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Contact us: Fax: 206-464-7902 info@wanewscouncil.org
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OUR MISSION: To help maintain public trust and confidence in the news media by promoting fairness, accuracy and balance, and by creating a forum where the public and the news media can engage each other in examining standards of journalistic fairness and accountability. •••••••••••••• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 2, 2010 WNC Elects New Officers, Restructures Board, Wins Gates Grant The Washington News Council (www.wanewscouncil.org) has elected five new officers to serve on its Board of Directors for 2010:
Chair: Suzie Burke, President of Fremont Dock Company
These officers will constitute an Executive Committee of the WNC’s Board of Directors and oversee strategy, development and governance. In addition, a WNC Hearings Council, made up of current Board Members and Board Members Emeritus, will review complaints and convene when complaint hearings become necessary.
Hearings Council Chair: Karen Seinfeld, Former Presiding Chief Judge, Washington State Court of Appeals (re-elected to current position) All members of the Board of Directors and the Hearings Council are eligible to serve on committees, including Complaints, Development, Education, Nominating, Publicity or any other ad hoc committees. The WNC recently was awarded a $100,000 challenge grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, after matching it with $100,000 in donations from other donors. (See below for details.) The WNC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible. CONTACT: John Hamer, jhamer@wanewscouncil.org , 206.262.9793 ••••••••••••••
To read WNC Executive Director John Hamer's blog on the "TAO of Journalism Seal"-- A Commitment to Transparency, Accountability and Openness, CLICK HERE. •••••••••••••• To watch WNC Executive Director John Hamer's interview on Comcast Newsmakers, CLICK HERE. •••••••••••••• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 20, 2010 The Washington News Council successfully raised $100,000 in matching donations, pledges and in-kind contributions by Jan. 15, triggering payment of a $100,000 challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The WNC would like to thank all those who donated or pledged to help us meet this extraordinary challenge:
If the WNC raises an additional $100,000 in donations and pledges this year, and meets the terms of the grant agreement, the Gates Foundation will award another $100,000 matching grant in 2011. The WNC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to promote fairness, accuracy, balance, accountability and ethics in the news media. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate online at www.wanewscouncil.org, call 206-262-9793 to donate or pledge, or mail checks to WNC, P.O. Box 3672, Seattle WA 98124-3672. CONTACT: John Hamer, WNC Executive Director, 2026.262.9793
•••••••••••••• WNC Seeks Part-time Project Manager At the Journalism That Matters "Re-imagining News & Community in the Pacific Northwest" event held at the University of Washington (Jan. 7-10) the following WNC Job Opening was posted. Inquiries welcome. JOB OPENING: PROJECT MANAGER, WASHINGTON NEWS COUNCIL 2. What is the WNC’s most effective role in this state and region? 3. Do the news media need an “outside ombudsman”? Why? 4. What media ethics, values and standards should be promoted? 5. How can these best be encouraged in the new online media? 6. How can an independent citizens group most help journalism?
•••••••••••••• To read WNC Executive Director John Hamer's op-ed piece in The Seattle Times (Jan. 5), CLICK HERE ••••••••••••••
2009 GRIDIRON WEST DINNER A SMASHING SUCCESS! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON TVW
Rave reviews are still coming in for the Washington News Council's 11th Annual Gridiron West Dinner, which was held Saturday night, Sept. 12, at Fremont Studios. Many attendees said it was the best event they've been to in years. CLICK HERE TO READ COMMENTS & KUDOS Our "toast/roast" of Suzie Burke, president of the WNC's board of directors and owner of Fremont Dock Company, was a fun-filled evening of song, comedy, costumes, and funny but affectionate tributes to our "toastee." NOTE: The event was filmed by TVW. See www.tvw.org for broadcast schedule. (First showing: Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 10:30 pm on Channel 23). Special thanks to all of this year's table sponsors, including: Thanks, too, to all those who bought individual tickets for themselves, friends and colleagues, and helped fill tables. Mike Egan, Master of Ceremonies, began the evening by welcoming guests. Father Peter Ely, Vice President of Seattle University, gave a moving invocation. Sue Nixon, a well-known Seattle jazz singer, sang the national anthem beautifully. WNC Executive Director John Hamer and Acting Treasurer David Schaefer recognized past Gridiron West Dinner honorees who were there (Mike Lowry, Slade Gorton and Kemper Freeman Jr.), thanked table sponsors and introduced a video explaining the News Council's mission. After a delicious dinner catered by Kaspar's with wine from Columbia Winery, Honorary Chair Kemper Freeman Jr. (last year's "toastee") welcomed the crowd and listed some colorful words that have been used to describe Suzie. He was followed by a personal video done by Ken Jones that chronicled Suzie Burke's family history. The Cabaret Productions Singers, arranged by Jim Anderson and David Koch, sang a medley of songs including "Suzie B" and "Shake Up, Little Suzie," followed by the Washington News Council "Glee Club" (i.e., board of directors), who sang "If You Knew Suzie, Like We Know Suzie, Oh, Oh, Oh, What a Gal!" Other songs by the Cabaret Productions Singers included "Fremont, Fremont" (to the tune of "New York, New York"), "Me and My Landlord Suzie" (to the tune of "Me and Bobby McGee"), and "The Lady is a Champ" (to the tune of "The Lady is a Tramp"). CLICK HERE FOR LYRICS . Emcee Mike Egan, dressed in a Russian Army officer's uniform, did a side-splitting slide show "revealing" that Suzie Burke was actually a KGB agent who had been assigned by the Kremlin to spy on Seattle by posing undercover as a Republican in Fremont! Later in the program, Egan appeared as a Fremont "nude bicyclist" and rode around the stage to uproarious laughter from the crowd. "Toasters" of Suzie included Rob McKenna, Washington State Attorney General, and Tom Carr, Seattle City Attorney, followed by Stan Emert, Symetra Community Affairs Director, and Liz Swift, Principal of Holy Names Academy. Seattle comedian Pat Cashman "toasted" Suzie before conducting a mini-auction of 5 items. Cashman's routine was hilarious, highlighted by a surprise demonstration of his electric nose-hair trimmer. Reagan Dunn, King County Councilman, brought the house down with his line: "What do Sarah Palin and Suzie Burke have in common? They can both see Communists from their front yards." Table centerpieces were wooden replicas of the famous "Fremont Guidepost," made by Westlake Woodworks. Raffle prizes went to those who bought Suzie Burke "Bobbleheads" as raffle tickets, with the winners drawn by Kurt and Amina Kapasuzoglu, two of Suzie's grandchildren. Suzie's three children -- Gwen Kapasuzoglu, Mike Osterfeld and Kirby Lindsay -- "toasted" their mother with affectionate stories and anecdotes. They were joined onstage by spouses and other family members. Suzie's final "response" to her toasters was funny and feisty -- no surprise to those who know and love her. A video of Eddie Cantor singing "If You Knew Suzie" ended the evening's program. An After Party in The Village at Fremont Studios featured champagne and delicious chocolates donated by Theo's Chocolates. An open mic was provided for friends to offer more "toasts" to Suzie. Festivities went on until midnight. Special thanks to Mike Egan of Microsoft, Jim Anderson of Cabaret Productions, and Scott Jonas of Fremont Studios for making this event such a big success. And to Monica Tracey, event planner, and Kathy Schrier, WNC executive assistant, for making the event possible.
••••••••••• WNC AWARDS TWO $2,000 SCHOLARSHIPS
Chantal Anderson (left) and Sarah Reyes (right), 2009 WNC Scholarship winners SEATTLE – The Washington News Council has awarded two $2,000 scholarships to Washington state students planning careers in communications. The scholarships are named after Dick Larsen and Herb Robinson, both former editors at The Seattle Times.
The 2009 WNC Dick Larsen Scholarship winner is:
CHANTAL ANDERSON, 20, a senior at the University of Washington who is majoring in journalism and international studies with a minor in Spanish. Chantal was a reporter intern for The Seattle Times in Olympia during the 2009 Legislature. She also is on the staff of The U.W. Daily, and has been a reporter intern for Real Change, a nonprofit weekly newspaper. She is secretary of the U.W. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and also runs a wedding photography business. In an essay accompanying her scholarship application, Chantal wrote:
“The convergence of print and online journalism has redefined the way reporters and readers interpret and define ethics today. The new mantra of newsrooms to churn out stories at high speeds, mixed with emerging professional and personal blogs, has created an upsurge of content on the net. These new forms of media have blurred ethical ideas…. I believe honoring ethical standards has become more challenging for professional journalists in the digital age.”
The 2009 Herb Robinson Scholarship winner is: SARAH REYES, 18, who just graduated from Rogers High School in Spokane and will enter Washington State University in the fall. She plans to study at the Edward R. Murrow College of Journalism. Sarah maintained a 4.0 GPA through high school while taking AP courses in English and history. She was a member of the National Honor Society and a valedictorian. She was also a writer and copy editor for The VOX, a student newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, and worked as an intern at The Spokesman. In an essay accompanying her application, Sarah wrote:
“In today’s world of media and technology, it seems that anyone can get away with saying anything….The First Amendment is something that we as Americans should truly cherish. There are journalists killed around the world for talking about topics that come as second nature to journalists in the United States. We need to use it to our advantage and make sure that it is not abused because nothing is certain and this is a right that might not be around forever.”
Scholarships are funded by donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. Since 2000, the WNC has awarded 20 scholarships with a total value of $25,000. CONTACT: John Hamer, Executive Director, 206.262.9793 (info@wanewscouncil.org) ••••••••••• "Alone at the Press Table" by WNC Executive Director John Hamer was posted at Crosscut.com, a widely read news/commentary site. It received lots of reader comments. To read the story/comments, CLICK HERE It is also on the WA News Blog page. Comments welcome! ••••••••••• The Washington News Council has responded to the Society of Professional Journalists' national Ethics Committee's critique of our "virtual hearing" in the Sam Reed vs. KIRO Eyewitness News case. CLICK HERE to read the SPJ statement and our detailed response. We have invited the Ethics Committee to engage in a continuing online discussion of the issues raised here, and will post their response on this site. "Let the public help guide journalism ethics" is the title of an excellent column (CLICK HERE) by Professor Stephen Ward, who heads the Center for Ethical Journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ward praises the WNC's recent "virtual hearing" and chides the Society of Professional Journalists' ethics committee for its critical statement. •••••••••• "The TAO of Journalism" by WNC Executive Director John Hamer was posted on Jim Romenesko's widely read media news/commentary site. To get to it CLICK HERE OR just open the WA News Council Blog page on this site. Feedback welcome! •••••••••• WNC’S “VIRTUAL HEARING” RESULTS ARE IN!
Nov. 3 story on deceased
voters: Oct. 15 story on felon voters:
Public Votes in “Virtual Hearing” on Sam Reed vs. KIRO7 Complaint In an unprecedented “virtual hearing,” dozens of people voted and commented as part of a Citizens Online News Council on a formal written complaint from Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed against KIRO7 Eyewitness News. The votes were largely critical of KIRO7 and upheld Secretary Reed’s complaint. Of nearly 100 people who voted online, only a few defended KIRO. The rest supported Reed’s position. A key part of the Washington News Council’s mission is to encourage citizen participation in public discussion of media ethics and accountability. This online vote advances that goal. The WNC invited citizens to vote on the questions that the full News Council would have considered had this case gone to a hearing. (For a full list of the questions, total votes and collected comments, plus complete background information, see www.wanewscouncil.org.) The voting deadline was April 30, 2009, during national “Media Ethics Week” sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. Votes came from statewide, with a few from other states. Some votes were from journalists. Most voters added comments. Examples: “KIRO TV’s News Director,
Reporter, and General Manager should come clean and be a good example
by admitting that a journalist made a mistake.” “KIRO was clearly cautioned about
checking its facts, but seemed more driven by getting a sensational story
than by being accurate.” “This case deserves coverage
in media journals to show how careless coverage easily misleads.” “KIRO ignored much of the factual
information presented in the meetings with the Secretary of State and
reported only what they wanted to report to make the story more inflammatory.” “I would say that the damage was done to the state – and
the democracy in which we live.” When Reed filed his complaint with the Washington News Council, he contended that two KIRO stories aired last fall were “factually incorrect, incomplete, misleading, sensationalized, inflammatory and unfair.” Reed and his staff had previously asked KIRO to air corrections and remove the stories from its website. When KIRO declined, Reed turned to the WNC. The WNC accepted Reed’s complaint and hand-delivered it to KIRO. After they received the complaint, KIRO top management met with Reed and his staff in Olympia. They still refused to air corrections, but offered to remove the stories from their website if Reed agreed not inform the News Council or the public. Reed declined that offer. Later, KIRO removed the stories without informing Reed or the WNC, and without admitting any inaccuracies. Reed decided not to seek a public WNC hearing, so an online “virtual hearing” was proposed to hear citizens’ views. The WNC invited KIRO to respond
to Reed’s
complaint, but the station did not return phone calls or emails, or answer
a letter that accompanied the complaint. If KIRO responds at any time to the voting results and comments,
we will post the full response on our website. •••••••••• WHAT DO YOU THINK? PLEASE VOTE BY APRIL 30 (the end of national "Media Ethics Week" sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists) We had a formal complaint from Washington's Secretary of State, Sam Reed, against KIRO7 Eyewitness News (CBS affiliate in Seattle). We invited KIRO to comment, but they did not respond to repeated letters, phone calls or emails. (NOTE: If KIRO responds, we'll post their response HERE.)
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLAINT and SAM REED'S LETTER TO THE WASHINGTON NEWS COUNCIL. The complaint concerned two stories aired on KIRO (Oct. 15 and Nov. 3, 2008) about alleged voting violations. CLICK HERE TO VIEW/READ KIRO'S
STORIES
Oct. 15 story on felon voters: In his written complaint, Reed contended that the stories were "factually incorrect, incomplete, misleading, sensationalized, inflammatory and unfair." However, Reed and his office staff decided NOT to ask for a full News Council hearing on this complaint. In an email to the WNC, they stated: "After several conversations as part
of the News Council negotiating period, KIRO eventually agreed to
pull down their stories from the Web site if we would muzzle ourselves
and not inform the News Council of the nature of this accommodation.
This we cannot agree to, since this leaves KIRO offering very little
and conceding nothing. True: We cannot order KIRO to do anything. However, we invite members of the public to view or read the stories and to read Sam Reed's complaint and letter. We also invite members of the public to vote on the Draft Questions that the News Council would have voted on IF this case had gone to a WNC hearing. In other words, we're inviting you to be members of a "Citizens Online News Council" and render a public verdict on the merits of this complaint. Call it a "virtual hearing." CLICK HERE TO READ DRAFT QUESTIONS Your votes, comments and feedback will be helpful to the WNC, to Sam Reed's office, and (we hope) to KIRO7. CLICK HERE TO COMMENT. Thank you! •••••••••• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Feb. 27, 2009) KIRO7 Eyewitness News Removes Two Stories
from Website After SEATTLE – After Secretary of State Sam Reed filed a formal written complaint with the Washington News Council, KIRO7 Eyewitness News removed two disputed stories from its website. In his complaint, Reed contended that two KIRO stories were “factually incorrect, incomplete, misleading, sensationalized, inflammatory, and unfair.” He said the stories “wrongly damaged” his office and “failed to include balancing facts or information.” Reed contacted KIRO and objected to the stories after they aired last fall, but KIRO did not respond. Reed filed a complaint in December 2008 with the Washington News Council, an independent organization dedicated to media accuracy and fairness. Although its findings carry no legal sanctions or other penalties, the News Council, a 501c3 nonprofit group, does hold public hearings about news coverage that is in dispute. After the complaint was delivered to KIRO, station executives asked to meet with Reed in Olympia. Reed said that was a direct result of his filing a complaint with the WNC. Initially, they stood by their stories and refused to run any corrections or to remove the stories from KIRO’s website. Then they offered to remove the stories if Reed would agree not to inform the News Council or the public – but Reed refused that request. KIRO finally took the stories off its website without notifying Reed or the Council. The first story, which ran on Oct. 15, 2008, alleged that although convicted felons are not allowed to vote, about 24,000 felons had been issued ballots and at least 6,800 got ballots to vote in the 2008 fall elections. KIRO reporter Chris Halsne interviewed a woman who supposedly was a convicted felon but had voted anyway. The second story, which ran on Nov. 3, 2008, alleged that more than 100 dead voters were still on Washington’s active voter rolls, with 15 of them actually casting “ghost” ballots. Halsne interviewed the widow of a man who supposedly had “voted” although he’d been dead since 1996. After the stories ran, the Secretary of State’s office said it was deluged with angry phone calls and emails from citizens who had seen the stories. However, Reed contended that the stories were false and contained numerous errors, such as:
In a 10-page letter to the WNC detailing his complaint, and cc’d to KIRO, Reed wrote: “[W]e were distressed when Chris Halsne, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter, aired two election-related news stories that fell far short of the most basic standards of journalism for accuracy, balance and fairness. This occurred despite our repeated efforts to correct some of his assumptions and methodology and errors before he aired his reports. To have someone purposely proceed with incorrect and misleading information after all of this was just unconscionable and had the negative effect of undermining trust and confidence in our elections process.” Along with his written complaint, Reed signed the WNC’s waiver form, pledging that he would not sue KIRO7. The News Council’s process is an alternative to litigation. The News Council hand-delivered Reed’s written complaint, letter and waiver form to KIRO on Dec. 31, 2008, and asked for a written response from KIRO within 10 days. KIRO did not respond to that request, and did not return repeated WNC calls or emails. However, KIRO General Manager Eric Lerner called Sam Reed’s office to schedule a meeting. Lerner, along with News Director Todd Mokhtari, Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne, and Producer Bill Benson, drove to Olympia on Jan. 21, 2009. At that meeting, Reed and his staff detailed what they called serious inaccuracies in Halsne’s two stories. According to Dave Ammons, Reed’s communications director and former Associated Press political writer and columnist in Olympia, the KIRO delegation listened, let Halsne defend his stories, and then declared that they would not run corrections or clarifications, nor would they remove the stories from the KIRO website. Reed and state Elections Director Nick Handy were disappointed, according to Ammons. In an email to KIRO, Reed said: “We continue to believe that, at the least, KIRO should remove these stories from the KIRO website. Whether KIRO chooses to take other action is a matter to be determined by KIRO’s own journalistic standards.” The News Council then prepared to hold a public hearing, broadcast by TVW, at which the WNC board would publicly discuss and vote openly on the merits of the complaint. However, on Feb. 17, Sam Reed asked that the hearing not go forward. He wrote: “After much careful consideration, we at the Secretary of State’s Office have reluctantly decided not to pursue our complaint against KIRO-TV to the full hearing stage. “We remain convinced that we presented a compelling argument, both in our written Washington News Council submission and in direct conversations with KIRO-TV management and staff, that significant errors in fact and in tone were made in two special reports by reporter Chris Halsne…. “We asked for clarification, for corrections, and for the incorrect and overblown stories to be taken down from the KIRO website, and got zero acknowledgement that anything was amiss or that the journalistic standards required more than a dismissive brush-off of the state’s chief elections officer…. “After several conversations as part of the News Council negotiating period, KIRO eventually agreed to pull down their stories from the Web site if we would muzzle ourselves and not inform the News Council of the nature of this accommodation. This we cannot agree to, since this leaves KIRO offering very little and conceding nothing. “At the same time, we weary of this frustrating battle and the countless man-hours devoted to researching chapter and verse of this sorry episode, and we see little value in continuing to bang our head against the wall, knowing that KIRO will boycott the proceedings and will not acknowledge errors in fact and in tone, much less fix the problem. A News Council finding in our favor would not change the dynamic; properly, in a nation that so values the First Amendment, the council cannot order KIRO to do anything…. “We close by expressing our sincere thanks to the Council…for accepting our complaint and for professionalism in walking with us through the process, including the most recent negotiating period with KIRO. It is through no fault of the Council…that we have decided to suspend our complaint.” The News Council reluctantly accepted Reed’s decision not to proceed with a hearing. WNC hearings are an educational forum for open public discussion of media ethics. John Hamer, executive director of the Washington News Council, said the case will now be used in “mock hearings” in high-school and college journalism classes statewide, as part of the WNC’s decade-long effort to instill high standards of ethics and accuracy in future generations of journalists. (Call our office for days/times.) Finally, in lieu of a public hearing, the WNC invites the public to participate in a “Citizens Online News Council.” The KIRO stories, Reed’s complaint and letter, and key questions for discussion will be posted on our website, www.wanewscouncil.org. Members of the public are invited to view the stories, read the complaint, and “vote” on several issues regarding the KIRO stories. The WNC welcomes public participation. CONTACT: John Hamer, WNC Executive Director, 206.262.9793 or 206.910.5270. Email: jhamer@wanewscouncil.org Address: P.O. Box 3672, Seattle WA 98124. •••••••••• RECENT COVERAGE OF WNC Washington Law & Politics (spring 2009 issue)
article on the WNC: The Stranger's article (March 5 issue) on Sam Reed vs. KIRO: Feel free to forward these to your friends and colleagues -- and encourage them to send us a donation to support our vitally important work! •••••••••• CLICK HERE TO JOIN "100 FRIENDS OF THE WNC" CLICK TO DONATE OR TO JOIN THE WNC Your Contribution Is Needed The Strength of our democracy hinges on our ability to receive fair, unbiased and ethically reported news. The Washington News Council is committed to providing a means to ensure public trust in our news sources. Your donation enables the News Council to sponsor forums and panels, bring news-literacy programs to classrooms, and to hold public complaint hearings when news media practices are in dispute. Please Give Today!
••••••• Testimonials to WNC At at recent WNC Board Meeting, Blair Thompson of the Washington State Dairy Products Commission delivered a powerful and moving "testimonial" on how the News Council had helped his organization when they filed a complaint against KIRO7 Television. Here's an excerpt: "There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the Washington News Council is not only a positive influence in our community, but also an absolutely necessary presence in our culture. As our complaint process with the Council proceeded, we discovered the benefits of that process in ways that often surprised us.... "Your motives are beyond reproach. Your process is transparent and fair. Your remedies are temperate and constructive. Instead of marginalizing the News Council, one wonders why the news media aren’t counting their blessings." To read the full statement, plus other Testimonials, click HERE |
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