USA Today: From Amateurish To Joke

In one of the weakest columns one might imagine given the topic, USA Today's Andrew Kantor totally ignores the actually story to take a cheap shot at lgf. See lgf response.

Johnson took offense to a column by Greg Mitchell, the editor of Editor & Publisher magazine, in which Mitchell decried the baseless attacks on war photographers after the Hajj affair.

So Johnson went from using his technology toolbox like a pro to using it like an amateur. He dug up an article Mitchell wrote in 2003 in which Mitchell admitted that — more than 30 years ago — he faked some quotes while working for a local newspaper in Niagara Falls.

Mitchell was clearly embarrassed — it went against his professional ethics enough that 30 years later he told the story.

What professional ethics is Kantor fantasizing that Mitchell actually has? Mitchell repeatedly altered content, misled his readers, and so far as I know, to this day has not honestly acknowledged his recent unethical behavior, forget about thirty years ago. See here here and here.

Kantor is either completely ignorant of the story upon which he pontificates, or his ethics are as bad as Mitchell's. I rarely take USA Today too seriously. But I didn't realize they were a complete joke. Kantor's piece is below amateurish in approach. It seems technology also empowers professional journalists, not just amateurs ... for better and for the worst.

Comments

[Phoenix]

I love this stuff. This particular simpering whine just makes it obvious that the 'real' journalists have to taste vinegar every now and then for not getting it right. Yawn... Too bad those dopey bloggers are out there....

[SinCerely]

hAH. Wonder what the "pro editors" will have to say about the pro Kantor. Dumb ass.