Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Does This Mean That Gary Mason Will Now Get Kicked Out Of The Club?

(click to enlarge image)

HowManyMistakes

CanOneLedeHoldVille




Kicked out of the official 'Supreme Court Journalists Club' I mean.

Why do I ask?

Well, if you look closely you will note that Mr. Mason makes two errors of fact in his latest lede.

First, he says that the Ledge Raids occurred more than seven years ago.

They did not.

They actually took place in December of 2003, which means they took place more than SIX years ago.

Second, Mr. Mason says that the accused in the RailGate trial were charged more than six years ago.

They were not.

Instead, they were charged approximately a year after the original Ledge Raids which means that event occurred more than FIVE years ago.

****

Now, probably by the time you read this on Tuesday (I'm writing late on Monday evening), a lowly Globe copy editor, appropriately chastened after being roused in the middle of night, will have fixed the errors cited above.

And, of course, both errors, while somewhat glaring for those who have actually been paying attention, are, ultimately, trivial.

So, why am I making such a fuss about them?

Well, just last week the proMedia's 'Gang of Four' refused to grant long time Citizen Journalist Robin Matthews press accreditation for the upcoming trial.

And one of the reasons offered-up for the refusal by the VSun's Neal Hall was the fact that Mr. Mathews had erred in suggesting that all four members of The Press Gang (a.k.a. The Supreme Court Media Accreditation Committee) work for CanWest organs when, in point of fact, apparently only three of them do (the other works for BellGlobeCTVRDSCHUMTSNEverythingElseUnderTheSunMedia).

And as such, anyone who makes trivial errors in fact like that shouldn't be admitted to the club.

Or some such stupid thing.

Sheesh.

.

8 comments:

West End Bob said...

Don't you think the Mickey Mouse Club has more credibility than the "club" referenced, RossK ? ? ? ?

(Hope you enjoy the link as much as I did!)

Gary E said...

Funny how the double standard works Ross. I mean when the "publics right to know" is set to be written by an obviously biased media who, like the cops are set up to look into themselves.

Gary E said...

Updated at 5:04 AM May 18,2010

Comments have been disabled
Editor's Note: We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons. We appreciate your understanding.

I guess Ross, that rather than admit a mistake after reading your blog they just decided to shut down the whole comment section.

BC Mary said...

It's now very early in the morning of Tuesday, May 18, 2010 and I have just been looking up today's BC Supreme Court listings.

Now, you'd think they'd be accurate. The epitome of accuracy.

Because wasn't Madam Justice MacK. reported as ordering the Black Robes to return to her courtroom at 9:15 AM today, thus to be fully prepared to begin the damn trial at 10:00 AM today?

Today, as in TuesDAY May 18, 2010.

OK.

So ... just to confirm, I went to "BC Criminal Courts" first thing this morning. And guess what? No listing for File #23299. No listing for Basi (that would be Aneal), no listing for "Limited Access" or Virk.

It's left to us to figure out: is this an error? Or what the heck is going on ... maybe the listing will be revised in a few minutes ... or not ...

I'll keep watching. I hope you (and many others) do, too. Citizens have work to do.

Your eagle-eyes are much appreciated in this, RossK.
.

G West said...

Your memory isn't playing tricks Mary - the Court listings are...

RossK said...

Gary--

The Globe like the CanWest folks regularly keep their comments closed if the story is connected with RailGate...

Only CBC seems to keep comments going with any regularity.

Unfortunately, unlike, say, Kady O's audience the folks who comment on CBC British Columbia posts appear to be overwhelmingly reactionary and misinformed (which, is still kinda shocking to me, to be honest).

.

RossK said...

Thanks for that bit of craziness Bob (at top of thread)....

I think.

.

RossK said...

Mary and GWest--

I get the distinct impression that the Supremes in this Province communicate with each other by telegraph....

.