Will Times Public Editor Be Consistent on Inconsistency?
In his column yesterday, New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt analyzes his newspaper’s use of prominent figures’ “middle names for historical effect,” and determines that it follows this practice inconsistently.
“Whatever the style,” he concludes, “The Times needs to be consistent in applying it.”
Indeed. And shouldn’t this conclusion about consistency also be applied consistently? We recently corresponded with Times editors about the same issue, when we pointed out the paper’s inconsistent use of the phrase “human rights advocates” (and also the inappropriateness of using that phrase to describe extremist anti-Israel activists).
The public editor was copied on the exchange, but apparently has not commented on the issue.
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