Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The New York Observer follows up
In a 9/5/05 post titled "Coincidence?", The New York Observer noted the Times's coverage of The Brooklyn Standard two days after my report was issued. The Observer also quotes my criticism of the initial Observer coverage (my, this is getting 'meta'): "To follow up on your blog post, I'm disappointed that you interpreted my reaction to the 'Instant Skyline' headline/article as a 'Brownstone Brooklyn' reaction to things instant. Rather, I reacted as a journalist and Brooklynite to bad journalism." He says the Times’ July 5 headline ("Instant Skyline Added to Brooklyn Arena Plan") portrayed the skyline to be a recently added element of the plan when in fact high-rise office and residential towers were part of developer Forest City Ratner’s plan from the beginning.
Well, I appreciate the opportunity to be heard, but I still have to take issue with that second sentence. Is it just me who sees the July 5, 2005 headline as deceptive? This stuff can be checked--there's a skyline at the Ratner web site (www.bball.net) with the December 2003 press release.
This is beginning to remind me of the dispute about scientific facts. Would a reporter write of a scientist that "he says the world is round" rather than acknowledge it's an established consensus?
