On Tuesday (5/29/07), we published this post. We wrote how a recent book review in the Los Angeles Times didn't bother to disclose that the author of the reviewed book, Gustavo Arellano, happens to be a contributing editor to the Times.
This morning I opened the Times to find this on page A2:
For the Record
May 31, 2007Mexican book: A review in Friday's Calendar section of Gustavo Arellano's book "¡Ask a Mexican!," a compilation of his columns by the same name for OC Weekly, should have added that Arellano is also a contributing editor to the Los Angeles Times' Opinion page.
Well! I guess the Times's "Readers' Representative" received my e-mail and read our article!
Kudos to the Times for acknowledging their lack of proper disclosure.
(By the way, writer Arellano responded to our article with this blog post. He agreed with me that the Times "should’ve stated I do write commentary for the Times." Up to that, he's fine. But then he calls me a not-so-nice Spanish slang word (warning: link has lots o' profanity) and states that I implied that his employment by the Times meant that he could never be criticized in the paper. Sorry, bro, but I never said that. In a addition to a letter to the editor (a woman doesn't like Gustavo!), Arellano points to a short "Culture Mix" column written a week earlier by a Times staffer who's obviously not a big fan of Gustavo. The "Culture Mix" guy has a bit to say about Gustavo's penchant for publicity, and he challenges the content and tone of Arellano's articles and book. But, lo and behold, despite the unflattering content, the column is not a book review (and that's an important point); the "Culture Mix" column publicizes a book-signing event for Arellano. ("Culture Mix"; get it? The same column also promoted a Cuban music festival.))
—Dave Pierre is the creator of TheMediaReport.com and a contributor to NewsBusters.
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Better late than never I supp
June 1, 2007 - 10:03 ET by bigtimerBetter late than never I suppose for the L.A. Times...it is always a good thing for corrections to be made as far as I am concerned.
As far as Gustav goes...me thinks he is a little loco...I read his response.
That is the problem with the leftists in this world...when confronted with just the facts..in other words the truth...the will attack and spin until I don't think they can even remember if they tried what lie they tell and the real reason they tell them...other than it is their natural self-aggrandizing interest with of course their own agenda's thrown in.
Good work Dave Pierre....
NB's does tell the truth, if a mistake has ever been made here, I have seen it being corrected right away with apologies...something the leftists in this world ought to give a try to...even loco one's.
It's a lib arguing tactic: ma
June 1, 2007 - 16:16 ET by mattmIt's a lib arguing tactic: make stuff up to argue against.
This does two things; 1) It avoids the facts, and 2) it makes it easier to win the argument (although they have been known to lose arguments with themselves.)