Commentary: Some Local Media Perpetuate Lies
by Editorial Staff
Yesterday morning the Plattsburgh Press Republican issued a “Breaking News” e-mail. It contained one story, “Hornbeck Nomination Denied: Senate Finance Committee cites conflicts,” by Kim Smith Dedam, a notorious anti-APA, anti-Forest Preserve “reporter.”
“Gov. David Paterson’s nomination of Peter Hornbeck to the Adirondack Park Agency Board was denied today by the Senate Finance Committee,” the first line read. The problem? It’s not true.
The Senate Finance Committee has yet to vote, and isn’t expected to vote for some time. The story was concocted by State Senator Betty Little for her own political gain and duly reported as fact, without an ounce of actual journalism, fact checking, or confirmation. The only source Smith Dedam cited in the story was Betty Little’s spokesman Dan Mac Entee. The only evidence cited was Mac Entee’s word that “Senator Little was told late yesterday afternoon that there were — at best — 14 votes in support of the nomination.” To their credit, the Times Union’s Brian Nearing debunked Dedam this morning in a follow-up on the false report.
Unfortunately the damage is already done, as WNBZ's Jon Alexander (who cut his teeth at the anti-environmentalist, anti-APA, Denton Publications) is also now parroting the one-sided report and saying, without a shred of journalistic evidence, that Hornbeck's nomination is "on life support."
Neither stories mention that Pete Hornbeck’s own locally elected representatives in Minerva voted to whole-heartedly support his nomination.
The question local reporters ought to be asking is whether our local Senator is holding up the legislature’s business, as she did when she supported last year’s Republican coup that brought the state legislature to a halt.
More importantly, Kim Smith Dedam and her editors need to explain to us how this “story” - “Hornbeck Nomination Denied” – happened, and apologize, or they should resign.
Local media no longer has a place for corrupt journalism.
BTW: You can reach Kim Smith Dedam at kdedam@pressrepublican.com
UPDATE: In case you needed to know how the story plays at Denton, they're right into the act with "Hornbeck Appointment Turned Down". One source: Betty Little.
47 Comments:
Johnny,
A few points of clarification:
In the story, I site Finance Committee Chair Carl Kruger's Chief of Staff Jason Koppel, who said it isn't dead just under review.
While following up, I made some extra calls and got confirmation that several of the upstate Dems have an issue with it.
Thus, the votes may not be there.
Secondly, you point out correctly that the Minerva Town Board voted in Pete's support.
However, what you leave out is that the Essex County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in opposition to it.
By the way, Minerva Sue Corey has a seat on that board and cast a yay vote.
Hope all is well my friend.
Interesting stuff. The way news and journalism seem to work in the North Country is perplexing to this new comer.
I hate to admit that I "believed" that breaking news article despite its lack of substance... assuming as a breaking news item that more depth was to follow.
I guess I have to recalibrate the 'trust' in local news that I brought here with me.
What I'm having trouble understanding is:
1. Does a misleading story like this really benefit anyone?
2. How on earth does a reporter get away with an article titled "Hornbeck Nomination denied" - when it hasn't really been denied? Who holds that reporter accountable?
“The truth is that several appointments have been held up by Republican members of the legislature.” I assume you are saying that this is the reason Peter’s nomination has been held up. What do you base this on? John Sheehan’s statement on the second PR story??
Are you sure this is the real truth on this story? Wouldn’t a party line vote in the finance committee approve the nomination??? Maybe I misunderstand the committee makeup?
Sounds like everybody is trying to “massage” the truth a bit here.
John, I also think that your outrage may be colored somewhat by your disappointment that Peter’s nomination is stalled. Maybe not.
But I do agree, the first PR story was misleading. I did get the impression that the nomination was dead when I read that.
Also, come to think of it, didn't your site have a link to this story yesterday. If the media outlets "perpetuates" lies than why do you link to them? Doesn't that make your site part of the problem?
John, Your stridency is a little much. If Kim screwed up, by all means call her out. The great thing about multiple vibrant news organizations is that they check each other and keep each other honest.
But to suggest that Kim should resign, to put quotation marks around her job title, implying that she's some ersatz journalist, is really rude and obnoxious. You come off just like the appallingly vapid talking heads on TV who make careers out of sniping at each other.
I'm biased, it's true: Kim is my successor at the Press-Republican and a friend. I know her and I know her editors. They're not pretenders. They screw up, true, but that doesn't mean they need to turn in their badges. And even if I didn't know Kim at all, I'd have had a hard time getting around the pomposity of your post.
Be critical, but be cool.
-Ned
Absolutely, Paul - we actually linked to it twice, believing that it was real. Both links were taken down and I wrote this piece. It pisses me off to no end to be taken in by local media with a lie. That said, those links are not reporting, they are links to local news stories - at least they're supposed to be. We've been hoodwinked before.
Jon - I like that you call me Johnny, and you're piece is better than the PR, and I didn't know about the County vote, but either the nomination is not "denied" and it's not "on life support" or it is, as you've said here, "just under review."
Dave, this story benefits Betty Little, which is why she issued the press release. She gets to claim she stop the nomination, before it's even been stopped. Even if he gets it, and maybe he won't, some people (about 15 commenters on that story for instance) will still think she stopped it unless they follow the story closely. She'll claim at unreported events for the rest of the year until the November that she did something she didn't - she has no power on the committee, on which she doesn't even sit. Her committee, on which she also has no power, passed the nomination on.
Dave,
Sorry I posted a link to that story in our discussion yesterday. It had me too.
Johnny,
Understood man. My choice of "life support" in the lead springs from two factors that each of us who write has to deal with on a daily basis.
It wasn't an attempt to bias the story.
I was just trying to draft a catchy lead that also captured the story.
I only used it b/c after talking to some of the insiders who work for upstate representatives, I got the distinct impression that it was and is the case.
Each media outlet got Betty's press release at the same time and none of us are basing it off of the other's reporting.
The PR, WNBZ and the ADE and even the TU all called their own sources and drafted the stories at or about the same time.
We here at WNBZ just don't upload our stuff until after it runs in the morning.
Yeah, the county vote troubles me a bit. I am not sure where anyone stands personally, but I do think it begs a few questions about the Minerva Town Board's resolution of support.
From a reporter's perspective, this thing is treacherous and I am fully aware of it.
I like the conversation man. Things like this are really important for the collective media.
Well played.
When we getting a drink?
I seriously doubt that these committees in Albany would have ever even heard of the Residents vs. APA suit if Betty Little hadn’t raised the issue. Some of these guys admitted themselves that they didn’t know Peter Hornbeck from Peter Pan. John, you can’t seriously say that she had nothing to do with this nomination getting stalled. If you can report something on how the committees had that brought to their attention in some way that had nothing to do with her than maybe I can buy your idea that she had nothing to do with it. You honestly believe she has nothing to do with this nomination getting stalled? I had to read your comment several times to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind and misreading what you wrote.
John, you seem to be kind of losing it over this Peter Hornbeck – Betty Little issue.
Okay, the article in the Press Republican is not true and certainly is sloppy journalism that warrants an immediate correction and apology from the Press Republican, and the reporter should be held accountable. (As an aside, I read it yesterday, assumed it was true and was very disappointed – after you pointed it out here that it was not true, my reaction is WTF.) A lie? That’s a serious charge that you should back up with some actual journalism. It would have been sufficient to just point out that it was wrong and let your readers infer what the motives were if they want to speculate.
“The story was concocted by State Senator Betty Little for her own political gain and duly reported as fact, without an ounce of actual journalism, fact checking, or confirmation.” You don’t see the ridiculousness of this statement? Again, you’re making allegations about motives, and making it sound like Betty Little wrote this herself and handed it over to the Press Republican, without providing a shred of evidence.
So Betty Little is saying that there are only 14 “yes” votes when there seems to be a lot of “undecided” votes, and perhaps she is a little over-confident in saying that “I believe the nomination will not go forward.” With “I believe” in there it is clear that it is just her opinion, which seems like a fairly reasonable one to me. Betty Little never said the nomination was denied.
Perhaps “on life support” might be an overly strong characterization, but Jon Alexander sets out all the facts and makes it clear that the nomination is still under review.
Lastly, corrupt, seriously? Where’s the money, what’s the quid pro quo?
You’re really doing some damage to your reputation by slinging mud like this (and in the “McCarthyism” piece), especially when it is interspersed with all of the commentary about journalistic ethics, etc. You're looking far worse than the people you've attacked here.
Paul,
I think what I wrote is accurate, she has no actual power here. Did she get the ear of someone on the committee with power? maybe, maybe not.
Here is what I said: "she has no power on the committee, on which she doesn't even sit. Her committee, on which she also has no power, passed the nomination on." I think that speaks for itself.
Jon, come down on St. Paddy's Day for the Donegal Beard Contest and we'll tip a few, and sing the praises of the martyrs of the Irish Revolution.
Another thing Paul - can you honestly say it's been stalled? They are apparently reviewing it. It's that what we would expect our elected representatives to do?
Well Solidago, I guess we disagree. The piece the PR wrote was a lie. You can explain it away all you like, but the Hornbeck nomination was not "denied" and that story, as is evidenced here - took in a lot of people. I would guess that if you ask around this weekend "what's happening with the Hornbeck thing?" You get that it's dead.
And did Betty Little hand over the story for the PR to run - apparently yes. It's based on her press release and cites no other sources.
Ned, I stand by my call for "Kim Smith Dedam and her editors need to explain to us how this “story” - “Hornbeck Nomination Denied” – happened, and apologize, or they should resign."
People have been lied to and taken in by this report - as I've said, they need to come clean with an apology, or they don't deserve their titles.
I'm willing to bet you'll hear nothing more about this form the PR or any local media, except what you've heard here.
OK. "Reviewing it", fine. Yes, I think it is a good idea. I wonder what is under review anyway?
BTW,
The Chair of the Minerva Planning Board wrote to me to let me know that the Times Union article that I linked to is also incorrect in that Peter Hornbeck is not a member of the Minerva Planning Board.
"He was a member for a few years," I was told, "He resigned before his term was up at least six years ago."
Also, I considered Ned's critique of my putting reporter in quotes - but I couldn't find any reporting in the story, so I left it. Reporters have an ethical duty to provide not just accurate facts, which she did not, but also context and more than just one side of the story. She has a long history of this kind of "journalism."
Paul,
They are reviewing if the fact that Protect is suing the APA constitutes a conflict of interest.
I'm not a NYS General Municipal Law or Public Officer's Law expert, so whether it does or not is anyone's guess.
Jon, I am sure that is the case. It just wasn't made very clear from any of the stories that I saw.
Here is my take (Dave I know you already saw this yesterday)... If Peter Hornbeck was a member of a business group (let's say some pro-development PAC, if such a thing exists) and that group was suing the APA over it’s development policies or some specific decision the board made (say a permit rejection) does anyone think that Peter would get approved? I don’t think he would ever get nominated. If that is true then a serious double standard exists if this nomination get through the committee.
And John, you saying that Betty Little has “no power” and then you write this: “The question local reporters ought to be asking is whether our local Senator is holding up the legislature’s business”. Again it seems like you are trying to have it both ways. Explain to me how you think it “accurate” that she has no power, but at the same time you seem to think she has the “power” to hold up the legislature?
Ok I'm confused...
"Thus, the votes may not be there."
That the votes MAY not be there for the appointment is quite different than saying it had been "denied."
"Secondly, you point out correctly that the Minerva Town Board voted in Pete's support. However, what you leave out is that the Essex County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in opposition to it. By the way, Minerva Sue Corey has a seat on that board and cast a yay vote."
How could the county board unanimously oppose the appointment if one of its members voted in favor of it?
Am I missing something or are you advising the Jackson town board on linguistic issues?
Ned and others: when major "screw ups" in news articles happen to coincide with the strident editorial line of said newspaper, it raise questions. Yes, mistakes happen. But when a purportedly objective piece is both categorical and wrong and it basically echoes the newspaper's editorial line, it doesn't automatically imply malfeasance but you don't have to be a "conspiracy theorist" to raise your eyebrows.
Although their influence may be declining, newspapers remain far and away the most influential local news outlet in much of rural America. Their "screw ups" have major implications. Thank goodness we have much derided "bloggers in bath robes" trying to hold the self-appointed watchdogs to at least a modicum of accountability.
"The Chair of the Minerva Planning Board wrote to me to let me know that the Times Union article that I linked to is also incorrect in that Peter Hornbeck is not a member of the Minerva Planning Board."
Jeesh... is there any report on this story that doesn't contain factual errors?
Paul, I asked why local reporters were not covering that side of the story - it's not having it both ways, I said they should be asking the question, I didn't make a statement about it - I don't know what the answer to the question would be, though clearly she has no power on the committees or she would have stopped it already.
It was perhaps a little outside the purview of the commentary, but I was trying (albeit ham-handily) to point out that the PR reporter took Little's word, but didn't bother to get an opposing view which maybe would indicate that Little was really just being obstructionist.
I just can't agree that being a member of a board for an organization that sued the agency has any bearing. Are you suggesting that no one who is involved in litigation should be allowed to serve? If I sue my town board should I be disqualified from running for office? Seems to me that's the person I want in there, so long as they are ethical about it.
Conflicts of interest are easily taken care of in the parliamentary process through recusal and abstention. Hornbeck has already said he would recuse himself from those votes which there was a conflict.
Paul, you are throwing up a lot of red herrings - are we supposed to believe that a Lake Placid Resort owner is going to be more fair on development issues? Cut us some slack buddy, Hornbeck is an environmentalist, a business owner and he lives in the park - what more balance is there than that?
Betty Little and Teresa Sayward don't even in live or work in Park as far as I can tell. they're both pro-business pro-developemnt and anti-APA and anti-Forest Preserve.
Hornbeck is more qualified than they are.
I find your comments disturbing to say the least. You have judged the media in our area as Anti APA, anti enviromentalist...Have you checked your facts? I can speak for Denton Publications and tell you that they are not anti-enviromentalist. Strict recycling policies are in place, 100% recycled paper is used for printing,and EPA certified clean diesel trucks fill their fleet.
I suggest that you check your facts before you make random accusations. One would think by your reaction that possibly you or your organization had something to gain from this scenario? My guess is that since you can approve or disapprove any comment that goes on this blog, only supportive ones appear, which makes you my friend a hypocrite
"My guess is that since you can approve or disapprove any comment that goes on this blog, only supportive ones appear, which makes you my friend a hypocrite."
In response to the last comment, I'm more than happy to back up John W. on this one -- if you read through these comments, there are plenty that agree with John and plenty that disagree with John. I can assure you he's not engaging in any censorship of opinion here.
Anonymous 1:58 - My comment above isn't exactly supportive of John's piece! If you look at his other controversial pieces the comment sections are anything but sycophantic - you'll find plenty of strong opinions from both sides.
John,
The reality is that the editorial staff at the Press Republican is essentially lazy. I have seen it time and time again. They cross a local official, who then cuts them off. God forbid they have to work to get a story. Much easier to get stories spoon fed to them by elected officials. They are far more concerned with getting the story "first online" than it being accurate.
Can anyone explain how any new organization can have an unbiased view on the world when the 2 top decision makers on editorial policy are husband and wife???? (As is the case with the Press Republican)
John,
You are reading too much into my comments here. I never weighed in on whether I thought it was a conflict. I just gave an example of where I think there would be a different standard applied possibly. On this string I have never even said that I am opposed to the nomination. But here is my take on the conflict thing. What is Peter supposed to do recuse himself from every decision the APA makes that regards state land classification (the issue pending in the suit)? As Curt Stiles said in a recent op-ed that is really all the APA does in regard to public land issues. Is Peter supposed to recuse himself from issues like the Adirondack Club and Resort, which he has already said he was opposed to? How can Peter be an effective member of that board if he has to sit big issues like that out?
“pro-business pro-development and anti-APA and anti-Forest Preserve”? Look John, I know you views maybe the mirror image of this but this isn’t an accurate description of these legislators. From what I have seen they are the first two thing, “pro-business and pro-development” (which it sounds like parts of the North Country desperately needs) but nothing they have done suggest that they are the second two things. Just because you disagree with them doesn’t make it so. They are not anti-APA. They both think that the agency needs to do things differently. Many people feel that way, heck even Curt Stiles himself says the agency needs to change how they do things. Neither one of them is anti-forest preserve (whatever the heck that this?). They may both feel that half (or so) of the park’s lands in public hands is probably enough at this point, or have come out against adding more forest preserve land when the state doesn’t have the money to pay for it, but that doesn’t make them “anti-Forest Preserve”. This kind of rhetoric just fuel the fire. Try to be a little more objective. You are journalist for crying out load, leave the rants out.
Chris, I agree. I almost always disagree with John and my comments are thrown up pretty fast.
It's not a rant Paul, it's a different point of view.
Yes Peter Hornbeck can sit out those few big cases where he has a conflict - people do it all the time and should do it more.
I happened to believe that Sayward and Little are obviously aligned with pro-business and pro-development interests. They have both called for an end of the APA in the past (they've changed their stance publicly apparently) and that makes them anti-APA in my mind. Anti-Forest Preserve, as I use it, means that they are opposed to growing the forest preserve inside the Blue Line - which they are.
You're taking us down a whole other road commenting on my comments. I appreciate that you think I'm a journalist, but I do very little by way of journalism. I edit this thing yeah (to some extent as you can tell), but most of my (relatively few) contributions are usually history or commentary. I don't claim to be a journalist, I'm a media critic. Too critical sometimes? Maybe. But not this time.
Thanks Solidago and Chris Morris for the defense. You should know that sometimes the anonymous fly-by-night comments have become a problem here and I've been thinking about requiring anonymous commenters to at least register for an anonymous name in hopes of weeding out some of the worst of it. I would value any thoughts you (or anyone reading) have on that plan.
Yes, sorry that was a bit of a tangent. Rant wasn't a fair description. "media critic", I guess that makes sense. I have never seen either Little or Sayward call for an end to the APA but I don't read everything.
I disagree, you can't sit out the big issues and do a good job. Let's find someone that can fully participate. Many folks in the Adirondacks care deeply about the environment and some of them are fine business people. Let's just find a less controversial character and move on.
John, I look at the NCPR blog sometimes and they don't even approve comments. There is rarely anything they have to pull down. Do you really get a lot of "crap"? It must be different audience. for example the ADE comments in Saranac Lake are pretty vile.
" Do you really get a lot of "crap"?"
I can't speak for John but on my own blog, I also approve comments. In practice, the only ones I deny are ones that are spam or ones that I consider potentially libelous or defamatory (esp. because these ones are almost invariably anonymous). I've never once denied a comment just because it was critical of me or what I wrote, not even lame ad hominem. In reality, I'm fortunate to get very few of those except for during political campaigns, although my readership is no doubt much less than AA. But I still refuse to let my blog be a vehicle for anonymous smear campaigns.
I've had more than one "vibrant" exchange with John over the years. But he's a big boy: he can take it as well as he dishes it out. Just read the comments on any commentary piece here and what you read speaks for itself.
I'm hesitant to do it, but registering with an anonymous name does preserve anonymity - and it gives time, and I suppose a hurdle, to just hitting publish.
NCPR has a full time web person who can pull comments anytime during the day, we can't do that here and I can't have someone publishing something libelous. I understand though, that by even having a comment approval process it can be perceived that I'm actually censoring someone.
I would not want what the ADE has, or the Post-Star, where comments can be really off the charts awful.
There is no censorship going on here. I can vouch for that. If there was I would have had like 2 comments ever make it past the censor!
Let's all get real and recognize that Pete Hornbeck's biggest sin is being successful in a business that does not involved development and construction. With a track record like that, he might just raise a question or two about the economic viability of some of the proposals to come before the APA board. Far from having a conflict of interest, he is in a better position than most to consider projects fairly.
PS -- I don't think you should allow "anonymous" comments. If someone can't stand behind their opinions, they should keep them to themselves.
Brian F,
It was a resolution in opposition to Hornbeck's appointment. Adopted unanimously.
Make better sense?
Oh, and I never said it was denied. Please read my story first.
Thanks for the lesson in legislative procedure Brian. I have never seen a resolution hit the floor before. Man, I sure am glad you are around.
IF you read my story, would see that all I said is that the issue is under review and support among upstate DEMs is waning.
Boards pass resolutions in opposition to things all the time.
Don't apologize or feel bad Paul, you only posted a link to it in a discussion on a blog. I actually sat down and wrote a page long entry on my website - expressing my thoughts about the "denied" nomination.
I fell for that misleading "breaking news" hook, line, and sinker.
Lesson learned.
To John W. re: your 1:42 posting:
You lost some credibility with me when you say that you don't think that Teresa Sayward or Betty Little live or work within the Adirondack Park. While it is true that Betty Little lives outside the Park in Queensbury (some of that Town lies within the blue line, but not her home), Teresa Sayward is a lifelong resident of Willsboro and served as the Town's SUpervisor for many years before becoming a State Rep. She and her husband ran a dairy farm for many years. Talk about tossing around erroneous information! While I do not agree with all of Teresa's comments and positions, she is one of the most honest and trustworthy persons you'll find in Albany. (I know that standard is about as low as you can get, but I hope my point is clear.)
Anonymous, you lost some credibility with me when you commented anonymously so I guess we're even, whoever you are.
No wait, you lost more credibility when you got indignant about where someone lives but didn't bother to criticize the issue in the commentary.
And you lost more credibility when you took what I said out of context. I said, "Betty Little and Teresa Sayward don't even in live or work in Park as far as I can tell."
Anywho.com lists Sayward's address as Glens Falls. That's where I see her all the time at restaurants and the like. I've been told she doesn't really live in Willsboro, except as a ruse - is it true, I'm not sure, but the evidence suggests it is.
So like I said "as far as I can tell."
And BTW, not that it matters much except that she is so indignant to "outsiders" - Teresa Sayward has not lived in Willsboro all her life, and possibly not in the Adirondack Park for most of it (I'm not sure how old she is).
In fact, Sayward didn't even live in the Adirondack Park until the 1972 when Willsboro was brought within the Blue Line. Sayward lived in Connecticut in 1960s before moving to Willsboro.
So anonymous, nice try, but what you really ought to do is read more carefully, put things in perspective, get your facts straight, and step outside your political bubble a little.
wow. john. somebody (john) needs to take a chill pill.
"It was a resolution in opposition to Hornbeck's appointment. Adopted unanimously.
Make better sense?"
Not really... unless Sue Corey wasn't present for the vote.
Brian,
Missing the point here. A yay vote in this case meant that one opposed Hornbeck's appointment.
It was a resolution of opposition.
Yes = against!!
Holy crap!
Corey also voted in favor of a resolution of support for the reappointment of Art Lussi.
Jon,
Apparently I mis-read your original comment. I thought you said the Minerva town board unanimously voted in support of Hornbeck's nomination, which is why I was perplexed by the unanimous vote against Hornbeck by the county board (of which Sue Corey is a part). But re-reading it, you just said the board voted in support, which of course does not imply unanimity. My bad for misreading the original, sorry.
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