As we reported earlier, CNN host Brian Stelter was intrigued by a particular quote in a New York Times story:
Obama needs more cable news in his media diet? Revealing comment in a private meeting with newspaper columnists… pic.twitter.com/iUHz6Ey38g
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 18, 2015
Revealing indeed. Perhaps too revealing:
Hey @peterbakernyt @GardinerHarris: Why did you delete the newsworthy part of your story? https://t.co/uc7L9yEhaa pic.twitter.com/ME8WJauXZ5
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 18, 2015
They deleted it without correction. @brianstelter https://t.co/DsutLOokE5
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 18, 2015
According to the reporter who thought it was previously worthy of “quote of the day,” there’s nothing to see in that:
@kerpen @peterbakernyt @GardinerHarris they delete text from stories every day, for lots of reasons, that aren't "correctable."
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 18, 2015
No big deal?
@brianstelter @kerpen @peterbakernyt @GardinerHarris Brian you correctly called it the “quote of the day” yesterday. Now it’s disappeared.
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) December 18, 2015
@SteveKrak @kerpen @peterbakernyt @GardinerHarris yes… so… ? some people seem to be assuming the worst; I'm not assuming anything.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 18, 2015
Sometimes inquiring minds don’t want to know.
For the record, here’s the reason the Times offered for the deletion:
Statement from NY Times re: deleting that passage about President Obama not recognizing anxiety over terrorism. pic.twitter.com/PwZngc88G2
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) December 18, 2015
NYT tells @BecketAdams it was "trimmed for space" even though rewrite was LONGER than deletion. pic.twitter.com/lOmnkBCSv1
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) December 18, 2015
Stelter continued on in defense of the NYT story change:
@BecketAdams: And then they changed the online version to match? That's… interesting.
— J.G. Alt (@nycconservative) December 18, 2015
@nycconservative @BecketAdams at the NYT, this happens all the time,"
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 18, 2015
@brianstelter @nycconservative @BecketAdams
The rewrite is longer than the original.
Does that happen at the NYT all the time?
— Markos_Anderson (@Markos_Anderson) December 18, 2015
@Markos_Anderson @nycconservative @BecketAdams the NYT commonly replaces the "early" web version with the "final" print version.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 18, 2015
@brianstelter I don't think the criticism is over newsroom inside baseball. It's over news judgement. @Markos_Anderson @nycconservative
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) December 18, 2015
Yes, it’s peculiar that edits made “for space” reasons just happen to include the quote that makes Obama look completely out of touch:
https://twitter.com/RobProvince/status/677885244515729412
No, but…
The NYTimes has long been this Administration's de facto #MinistryOfTruth…@kerpen @instapundit https://t.co/ZUkMW2B0uo
— justturnright (@justturnright) December 18, 2015
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Ace of Spades trips up journos’ rush to defend NYT over deletion of Obama admission