November 2008 at 10:51 PM SF Chronicle = ‘Science Fiction Chronicle’?
• Danny Bloom Says: 30 November 2008 at 11:01 PM I think it is important not to dump on all newspaper writers, reporters, editors, copy editors and fact checkers. A reporter reporting news needs to check his or her story thoroughly to make sure the facts are correct as reported, but columnists and oped writers have more leeway to give vent to their opinions. An oped by definition is an opinion piece, not a news report. Debra Saunders’ stories are “columns” and columns do not have to be as stringently fact checked as news reports. Of course, editors behind the scenes and copy editors at the copy desk should do their best to make sure the news stories are accurate, but an opinion piece is just that, Gavin, an opinion. So are you calling Saunders’ pieces columns or opeds? If you don’t use the right terminology, then how can you expect reporters to pay attention to what you are saying above? A letter to the editor is different from a newspaper column is different from an oped piece is diff
