thoughtsignals

N&O Editor Melanie Sill outlines the difference between what her paper is reporting on the Duke lacrosse case compared to at least some of what has appeared on blogs before the N&O reported it.

We heard all kinds of rumors and tips, but we don’t publish unattributed rumor and we almost never quote unidentified sources. Much of this gossip went right up on blog posts, but we used such leads and rumors as initial information that had to be fleshed out on the record or through independent verification.

She does a nice job calmly laying out the difference between what the N&O is doing in the name of traditional journalism compared to what some bloggers have done. And I think she manages to avoid re-opening the whole “blogging vs. journalism” hobgoblin.

Also, she notes that Roy Cooper has (apparently) refused interview requests from N.C. media but jumped at a chance to go on 60 Minutes.

Cooper is North Carolina’s attorney general and has a responsibility to speak to the local community, including reporters who work to inform people here. It’s ironic that after condemning Mike Nifong’s play-to-the-cameras actions, Cooper gave exclusive access to a national television program.

Link.

Almost as soon as N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper announced that he was dropping all charges against the former Duke lacrosse players, the News & Observer had a promo up announcing a five-part series on the case beginning Saturday. The screenshot below is from this morning.

Mainly, this demonstrates that most people, including reporters, involved in the case were expecting it to be dropped. And it suggests, at least to me, that the N&O has been working on a big project about the case in anticipation of it being dropped. I imagine they have most of the stories written and ready to go.