Nifong and news judgment
An upset e-mailer wrote to ask why we did not publish the disbarring of Mike Nifong on the front page this morning. Yet again, he wrote, we misunderstood -- and misplayed -- an important development in the Duke lacrosse story.
We are out of step with other papers in the area: Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston, Fayetteville, Richmond and Norfolk all feature the story on their front pages.
Did we miss it?
The decision to disbar came midday Saturday. I saw it on the local news at 6 o'clock yesterday and the network news at 6:30 p.m. (It was online earlier than that, but I wasn't.) I'd guess it was on SportsCenter, too.
In keeping with our efforts to give readers information that is new to them, we thought we had better stuff, stories they hadn't seen on elsewhere. (Extra treat: nice video of the Trooper Pace story here.)
So why did we publish Nifong's promised resignation as Durham DA on the front page on Saturday? The difference in the decisions on Saturday's and Sunday's front pages illustrate some of the tensions that play into "news judgment." On Friday, Nifong's pronouncement was the first official word that he was accepting responsibility for his actions. Still, it was on TV news early in the evening. But for our purposes, it competed well with the other stories we had working for Saturday's paper. In fact, only the discovery of toxins at Barber Park was stronger. Had we had stronger stories, we'd have dropped Nifong's resignation statement back to the local front.
For the record, Nifong's disbarment ran as the lead story on the front page of the local section.
Comments (5)
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Almost off subject (because it doesn't involve Nifong) but I thoroughly enjoyed the video tribute to Trooper Pace. Very moving, I'm glad you showcased it.
Posted on June 17, 2007 11:25 AM
The Trooper Pace thing was real nice. But I'm sorry John. I'm afraid I've got to agree with the "upset e-mailer". The N&R's decision to push this particular headline back to the front page of the local section only displays the paper's fundamental cluelessness . . . its "disconnectedess" . . . on what the public wants and expects from its newspaper.
Of course, as with anything else that has to do with the N&R's decisions about what is newsworthy, I am wrong before I touch a key on the board, so I don't know why I bother.
Posted on June 18, 2007 1:16 AM
I think that the disbarring should have been on the front page ... of the entertainment section or maybe the comics.
Posted on June 18, 2007 10:42 AM
Interesting concept. But while pounding Nifong into the ground may be "entertainment" . . . when so many others in our legal system (who stood by and let this go on for so long) deserve a pounding too . . . it sure isn't funny.
Posted on June 18, 2007 12:07 PM
...sorry...I tend to go with give me some news that I have not heard a 100 times before I walk out to get the paper. (that is...if I still got the paper...) I get most from the web.
What does it cost to get the complete NR on the web?
How many did not know before delivery?
Posted on June 18, 2007 9:47 PM