NPR Public Editor

Monday June 30, 2008

NPR Public Editor

NO 'SPOILER ALERT' FOR SPORTS

by  Holley Simmons

June 30, 2008 • When an NPR newscaster announced the winner of the French Open Semi-Finals on June 6, our office received a few emails from not-amused tennis enthusiasts. These fans were upset that a spoiler alert wasn't given.

Friday June 20, 2008

NPR Public Editor

SEXIST LANGUAGE

by  Alicia C. Shepard

June 20, 2008 • A recent piece on Morning Edition told the story of a smart, powerful woman who rose to the top ranks of Lehman Brothers, only to be demoted six months later when the investm

Thursday June 12, 2008

NPR Public Editor

LISTENER SOUND OFF June 12, 2008

by  Alicia C. Shepard

June 12, 2008 • LISTENER SOUND OFF: Occasionally the office will publish a "Sound Off," where the Ombudsman responds to listener inquiries. These letters often address important issues which many NPR listeners might be interested in. Included in thi

Thursday June 5, 2008

NPR Public Editor

DOES THE WORLD NEED MORE NEWS OMBUDSMEN?

by  Alicia C. Shepard

June 5, 2008 • STOCKHOLM — The "Readers' Editor" for The Observer of London was sightseeing here last week when his cell phone rang. It was a Kenyan journalist asking how his

Wednesday May 28, 2008

NPR Public Editor

THE GIANT POOL OF MONEY

by  Alicia C. Shepard

May 28, 2008 • Clarence Nathan was a man with three part-time jobs who earned about $45,000 a year, and yet a bank loaned him $540,000. The bank never checked his income.

Monday May 19, 2008

NPR Public Editor

WHEN LISTENERS WANT TO SEND MONEY TO PEOPLE IN STORIES

by  Alicia C. Shepard

May 19, 2008 • After hearing an NPR piece about a man who risked his life to sneak into the U.S. to earn money for a sick daughter, Kathy Khazen wanted to do something.

Friday May 16, 2008

NPR Public Editor

WHY HASN'T MY COMMENT BEEN POSTED?

by  Chantal de la Rionda

May 16, 2008 • Many comments are not posted because of length (over 200 words) or because they don't relate to the issue in that column.

Monday May 12, 2008

NPR Public Editor

IS "THE INFINITE MIND" AN NPR SHOW?

by  Alicia C. Shepard

May 12, 2008 • UPDATE on May 20, 2008: The Infinite Mind has added an Underwriting page after the recent criticism and added fuller disclosure about a

Monday May 5, 2008

NPR Public Editor

RACIST COVERAGE?

by  Alicia C. Shepard

May 5, 2008 • SEAN BELL UPDATE: May 20, 2008Charges filed against a group of officers involved in the Bell shooting.

Monday April 28, 2008

NPR Public Editor

NPR, NEW YORK TIMES AND SOURCING MILITARY EXPERTS

by  Alicia C. Shepard

April 28, 2008 • UPDATE:Media correspondent David Folkenflik reports on the issue of Pentagon consultants and the New York Times in his

Sunday April 20, 2008

NPR Public Editor

HATING THE MEDIA WHEN YOU SHOULDN'T

by  Alicia C. Shepard

April 20, 2008 • BLACKSBURG, Va. --- The sign in the downtown store that sells Virginia Tech paraphernalia was quite clear: "No Media, Please."

Friday April 11, 2008

NPR Public Editor

SHOULD NPR LINK TO VIOLENT ANTI-MUSLIM VIDEO?

by  Alicia C. Shepard

April 11, 2008 • Without YouTube or LiveLeak, the world might only hear or read about the disturbing new anti-Muslim, Dutch video, "Fitna."

Wednesday April 2, 2008

NPR Public Editor

IS OBAMA'S PASTOR ANTI-GAY?

by  Alicia C. Shepard

April 2, 2008 • Jason Carlson was driving home listening to All Things Considered (ATC) on March 24 when he heard a gay man say he would not vote for Sen. Barack Obama because the senator's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, was anti-gay.

Wednesday March 26, 2008

NPR Public Editor

NPR'S IRAQ COVERAGE

by  Alicia C. Shepard

March 26, 2008 • In an eerie chain of coincidences, insurgents' mortar attacks were launched at the heavily-fortified Green Zone in Baghdad at exactly the same time that NPR's Dina Temple-Raston

Wednesday March 19, 2008

NPR Public Editor

A REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

by  Alicia C. Shepard

March 19, 2008 • Words matter, but tone and how the words are said often matter even more.