Chopping Down Cherry Trees: Lessons from George Washington

We celebrated George Washington’s Birthday this past weekend. You remember George, the “Father of our Country” – the man, who as a boy chopped down his father’s cherry tree and when confronted about it, admitted to it, saying: “I cannot tell a lie”?
You know, “lie” is an interesting word and one you should think about before you toss it out without thinking.
I got an email recently from an angry viewer, complaining about our coverage of that commuter plane crash in Buffalo, New York. We made an error in reporting the death toll. We reported it as 49 killed. It was an innocent mistake, caused because someone used information from a script sent earlier in the day that hat wasn‘t discovered until after the damage had been done. Complicating things, the crash occurred in the viewer’s hometown, so he had a personal connection. He was understandably upset. This is part of what his letter said, “The total killed should be 50, not the 49 that you falsely reported. This is not the first time I have noticed an error in your reporting, but this is the first time you lied about something that occurred in my hometown of this magnitude.”
I want to respond to his letter and clear-up a few things.
First, I’m not a machine: I’m a human being and occasionally I make mistakes. And while I can tell by the tone of the letter that it was written in anger, I take exception to the use of the word, “lie”. The dictionary defines “lie” as “a false statement or piece of information deliberately presented as being true: a falsehood. Anything meant to deceive or give a wrong impression.”
I don’t tell lies.
Occasionally the facts may get mixed up and the wrong information inadvertently gets reported, but I know of no instance in which it is done maliciously or intentionally.
I subscribe to the guidelines for professional journalists as set out in the Radio and Television News Directors Association’s (RTNDA) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. It speaks to issues such as public trust, truth, fairness, integrity, independence, and accountability. Its preamble states: “Professional electronic journalists should operate as trustees of the public, seek the truth, report it fairly and with integrity and independence, and stand accountable for their actions.”
That’s not easy to do.
Today, there is very little “black and white”: only shades of gray.
It’s not easy being the messenger. On average, 18% to 20% of people are dissatisfied no matter what you do! Forget the fact that they are trying to put their personal spin on it. My personal favorite criticism is about us reporting too much negative news, especially about the economy. Those critics would have us either bend the facts or even better, kill the story altogether. The fact of the matter is that we report a lot more “good” news than “bad” news. You just tend to remember the “bad” news.
Seeking the truth and reporting it fairly means having the courage and commitment to tell both sides: not just your side. That is something I worry a lot about in these days of pre-packaged news stories and tailored talking heads.
That is what makes the RTNDA Code of Ethics so important – not just for me, but for you, too.
By the way, in the case of the Buffalo resident, I sent a letter admitting our mistake, apologizing for it, and correcting it as soon as the error was discovered.
Isn’t that the way George would have handled it?

Downing Bolls