N&R editor John Robinson explains the decision —-made by national editor Janet Reddick —– to run Farouk Abdulmutallab’s attempted terrorist strike on A7 of the Dec. 26 edition.
Honestly, I understand Robinson’s defense that the news was all over the TV and the Internet. But —- those who know me will find this hard to believe —– since it was Christmas I abstained from both the television and the computer in order to pause and reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. My first exposure news was the nest day’s N&R print edition, and I nearly flipped passed it since it was buried inside. It’s only been since I’ve returned to the tube and the computer that I’ve realized what a big story this is.
And, to a degree, I also understand Reddick’s decision, as she explained it:
we truly are a local paper, we still don’t have any local connections, it hadn’t raised the terror alert level, no one was hurt, and we had it on the front in quick read.
And yesterday I was the local/national editor, and the local editor in me won out, with the local stories truly affecting peoples lives more …….
That would be a good defense if only the N&R truly did cover local news adequately.
