Tuesday, February 28, 2012

bad journalism, example #145356

Dear SI and AP,

About this story:
http://bit.ly/xV0spX

On the one hand, the guy who collected Ryan Braun's urine sample said that there were no locations "within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship the sample" on the Saturday it was collected or on the day after.

Ryan Braun's camp contends that there are plenty of FedEx locations, at least one of which was open 24 hours.

Two competing claims, only one of which is true, right? So the job of a reporter is to report both claims and let the reader sort it out?

WRONG!!!
So here's what an actual reporter could do.

Get on the damned phone and call FedEx. There is an objective answer to this question and the truth should be easily obtained. If, in fact, the drug collector is full of shit, that's something the readers should be told. If, on the other hand, Ryan Braun is full of shit, that's something the readers should be told. Leaving the question unanswered? That's not journalism.