Quote Originally Posted by gnome View Post
Stephen,

Frankly, I'm surprised you are surprised. As an editor yourself you practice the same selection process with every article in the Freep. For example, you have repeatedly shown selective inclusion of facts in the hands-off treatment of the Maroun real estate and trucking empire.

You may disagree, just as I'm sure Chris Hansen would disagree with your inferred accusation of "hit-job", but even in disagreement I find it incredulous you'd be surprised that ABC would give a CliftsNotes review of Detroit's problems.

Just as newspapers have space constraints, tv news magazines have time constraints, decisions are made which neatly fit within the considered sterotypes of any subject. You don't really expect ABC to do a detailed balanced report on Detroit when Detroit and Detroiters fail to admit to its own failings? When buffons like Hoarce Sheffield are given space within your very pages to spew misdirected outrage at a news-tainment program.

Puhleeze, save your surprise for something surprising.
Ummmm. I never said I was surprised.
And I didn't write the piece in question. Luther Keith did.
And I absolutely never inferred that Hansen did a hit-job. My personal opinion is the exact opposite of that, so you're way, way off the mark there.
Again, Luther's piece expresses his opinion, not mine. I published it because he's someone who had a personal encounter with the news crew that did the piece, and because he raised important questions about what they did.
That doesn't mean I agree.. just that, as an editor, I thought it was an important perspective to share with readers... [[that's fully half of what I do, by the way.. )

In terms of a "hands-off" treatment of Moroun, I'd also wonder a bit where you're coming from. We've written several editorials that criticize his bad-actor habits as such a big property owner and operator of an important public crossing.
The news side at the paper just spilled lots of ink detailing what he owns, who he is, etc....
If you know something more than what has been written about him, I'd encourage you to share it with our reporters or my staff...