Of marches and walkathons

Sandy Banks' Tuesday column was about an event that drew thousands on Sunday -- and that wasn't covered otherwise in the L.A. Times.

"I was astonished to find no article in The Times regarding the EIF Run/Walk for Women held at the Coliseum," wrote Gerry Suzuki of Torrance on Sunday. "Did I somehow overlook it?  When 50,000 or more people  show up to support such a worthwhile fundraiser, it deserves attention. Most of the participants wore signs on their backs honoring several friends or relatives. You found space to report a rally of 400 parents supporting students of Crenshaw High and to report a march of about 400 in Hollywood supporting China's Olympics. Also an article about Ojai's Pastie Lady.  Are those items so important that there was no space left for an event involving more than 50,000? What kind of newspaper can ignore a topic  affecting so many local people?" Donna Trimingham of Redondo Beach wrote too: "How about next year you come walk with me and the 60,000 others or at least give us a paragraph or two in your paper."

It's not uncommon to get such complaints every month or two, given the fact that a region this size gives rise regularly to well-attended events, be they protest marches or fundraising rallies for a good cause.

2007 Los Angeles Times Editorial Awards

Below is a partial list of the winners of the 2007 Los Angeles Times Editorial Awards; names of the recipients of the Editor's Prize* and a Special Citation* (see updates) will be announced at a staff gathering tonight.

"Left-leaning" or "nonpartisan"?

Why would a Times article call the American Enterprise Institute "conservative-leaning," but not refer in the same article to the politics of the Mike Mansfield Foundation? Why do stories refer to the Brookings Institution variously as "centrist," "conservative" and "nonpartisan"?

Some readers have an answer to the inconsistent application of labels: They think it shows bias, saying it suggests that the reporter believes that one is mainstream and thus needs no label, while the other needs to be identified as somewhere relative to that norm.

The question was most recently raised on the April 23 article about a CIA report to Congress alleging ties between North Korea and Syria. Reader Norman Nathan of Los Angeles noted, "The article identifies the AEI as 'right-leaning' but it does not identify the Mike Mansfield Foundation as a 'left-leaning organization.' And the story gives no context as to the reasoning." In a follow-up phone call Nathan said he thought it showed liberal bias, and that furthermore, "I would have thought there would be a policy, a standard, consistent way of identifying foundations."

The April 23 article on North Korea-Syria ties reported that "disclosure of the relationship to the committees is likely to bring criticism from conservative lawmakers" who already believe that the U.S. has been too gentle with the government in Pyongyang. The story went on: "Danielle Pletka, a vice president of the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute think tank, said the congressional briefings were simply a step the administration needed to take to move forward." Here's the reference to the foundation: "'You'll have some outcry, but I doubt there are enough people on Capitol Hill even paying attention to oppose it,' said Gordon Flake, who follows the issue as executive director of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation and is a critic of such a pact."

This particular story was by Paul Richter, who says he agrees with the readers.

Ombudsmen columns

Here are links to some of the past week's columns by ombudsmen, readers' representatives and editors around the nation. More columns and information about ombudsmen in the U.S. and around the world can be found at the Organization of News Ombudsmen website (which has a permanent link on the right side of this page).

The Salt Lake Tribune, "Spanish-language ads remain hot topic"

The Washington Post, "A shaky performance on corrections"

Chicago Tribune, "Horse analogy impolitic, unsettling"

The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), "How letters botched the facts in sensitive Palestinian issue"

The New York Times, "Information that doesn't come freely"

Sacramento Bee - public editor, "Bee's coverage of a weak economy is mostly strong"; editor, "When I-5 traffic gets bad, you've got a friend"

The San Diego Union-Tribune, "When our readers become editors"

Hartford Courant, "Readers grapple with TV Week move"

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), "Joanna Connors' story of rape drew overwhelmingly positive response"

The News&Observer (Raleigh, NC), "Grading online election coverage"

San Antonio Express-News, "Reporters intended no malice with choice of words"

PBS, "Carried Away?"

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Social Butterfly a showcase for area's charities"

"American Idol" updates

"The surprising and unlikely 'American Idol' journey of Jason Castro ended Wednesday night in a week that saw nearly 51 million votes cast on television's most popular show," was the opening line to the story that appeared in Thursday's Times.

Several readers wanted to know more about the popular show than merely who won or lost, though: They wanted to know why the story appeared in the California section, not in Calendar, where stories about TV shows typically appear. As Scott Landsbaum of Beverly Hills put it, "Surely there must have been something more important or uplifting that you could have featured."

Calendar's early deadline is the reason feature stories sometimes appear in unexpected places, or at unexpected times; Calendar is printed by 3 p.m. As the "American Idol" competition comes to a finale, editors see it as breaking news. That means that coverage of Wednesday night's show had to be printed in another section.

Promotion for Senior Copy Chief Mark McGonigle

Here's a memo from Meredith Artley, Executive Editor, Interactive, and Melissa McCoy, Deputy Managing Editor, announcing an expansion in duties for Senior Copy Chief Mark McGonigle.

The online conversation

Reporter Stuart Pfeifer forwarded an inquiry from reader William Franckē of the Fairfax District, who'd been moved enough by an April 8 story that he wanted to post a comment. But there was no place to do so. His note to Pfeifer:

"Stuart, just read your very disheartening story about the O.C. Sheriff's Department and the death of inmate John Derek Chamberlain. I cannot understand why these people (sheriffs!!!) are not being charged. Who at The Times decides whether or not to allow readers to 'discuss' stories?  It seems pretty hit and miss as to which story we will be allowed to respond to and I'm sure a lot of people have something to say about this story."

Reader S.J. Sand in West Hills sent a similar sentiment: "Please put a 'comment' box under ALL articles, as most newspapers, i.e. the Washington Post, are doing.  Don't make us go searching. If you value readers' comments, then you should make it easy for us to comment."

Scoring high school sports

The Times has found something of an answer to a struggle it has had for years: Getting reports from as many fields, courts, tracks and pools as possible from nearly 700 high schools in The Times' five-county region, and then giving readers more of what they want when they ask for local coverage.

Nowadays the Sports desk puts more reports on games than ever online, at Varsity Times Insider; and as ever, editors count on coaches and schools to send in the scores and stats on games and matches.

Denny Lennon is both reader and coach, an overlap not uncommon in those wanting more from The Times. He wrote in response to a column by Eric Sondheimer on April 9 about the Corona del Mar volleyball team, "Given my position as director of beach volleyball for USA Volleyball, I was pleased to see coverage of boys in the Sports section today. However, as a reader of the L.A. Times for over 40 years, I  prefer to read about teams that are at least in L.A. County. Let web-based or Orange County newspapers cover their activities, we have boys powers like Loyola or Mira Costa that deserve time in the Los Angeles Times."

In other words, every reader thinks of "local" as his or her area, which might mean anywhere in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside or San Bernardino counties. That's what makes Varsity Times key to coverage. Off the main page, readers will find regional coverage, where Times reporters blog about high school sports around the Southland. There are six blogs: the City Section (schools in the L.A. Unified School District) and the Southern Section, which includes schools in the San Fernando Valley/North, the Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley, Orange County and L.A. County (those not in the City Section). There's even a blog called Recruiting Buzz, conversations about where local athletes are going to college.

Ombudsmen columns

Here are links to some of the past week's columns by ombudsmen, readers' representatives and editors around the nation. More columns and information about ombudsmen in the U.S. and around the world can be found at the Organization of News Ombudsmen website (which has a permanent link on the right side of this page).

Chicago Tribune, "R. Kelly secrecy weakens system"

The Salt Lake Tribune, "Spanish ads appeal to growing niche"

The New York Times, "The preacher's new pulpit"

PBS, "Too much reverence for the reverend?"

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), "Why Obama story didn't run on Page One"

The New&Observer (Raleigh, NC), "Political potpourri: polls, endorsements"

The Washington Post, "A lesson about copycats"

The San Diego Union-Tribune, "New models for disseminating news"

Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), "Juveniles should be identified when gun crimes are involved"

San Antonio Express-News, "Tipster made story about Spurs' plane possible"

The Virginian-Pilot, "Pentagon deception, media complicity"

Kansas City Star, "'Embarrassment' is only in the eye of the beholder"

Sacramento Bee - editor, "Johnson story calls for reporting in depth"

Anniston Star (Alabama), "Star project needed more explanation"

Arizona Daily Star, "A look back at land-deal coverage"

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "AJC will keep digging into Clayton schools story"

The Courier-Journal (Lexington, KY), "Celebrating a freer world press"

Phil Willon to the City Hall team

Here's a memo to the staff from California Editor David Lauter announcing reporter Phil Willon's assignment to the City Hall beat.