Detroit News admits neutering Chrysler 200 review was "a mistake"

I spoke with News' Business Editor Sue Carney this morning about this situation. I suspect it's going to garner some attention nationally today in both the auto world and the journalism world.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...r-200-review-a

A decision by The Detroit News to water down the online version of a critical review of the Chrysler 200 by auto writer Scott Burgess — after a car dealer complained — has drawn fire from the blogosphere and now an admission of error by the newspaper.
Burgess reportedly quit as the The News' auto critics after he skewered the vehicle [[which was the car featured in Chrysler's attention-getting Super Bowl television spot) on March 10, calling it "a dog" and prompting a car dealership that advertises in the newspaper to complain about the review.
The News responded to the complaint by toning down the online version of the criticism. The print version was already on the street. [[Click on the link for the rest)

This doesn't help at all. If Chrysler is advertising the 200 as the pinnacle of Detroit engineering and it's sub-par, they deserve to get raked over the coals.

I posted in the Chrysler Ad thread at the time that this is probably the worst of the Detroit 3 vehicles to promote luxury [[or quality for that matter). To me, it turned a great ad almost into a parity, especially since Chrysler had a redesigned 300 to promote as well, something Eminem might actually drive.

Maybe this thread should be in the "What the News and Freep can do to make Detroit better" thread i.e. Detroit News please don't fudge the info the way Mitch does in the Freep.

The Chrysler 200 is a mistake. So was that stupid Eminem Ad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 401don

I posted in the Chrysler Ad thread at the time that this is probably the worst of the Detroit 3 vehicles to promote luxury [[or quality for that matter). To me, it turned a great ad almost into a parity, especially since Chrysler had a redesigned 300 to promote as well, something Eminem might actually drive.

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They went with the 200 last minute because someone pointed out the 300 is built in Canada.

I actually agree that the parts that were removed shouldn't have been in there in the first place. The writing was horrible. But it should have been edited before it went in the print edition. Once it did, they shouldn't have changed the online version.

That's one problem with more media going away from print....you can't take the ink off of a page once it's printed, but you can certainly 'change' a digital copy and hope that nobody notices.

Had I written the review, I probably would have done something along the line of "....given how horrible the Sebring was, the new 200 is much better, but......" and then gone on to explain that Chrysler reengineered the exsisting body shell. To throw bricks at Chrysler for something they couldn't do anything about [[the exsisting platform) was just mean.

The way I read the review it was as if he had an axe to grind that day, and the 200 was it. There are faults with the car, and a reviewer's job is to point them out. Rubbing salt in the wound was just plain vindective.

New York Times is now covering the story. Outside of the 30-mile cocoon this is going to look like more same old same old from Detroit.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...to-review/?hpw

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bailey

They went with the 200 last minute because someone pointed out the 300 is built in Canada.

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Thanks bailey, Guess I should have figured that out myself since I live 15 minutes from the Brampton plant where the 300 is assembled.

This is a sell-out and nothing more. F-bomb the Detroit News. Here's what undeniably occurred, and the News' paid mouthpieces can put any damned spin on it they like, but facts are facts:

1. Mr. Burgess wrote a review, which was published in the newspaper's print and web editions.
2. An advertiser, we do not yet know who, complained about the article.
3. The News cut out some of the article in the web edition after the advertiser complained.

If you would like to see the original article and what was edited, go here: http://jalopnik.com/#!5782691

Especially read what the poster wrote below the revised article. Why would we believe anything the News says after this? If you don't like what they say, and you have monetary clout with them, complain and they will fix their reporting to suit your needs.