Friday, November 14, 2008

Pot Meet Kettle


Posted by Kingfish at 11:02 AM

1 comments:

Kingfish said...

Just in case she changes what she posted, which she sometimes does when criticized, here is what she wrote in its entirety:

Lies, Damn Lies and Excuses
Nothing is more predictable in Jackson than watching for that David Hampton column in The Clarion-Ledger after any major event, endorsement or election. It’s the one in which he tells us why everyone but the Ledger is doing something really, really bad.

This time, on Sunday, Hampton told us to “tone down the rhetoric in politics.” He wants us to “raise the level of our political dialogue.” He bemoans the “nastiest e-mails” he got during election season, in which he read “some of the most outrageous untruths” he can recall. On page 4G, he slams the e-mail gossip chains that we all got and loathed:

“People pass them along with no thought about truth or ethics. Some are outright lies with altered pictures or statements taken out of context. ... Don’t blindly pass it along.”

Funny, I thought, didn’t I just read some of those “outright lies” on page 3G of that section? Sure enough, I flipped back to the “Talkback” section, which Hampton edits, and there was the letter about the Obama endorsement, the one that had just sent chills up my spine. And right there—you can’t make this up—on the exact spot behind Hampton’s words I just quoted, David Crain of Jackson had written about the president-elect:

“OK let’s see: No experience, association with known terrorists at home and abroad, is in favor of killing newborn babies as well as babies still in their mother’s womb, will raise taxes, etc. ... He was raised Muslim and no doubt is sympathetic toward them. He has received tens of millions of dollars in donations from outside the United States.”

That statement is filled with false statements of the kind that showed up in our e-mail boxes during the campaign. Why is that letter printed in The Clarion-Ledger? Why did Hampton allow it in without comment?

Newspapers are ethically (and legally) responsible for the content of our letters to the editor. We can allow a variety of opinions, such as criticism of a new president, but it is abuse of our First Amendment rights, at best, to allow our publications to be used to spread outright factual fabrications.

These are the kind of journalistic decisions that can spur a fool to commit violence, or get another fool elected to an office he doesn’t deserve. Hampton should know better. Perhaps he was out taking drunk pics the night before?

posted by ladd on 11/12/08 at 08:58 PM.

True. Not serving employees, not serving readers, not serving businesses or cities.

I got it. They're serving shareholders. Although not so well these days.

When they came after us and other local publications to try to get us to pay them to continue distributing in local businesses, I knew they had jumped the shark.

And when David Hampton would not allow us, or MIPA, to respond to the former publisher's crazy full-page diatribe (and not-so-veiled accusations of our members) in a letter to the editor, it was very clear that it is no longer a newspaper.

Now they're an "information center" and keep trying desperate stuff, seeming to think that no one has noticed all the anti-community and anti-Jackson crap.

As for this letter-to-the-editor thing, it's just speaks to how the Ledger sets such a low standard for everyone else in the market. I teach my interns here to do real interviews with sources; meantime, award-winning (in the past) reporters there do lazy e-mail interviews.

Then they don't choose letters with solid facts. We manage to find the time to factcheck ours, and to send them back to writers if necessary. The same with our columns. People can take whatever point of view, but the *facts* have to be solid. That's journalism 101. But they refuse to practice it there, apparently thinking that Mississippians are too dumb to notice.

I've got news for them.

posted by ladd on 11/13/08 at 12:42 PM

November 14, 2008 11:06 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

What is your favorite blog?

Recent comments

Loading...

Twitter / WLBT

Loading...

Who is the hottest reporter in Jackson?

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).

Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.

In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS.

Archives

Ebony & Ivory

This is SOOOO Banned!

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS.