Bad Journalism + Biased Editor = The Gray News

Monday, May 22, 2006

Ray Clark is inconsistent

Ray's policy on anonymous letters changes, depending.

Example: in IMHO, Ray Clark's opinion column, in Feb 2004, he reiterated:
"But we won't print your letter if you won't sign it."

But a few months later, he did:

"This is the text of the letter from the anonymous donor"

And in 1998, a letter from an anonymous person, signed,

"An Anonymous Resident who cares." With Ray's explanation,
(Ed. Note: As you know, The Gray News doesn't usually print anonymous letters. We're making an exception with this one.)

So, with Ray Clark, a policy is a policy, unless it suits him.

29 Comments:

  • I can't go look them up, but he does not quote people and quite often hints around that someone tells him something but we never know if someone did or if he's making it up.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:24 PM  

  • Now, you are beginning to see the problem.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:25 PM  

  • Exactly. Ray Clark often uses anonymous sources in articles, cloaked in the undefined term, "sources say" or "we have been told." The Ethics Code says to indentify sources whenever possible. If anonymous sources must be used, the reporter should tell why they cannot be named.

    By Blogger Gray Maine, at 9:59 PM  

  • You have certainly run out of material to slam the Gray News
    That last comment was like scraping the bottom of your dirty little barrel-biasbuster... such generalities on your part are not taken seriously
    I find your postings "fictitious" and your comments borderline ridiculous! What a waste of precious time

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:04 AM  

  • What is a waste about them? I provide the actual examples from the Gray News paper and then use them to show how their people have swayed from appropriate journalistic practice.

    It is always good for newspapers to be open to improvement, in the industry I think it's called 'transparency." What would you like to see?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:10 AM  

  • Pride comes before the fall...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:24 AM  

  • If you are the same anonymous, as above, then I am sorry, I do not understand your response.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:37 AM  

  • Biasbuster, you wrote:
    "use them to show how their people have swayed from appropriate journalistic practice."

    Oh, so the headline in the May 11, 2006 edition of the Monument Newspaper:
    Town Meeting Moderator was wrong - Attorneys agree

    And the ever so coy:
    "Council discusses Library warrant - Was it legal?" from the May 18 edition

    Examples of "swaying from appropriate journalistic practice"? Or just further attempts by Ms. Prata to willfully mislead her readers? For a publication that so chronically reminds us it is an "independent voice upholding the interests of the citizens of our communities."

    I'd say the Monument is neither independent nor upholding the interests of ANYONE other than the current Gray Town Council and Elizabeth Prata.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:57 AM  

  • Oh, so the headline in the May 11, 2006 edition of the Monument Newspaper:
    Town Meeting Moderator was wrong - Attorneys agree

    Attorneys did agree.

    and the ever so coy: "Council discusses Library warrant - Was it legal?" from the May 18 edition. Anonymous, the Council did discuss the warrant and they did wonder if it was legal. It's a question council had, they asked it publicly, and the council asked it outright- not coyly.

    Examples of "swaying from appropriate journalistic practice"? Or just further attempts by Ms. Prata to willfully mislead her readers? For a publication that so chronically reminds us it is an "independent voice upholding the interests of the citizens of our communities."

    Can you offer an example to support this statement? I see none included. Thanks.

    The Gray News is intricately involved with the town. Their reporter is on the Fire department, yet he reports on the fire department. Further, he takes a salary from the town. In true journalistic circles, this is strictly forbidden. The Gray News is unethical.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:43 AM  

  • Biasbuster:

    Did you read Bill Dale's letter? It was available at the 5/16/06 Council Meeting.

    Can you point me SPECIFICALLY to where Bill Dale, the attorney, said the Moderator was wrong? Or perhaps you can give me a direct quote (be careful now, the meeting is on tape) where Bill Dale said the Moderator was wrong? Ms. Prata's use of the plural "attorneys" was a mis-statement at best.

    As far as the "Was it legal?" comment. My reference to "coy" was directed at Ms. Prata. Yes, the Council did discuss this and the attorney (Bill Dale) clearly said it was not. Ms. Prata's choice to use the text without attributing it to the Council leads the reader to the conclusion that there is some doubt about the legality of the actions of the Moderator at Town Meeting.

    If Ms. Prata was truly practicing the high levels of journalism that she espouses, she would have at least qualified the "Was it legal" with text such as "Town Council questions - was it legal?"

    PS: [Confidental to EP] Your newly selected seat at Council meetings may have been ill advised. While the public is speaking, you are on camera. Many find it odd that you can sit with you hands idle and then quote people verbatim who were speaking without you writing things down. Are you wearing a wire?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:01 AM  

  • Then you must really hate the Gray News's headlines like this:
    FinCom meeting illegal? Maybe not... then again...
    I look forward to your comments on the dissident blog explaining that you do not like these kind of headlines and offering similar corrections.

    As far as where EP sits. Many people find it strange that Nathan comes to meetings and then the crap that is pooped out the Gray News is from Ray Clark's pen. Hmmm, many people find it stange that Ray can quote people without HAVEING BEEN THERE. Hmmm. how odd.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:57 AM  

  • You know what is really strange, when the Gray News makes an article without anyone from the entire newspaper having been there. I find that really odd.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:04 AM  

  • Nice try Anonymous. Do you want to talk about my comments about Elizabeth Prata's headlines or do you just want to change the subject??

    Oh, and why should I comment on the "dissents blog"? Do my comments here bother you? Can't I play in your sandbox?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:36 AM  

  • I do not find it odd, I find it repeatedly.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:39 AM  

  • No you may not play in this blog, which is not a sandbox, unless you have examples to substantiate your allegations.

    By Blogger Gray Maine, at 12:04 PM  

  • The Gray News is Biased, its editor, Ray Clark, is most unethical, and 'not a word of truth' comes out of Nathan Tsukroff's mouth! They are 'In Denial'; and this newspaper is sinking fast! They are just trying to 'take everyone with them'!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:38 PM  

  • Hi Biasbuster,

    I gave you two examples. You have yet to refute them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:43 PM  

  • I gave you responses and facts. You have yet to accept them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:38 PM  

  • I'll make this easy Biasbuster. Give me one fact to substantiate Ms. Prata's headline:

    Town Meeting Moderator was wrong - Attorneys agree

    Your statement "Attorneys did agree." is not a fact, it is your opinion.

    You have yet to demonstrate factually where any attorney said the meeting was illegal.

    Why do both you and Ms. Prata have such a poor opinion of ability of people to discern the truth? We are neither as gullible nor naive as you and Ms. Prata think we are.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:44 PM  

  • I am sorry if you interpreted our conversation in which opinions differ as you being 'gullible' or "naive." That is a shame.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:48 PM  

  • Nice try biasbuster.

    You have an uncanny knack of avoiding the issue.

    I'll ask again:

    Town Meeting Moderator was wrong - Attorneys agree

    Your statement "Attorneys did agree." is not a fact, it is your opinion.

    You have yet to demonstrate factually where any attorney said the meeting was illegal.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:52 AM  

  • thank you for the compliment!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:36 AM  

  • Ah, still avoiding.

    Biasbuster: BUSTED

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:45 AM  

  • I choose not to answer the same question more than once. Sometimes, if I am feeling generous, twice.

    Ray, Nathan, Paul (you are likely one of them) have a MO of asking over and over till they get the answer they want. You get one answer here.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:57 AM  

  • Nice try. I am not Ray, Nathan, or Paul.

    I have no MO. I am merely trying to hold you to the standards that you espouse. You have not refuted my contention that Elizabeth Prata's headlines are biased and based upon no objective information. So instead you patronize me by lecturing. (I can almost picture your wagging finger now.)

    Speaking of MO, you have the same way of writing and refusing to answer direct questions as Elizabeth Prata. So, you assume I am either Ray, Paul, or Nathan and I'll assume you are Elizabeth.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:27 AM  

  • ok, sure. Tho' as far as I know, Elizabeth is open and honest, answering questions of all comers. As to you- your questions were answered and your concerns addressed. I suggest that you will be happier at the dissident blog.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:50 AM  

  • Personally, folks, I would prefer that the 'battle between the papers' STOP! Elizabeth Prata IS doing her job; and it's obvious Ray Clark is NOT doing his! Plain and Simple! What is required here is that Ray Clark either 'step-up-to-the-plate' and make the necessary decisions regarding GN, or 'Step Down' and let someone with more Integrity take over! Either 'Sink or Swim' Ray!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:01 PM  

  • Really. I prefer it go out of business and puts itself, them's that involved, and the town out of its misery.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:17 PM  

  • "Out-of-Business" does have a nice ring to it! I hope Ray Clark takes the hint! GN has lost its effectiveness in the Town of Gray!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:59 AM  

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