The Hartford Courant took awhile to focus on the issue I raised in July, but it appears that the paper took the matter seriously. Its apology today for stealing stories from the Press and other competitors shows the Courant hasn't completely lost its way.
Update: On the other hand, the paper's publisher, Richard Graziano, seems to have punished six underlings, including two top editors, but doesn't give any indication of holding himself to blame.
And the paper really ought to cite every specific incidence of plagiarism in its pages, to set the record straight. Otherwise, I assume, its archives continue to maintain the fiction that its stories, some of them carrying a reporter's byline, were actually written by the Courant.
Let's fess up thoroughly, not just issue a blanket apology and move on.
Moreover, Graziano ought to do the right thing as the man in charge -- the one who clearly lowered the bar for the paper's ethics -- and resign.
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
10 comments:
I don't believe their response has been adequate at all. What is emerging is that the Courant has engaged in a serious pattern of unethical conduct. The apology appearing in today's Courant is headlined "Letter From The Publisher" and appears on page A17 of the print edition. It doesn't tell us the extent of the plagiarism, the names of the individuals involved, the discipline they received or the steps they've taken to right the matter.
In light of the other, recent and extremely troubling allegations that have also come to light concerning the Courant's journalistic ethics (the firing of their consumer watchdog, special editorial treatment for major advertisers, etc.) the Hartford Courant has a much longer way to go to regain the trust of their readers.
The Courant should have an independent reporter come in and review their conduct (How about Denny Williams?) and commit to both cooperate with and publish the resulting story.
Over the many years of their existence, the Hartford Courant has played too important a role in Connecticut's civic life to suddenly become untrustworthy. I'm saddened that this is what I now consider it to be.
You are 110 percent right that Graziano should resign. He's been a disaster for the Courant.
Interesting .... indignation and an uproar for plagiarism . YET , I don't recall any stories of the National News FABRICATING FALSE STORIES in an attempt to defeat G.W. a few years back .
I guess this is merely another example of stephens' prejudices .
12:35 -- This is a blog about Bristol. And, come to think of it, the blog didn't exist until 2006.
National campaign coverage is done by the AP, no us.
12:35 -
Who needed to fabricate stories? Dubya was an international embarrassment, universally recognized as the worst president in American history. Do you have an specific examples?
G.W.Bush was one of our greatest presidents. He kept us safe after 9/11, he was honest, he listened, and he didn't have interns crawling around under his desk. And as for the blog being about Bristol, why do we have to hear about Ted "Bridge Diver" Kennedy? There is certainly a double standard here.
I personally don't care what the Courant prints. It isn't any worse than other newspapers.
6:14 -- We've always gotten LOCAL raction to the deaths of major figures. I remember doing it when Ronald Reagan died. I remember doing it when Richard Nixon died.
You really need to knock that chip off your shoulder.
"Be polite, please."
6:14pm G.W. Bush didn't keep you safe - it was the veterans who have and currently are keeping you safe.
WWII Vet: Thank you for your service and for your comment. Our servicemen and women do keep us safe, along with the Commander-in-Chief who gives the orders.
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