PRESS RELEASE Feb. 12, 2000
The Washington News Council today upheld a complaint by Bernard Friedman of Olympia against The Olympian newspaper.
In its first public hearing on a formal complaint by a citizen against a media organization, the News Council voted 9 to 6 to uphold the complaint.
The News Council addressed these questions: “Is The Olympian’s editorial factually inaccurate, failing to include balancing facts or information? Was the paper therefore unfair or misleading in its description of Mr. Friedman’s behavior at the city council meeting, which the editorial cited in endorsing Mr. Friedman’s opponent?”
Friedman’s complaint concerned an Oct. 21, 1999, editorial that endorsed incumbent Mark Foutch over challenger Friedman in a race for Olympia City Council. Friedman contended that the editorial inaccurately reported Friedman’s behavior at an Aug. 10, 1999, City Council meeting.
In his complaint to the News Council, Friedman stated that the editorial was “factually inaccurate,” “misleading,” “inflammatory,” “unfair” and that it “wrongly damaged his reputation.”
The hearing was presided over by Robert Utter, Chairman of the News Council and former Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. The hearing began with Utter playing an audiotape of the Aug. 10 City Council meeting. Friedman then outlined his complaint, providing written statements for the record and calling two witnesses to speak on his behalf.
The Olympian declined to participate in the hearing, but Justice Utter read into the record two letters from Executive Editor Vickie Kilgore defending the editorial and the newspaper’s endorsement process. News Council members then asked questions and deliberated in public before voting. The News Council’s criteria included Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms issued by Gannett Newspapers, owners of The Olympian. They state: “We will hold factual information in opinion columns and editorials to the same standards of accuracy as news stories.”
“Our first public hearing demonstrated that this process supports thoughtful deliberation and inquiry into issues regarding fairness, accuracy and balance in the media,” said R.Y. Woodhouse, President of the News Council.
A videotape of the hearing, and a written summary of the proceedings, will be available soon. (Call 206-262-9793 for details.)
PRESS RELEASE Jan. 20, 2000
The Washington News Council has scheduled a public hearing on its first formal complaint by a citizen about a media organization.
The hearing will be Saturday, Feb. 12, from 9 am to 12 noon at CavanaughĂs at Capitol Lake in Olympia. The news media and public are invited to attend. The hearing will be broadcast statewide by TVW.
The complaint is by Bernard Friedman against The Olympian. It concerns an Oct. 21, 1999, editorial that endorsed incumbent Mark Foutch over challenger Friedman in a race for the Olympia City Council.
In his complaint to the News Council, Friedman states that the editorial was ¦factually inaccurate,˛ ¦misleading,˛ ¦inflammatory,˛ ¦unfair˛ and ¦wrongly damaged his reputation.˛
The Olympian stands by its editorial. In a letter to the News Council, Executive Editor Vickie Kilgore called the editorial ¦accurate and balanced.˛ The Olympian has so far declined to participate in the hearing, although the Council still hopes the newspaper will take part.
The Council will consider these questions: "Is The Olympian's editorial factually inaccurate, failing to include balancing facts or information? Was the paper therefore unfair or misleading in its description of Mr. Friedman's behavior at the city council meeting, which the editorial cited in endorsing Mr. Friedman's opponent?"
The Council hearing provides an opportunity for the two parties to make their cases in an open public forum. The Council will consider both sidesĂ positions, ask questions and deliberate openly, then vote on whether or not to uphold the complaint. Council Chairman Robert Utter, former Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, will preside over the hearing.
The Washington News Council consists of 22 members, half with media background and half from the general public. The Council also sponsors public forums, student mock hearings, and maintains a website. It is modeled after the Minnesota News Council, which is 30 years old.