Here is the News Release from the MN News Council.
NEWS RELEASE Contact:
Sarah Bauer
Interim Director
612.341.9357
sarah.bauer@news-council.org NEWS COUNCIL UPHOLDS TWO COMPLAINTS AGAINST WCCO-TV BY ATTENDEES OF AN APRIL 14TH TAX CUT RALLY
Minneapolis (June 21, 2007) - The Minnesota News Council voted today to uphold two complaints against WCCO-TV by several attendees of an April 14th tax cut rally at the state capitol. It was the first time that News Council members were asked to examine a complaint regarding online news coverage at a hearing.
The News Council voted 14-0 to uphold a complaint that video posted at WCCO’s Web site misrepresented tax cut rally attendees when it featured footage of them along with footage from a global warming protest held the same day. The video was originally accompanied by a caption that described the global warming protest. Shortly before the hearing began, WCCO corrected the error on its Web site by adding a new caption to reflect that the video did in fact contain images from both rallies.
The News Council also voted 10 – 3 with one abstention to uphold a complaint that WCCO acted unfairly when it retained the mislabeled video of both rallies at its Web site after the complainants notified WCCO of the error. In an email to complainant Sue Derhaag the day of the hearing, WCCO News Director Jeff Kiernan explained that the footage posted online was produced by the national Web team - it was not produced locally - and that WCCO was unaware the video was still active. Kiernan assured Derhaag that the text of the video description was changed nationally.
Complainant Carolyn Wetterlin likened the mix-up to being misquoted, “I wasn’t personally damaged [by the video], but my cause was used for something I don’t support.” Wetterlin and Derhaag were two of several people who attended the tax cut rally and later complained to the News Council. Other complainants included Daniel Dietsche, Lisa Edwards, Lea Leonard, Roderick McKay and Forrest Wilkinson.
Pioneer Press Editor and News Council member Thom Fladung commented on the new challenges presented by the Web. “It is hard to correct things online,” he said. Even when mistakes are corrected online, he noted, the old versions live on somewhere.
WCCO-TV did not participate in the hearing, but did respond to the complainants to address issues being raised at the hearing. Participation is voluntary, and the News Council does not permit the fact that a news outlet chooses not to attend to affect the determination on the merits of the complaint and response. The News Council’s determinations carry no sanctions – they are advisory.
About the Minnesota News Council
The Minnesota News Council was created in 1970 to promote fair, vigorous and trusted journalism. It presents complaints about accuracy and fairness to news organizations, holds public hearings to consider unresolved complaints and conducts public forums aimed at fostering trust in journalism.
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Anyone else who is tired of being misled and lied to should do the same. You can hold them accountable, it just takes the moral courage to see it through and you will succeed.
