At a time when belief within the media is at a file low, the significance of journalistic integrity couldn’t be larger. So it was a shock to Asheville Watchdog when, on April 9, a information story within the Asheville Citizen Occasions accused us — by identify, intentionally, wrongly and disparagingly — of spreading misinformation, the largest sin a information group could make.
The Citizen Occasions accused our workers of promulgating the “delusion” that downtown Asheville was extra ridden with violent crime than town’s public housing initiatives.
We have been mystified and angered. We stay so following the paper’s response to our considerations and our request for a correction.
Right here’s the offending paragraph:
The decision comes within the wake of a Citizen Occasions investigation displaying that the very best focus of violent crime shouldn’t be downtown — a delusion promulgated by downtown retailers, different downtown-oriented teams and native media together with Asheville Watchdog and Fox Information saying town heart had grow to be intolerably harmful — however in three inexpensive housing neighborhoods run by Asheville Housing Authority.
The assertion that we’ve promulgated a delusion couldn’t be farther from the reality.
The Watchdog was based as a public service by veteran journalists and media executives. Our journalists have received or shared in 5 Pulitzer Prizes. As we state on our web site, we offer nonpartisan, fact-based, in-depth information tales.
In 2023, we revealed a 12-part sequence, “Down City,” which centered on how crime, homelessness and drug abuse had affected downtown Asheville. It reported that whereas most crime in Asheville happens downtown, the very best focus of violent crime happens in Asheville’s public housing. It. received nationwide journalism accolades.
Right here’s an excerpt:
To many residents, Asheville does really feel much less secure. Residents of town’s public housing developments report being afraid of their houses due to gun violence. Downtown retailers and residents say they see extra erratic habits, together with yelling, illicit intercourse, and defecating in public areas. Used drug needles litter some sidewalks. Folks residing on the streets say they, too, are afraid and have been robbed and assaulted.
Zack, in a latest interview at police headquarters, stated many of the metropolis’s crimes happen downtown, however the extra critical crimes — violent assaults and homicides — are predominantly within the metropolis’s public housing developments.
The story quoted a public housing improvement resident describing homicides and shootings that put residents on edge.
Govt Editor Peter Lewis demanded a correction April 9. We waited for a response, however didn’t obtain one. So we corrected the file ourselves. Lewis wrote this piece, which additionally identified that we had beforehand debunked Fox Information’ experiences that crime was hovering in Asheville.
The Citizen Occasions amended its story,eradicating the names of Asheville Watchdog and Fox Information, however continued responsible “native media” for promulgating the “delusion” that crime was worse downtown than in public housing. Now we have been unable to establish any native media that made such a declare; the truth is, The Watchdog reported the alternative.
The Citizen Occasions didn’t subject a correction or inform readers that the story had been modified.
It’s commonplace observe to acknowledge errors and clearly right them. The Society of Skilled Journalists’ Code of Ethics instructs journalists, “Acknowledge errors and proper them promptly and prominently. Clarify corrections and clarifications rigorously and clearly.”
We requested theCitizen Occasions on April 10 why there was no acknowledgement of the error. On April 13, the Citizen Occasions added this editor’s observe to the highest of its story: “This story was up to date on-line April 10 to make clear authentic wording that it’s a delusion that downtown is extra harmful than public housing neighborhoods, however it’s reasonably a notion generated by downtown teams and media retailers that downtown had grow to be intolerably harmful.”
This observe was inadequate and didn’t acknowledge that the story initially had disparaged The Watchdog by identify. The observe ought to have learn:
Correction: This story initially said incorrectly that Asheville Watchdog had promulgated a delusion that downtown is extra harmful than public housing neighborhoods. In truth, the Watchdog reported that public housing had extra violent crime. We remorse the error.
Such wording would have made clear to readers that the unique story was inaccurate and would have set the file straight forthrightly.
Keith Campbell is the managing editor of Asheville Watchdog.
Editor’s observe: The Citizen Occasions regrets any misunderstanding which may have been attributable to the unique wording in our story detailing the city’s housing authority’s resolution to grant budget authority for a new security pilot program within the wake of Citizen Occasions reporting on crime in public housing.
We stand by our story and the next observe of clarification.
Asheville Watchdog, in its 12-part sequence, “Down City,” did point out that many of the metropolis’s violent crimes happen in public housing “initiatives.”
This was said in a handful of paragraphs partially 2. Then, Watchdog centered 10 extra components on downtown Asheville with out once more mentioning the violent crimes occurring in Asheville’s public housing neighborhoods.
This omission, in addition to phrasing that downtown had descended into “squalor and lawlessness,” perpetuates the notion that downtown Asheville is probably the most harmful a part of town.
This narrative was dispelled by a Citizen Occasions investigation, utilizing the Asheville Police Division’s personal knowledge, to point out that this can be a false notion.
An excerpt from “Downtown Asheville not so dangerous? Data: These neighborhoods have more crime, violence:”
“In March, April and July of 2023, Fox Information ran a number of tales on downtown, featured for years by nationwide media as a high place to go to however that Fox characterised in a March 6 story as having a pointy improve in ‘lawless habits.’
“A number of individuals who work in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, bemoaned the situation of town and pinpointed an absence of police presence to its decline, the story stated.
“Fox referenced a 12-part sequence by Asheville Watchdog about what the native information outlet referred to as a ‘deteriorating’ downtown. Inspiration for the undertaking got here after a reporter’s experiences eating downtown at a favourite restaurant and seeing the issues, in accordance with a Watchdog story on the origin and influence of the sequence.“
