Starting today, St. Petersburg Times is publishing a Standard
of Accuracy. It says, in summary, we mean to get things right -- both in
our news coverage and our business dealings with customers.
This statement is prompted by discussions following a scandal at the New York
Times, where readers spotted problems in a reporter's work long before editors
recognized a pattern of sloppiness and deceit that would stain that newspaper's
reputation for excellence.
We do not publish this statement because we fear a similar scandal at the St. Petersburg Times. I believe we would hear about a problem long before it reached such damaging proportions. We work at close range with our readers and advertisers, and they know where to find us.
Nor is there anything especially new in this statement, which makes a commitment to accuracy, and to correcting mistakes when they occur. We already publish most corrections on the front pages of news sections, even though the original stories may have appeared in less prominent positions. We also try to provide good customer service, and to address complaints promptly.
We do hope, however, that this daily statement will reinforce with readers and customers that we welcome their high expectations, because we have them for ourselves. And when we do fall short, we want to know, so that we can set things right.
