- COMPLAINT UPHELD AT HEARING (By 9-6 vote of News Council at Hearing in Olympia, Feb. 12, 2000.)

PUBLIC FORUMS

Held 15 public forums with panels of journalists and citizens on media issues:

"What Does Freedom of Speech Really Mean for Students" -- Feb. 3, 2007 (with Tacoma News Tribune and Washington Journalism Education Association)

"Spokane Spokesman-Review's Coverage of Mayor Jim West" -- Feb. 8, 2006

"Breaking News: The State of Today's Information Media" (with Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council) -- Six-week long series of forums from Feb. 27 to April 2, 2004

"The Media and the War" (with Seattle Media Forum) -- April 22, 2003

"Media Coverage of the War on Terrorism" (with World Affairs Council) -- Feb. 25, 2002

"The News Media During Wartime" -- Oct. 1, 2001

"The Elements of Journalism" (with Bill Kovach & Tom Rosensteil) -- July 18, 2001

"News Media Coverage of 'Fat Tuesday'" -- March 20, 2001

"Increasing Minority Access to the New Media" -- July 8, 1999

"The News Media and School Violence" -- May 13, 1999

STUDENT MOCK HEARINGS

Held 24 student mock news council hearings with journalism classes statewide:

Bainbridge Island High School - 2004

Central Washington University, Ellensburg - 2006, 2005, 1999

Eastern Washington University, Spokane - 2004

Everett Community College, Everett - 2005, 2004, 2002

Gonzaga University, Spokane - 2005, 2004, 2003

Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma - 2006, 2000, 1999

Seattle University, Seattle - 2005, 2002

University of Washington, Seattle - 2000

Washington State University, Pullman - 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000

Whitworth College, Spokane - 2005, 2004, 2001

GRIDIRON WEST DINNERS

Held 7 successful events to "toast" journalists, politicians and civic leaders:

Nov. 9 and 11, 2006 -- Tom Foley and Slade Gorton

Nov. 9, 2005 - Bill Gates Sr. and Mimi Gardner Gates

Nov. 5, 2004 - Gary Locke and Jennifer Dunn

Nov. 7, 2003 - Jim Ellis and John Ellis

Nov. 9, 2002 - Jean Enersen, Kathi Goertzen and Susan Hutchison

Nov. 11, 2000 - Emmett Watson

Nov. 12, 1999 - Adele Ferguson, Dick Larsen, Mike Layton, Shelby Scates

DICK LARSEN/HERB ROBINSON SCHOLARSHIPS

Raised more than $20,000 for scholarship fund and awarded 9 scholarships:

Kacie McKinney, Western Washington University (2006)

Byron Edelman, Washington State University (2006)

Steffany Bell, University of Washington (2005)

Sara Butler, Eastern Washington University (2005)

Michelle de Beauchamp, Pacific Lutheran University (2004)
Sarah McGuire, Washington State University (2004)
Mary Andom, Western Washington University (2003)
Hazen Hyland, Pacific Lutheran University (2003)
Sarah McGuire, Washington State University (2002)
Steven Friederich, University of Washington (2002)
Chris Chancellor, Washington State University (2001)
Adam Faber, University of Washington (2001)
Cynthia Jones, University of Washington (2000)

PUBLIC-OPINION SURVEY

Conducted and published results of statewide survey on "Citizen Views of Local Media":

Survey done in 2001 by Elway Research Inc. and co-sponsored by the University of Washington's Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. (Copies available on request.)