'NY Times' Won't Debate Fox News On Film Flap

E&P ^ | 07/12/04 | E & P Staff

[Pikamax]

'NY Times' Won't Debate Fox News On Film Flap

By E & P Staff

Published: July 12, 2004

NEW YORK In a letter sent to E & P Monday night, The New York Times chose not to fire back at Fox News, which earlier in the day had accused the paper of "corrupt" journalistic practices and collaborating in copyright infringement. "We don't get into debates about our news coverage," Toby Usnik, director of public relations for The New York Times Company, wrote.

The charges emerged in Fox's official response to a Times Magazine story on Sunday about the new film, "Outfoxed," which is highly critical of Fox News channel. In that story, the Times printed brief excerpts from internal Fox memos.

"If someone tells us we made a factual error, we will examine the question closely," Usnik wrote, obviously suggesting this was not yet the case in this matter. "Otherwise our coverage speaks for itself."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E & P Staff

[prairiebreeze]

I wonder if this part of the media war I was reading about a couple of days ago where Fox was prepped to expose a lot of dirty laundry about the alphabets, Slimes etc. if they continued to assault Fox.

[fml]

"If someone tells us we made a factual error, we will examine the question closely,"

...then do absolutely nothing about it.

[doug from upland]

If FOX News possesses a dirty bomb, it is time to nail these elitist a-hoes.

[LouisWu]

"If someone tells us we made a factual error, we will examine the question closely,"

Well, they don't exactly do nothing about it.

They don't apologize or retract, but they will print a contradictory item.

On page C-11, in 2-point type, in light gray ink.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

What do they consider a factual error?

[Bernard]

How French of them.

[VeniVidiVici]

"Otherwise our coverage speaks for itself."

Yup. It sure does.

[rwfromkansas]

I have the internal memos.....Jim, one of the co-creators of the Outfoxed film, sent them to me as a member of the media tangetically.

They are not hosted on their website. I can't seem to get them up on a website, so for now, I will just e-mail them to interested parties. If any of you want them, let me know.

These memos, of which the NYT only printed a small portion, actually make Fox look really good, that they care about getting all sides of the story. I was impressed.

They certainly do not make Fox look bad, like Outfoxed was trying to do.

[Mrs Zip]

ping

[Nevermore]

I think it depends what your definition of "error" is...

I'd say they were very "Clintonesque", but the sad truth is that NYT would probably consider that a compliment.

[TigersEye]

"We don't get into debates about our news coverage," Toby Usnik, director of public relations for The New York Times Company, wrote. ("we'd lose every time.")

[dix]

Put my money down on The Roger

[wasnova]

"We don't get into debates about our news coverage," Toby Usnik, director of public relations for The New York Times Company, wrote.

Toby may actually be telling the truth here.

I sure would know better than to question the Party-line if I worked at the Times.

[saveliberty]

"If someone tells us we made a factual error, we will examine the question closely," Usnik wrote, obviously suggesting this was not yet the case in this matter. "Otherwise our coverage speaks for itself."

---

STORIES
In the film "Outfoxed," four people are identified as former employees of FOX News. FOX News officials, saying their employment history was misrepresented, issued the following clarification:

* Alexander Kippen is referred to as a "former FOX News producer" when in fact he was never employed by FOX News Channel. He was an employee of WTTG-TV, a FOX affiliate** in Washington, DC.

* Frank O'Donnell is referred to as a "FOX News producer" in film materials, which is factually incorrect. O'Donnell worked for FOX affiliate WTTG** from 1984 - 1991 and was never a FOX News Channel employee.

* Jon Du Pre was hired in 1999 as a reporter for FNC's Los Angeles bureau, not an anchor as the film material states. His contract was not renewed in 2002 because, as his personnel file states, he was considered to be a weak field correspondent and could not do live shots. At the time his contract was not renewed, Du Pre was applying for an anchor position on FOX News Channel.

* Clara Frenk was a pool booker, not a "producer" in the FOX News Channel Washington, D.C., bureau. She worked at FNC from February 1998 until March 1999 and expressed no concern about the editorial process while she was employed here.

[TigersEye]

I don't think he was speaking of internecine debates. He meant with FOX News. Lefties never tell the truth.