Post and Courier readers know a lime when they see one. And they know that limes do not begin life as baby figs – despite what Wednesday’s food page said.
Dozens of readers took the time to call and point out that one of the three lush, green photos of limes was actually a picture of figs. No amount of squeezing is going to make sweet figs produce limeade.
Here is how it happened.
Food columnist Nathalie Dupree wrote a column about the delights of preparing foods made with home-grown limes. Staff photographer Wade Spees shot some pictures in her garden to accompany it – a dramatic close-up of shiny limes ready for picking and another of budding lime florets.
While he was there, he photographed some figs to accompany an upcoming food story. He labeled his shots appropriately.
There were at least three places the subsequent mistake should have been caught before the paper created a sour taste among food page readers.
The assistant features editor who sent all three photos to the design editor should have noticed that only two of the photos were labeled “limes” and sent only those. While the figs photo was taken at the same time, Dupree unfortunately did not write about figs marinated in lime juice.
The page designer should have noticed that the limes looked awfully figgy in one picture and that the lime leaves were inexplicably shaped like fig leaves made famous by Adam and Eve.
The features editor checked the page and wrote cutlines (captions) using information from the column. He, too, failed to notice the discrepancies.
Dozens of readers called. Post and Courier staff members apologized to them on the phone and by way of a correction in Thursday’s paper.
The topic is worth revisiting for several reasons.
It is no surprise that readers expect accuracy from their newspapers. Recent national surveys indicate that newspaper readers are, to varying degrees, skeptical about the accuracy of information provided by the media. They tend to have more confidence in newspapers than television, but less confidence in newspapers than they once did.
It is the responsibility of newspapers to be accurate in the big things and the little things as well. If newspapers mix up messages from political candidates, readers might charge intentional bias.
If newspapers misidentify a fig or list a person as being both 21 and 22 years old in the same story (as happened in Thursday’s paper), the mistake doesn’t raise readers’ eyebrows as much as it lowers readers’ confidence in what is published.
Post and Courier management and staff want their product to be accurate more than anyone else does. They meet daily to discuss the morning’s paper – what worked and what didn’t. They correct mistakes on Page 2A. They post mistakes on bulletin boards to drive the lessons home.
Most local stories include information about how to contact reporters. Editors are available to hear from readers. And as public editor, I am eager to address comments or answer questions regarding issues of accuracy or fairness.
* * *
Even more readers have spoken out about a new marketing campaign launched last week by The Post and Courier. Some love it. Some hate it.
In case you missed them, they are comical full-page ads inviting readers who don’t read the newspaper every day to become aware of features in the newspaper they might like.
A retro photo of a woman in a beauty parlor with a congealed dessert on her head invites them to read the newspaper for “other mealtime ideas.”
A not-so-sleek-figured man in a super hero costume encourages readers to find “other career ideas” in The Post and Courier.
Senior citizens seated in folding chairs and watching cows come home signal readers that The Post and Courier has “other entertainment ideas.”
Some readers love the humor and whimsy. “I haven’t stopped laughing.” “I cut it out and sent it to a friend.”
Others are offended. Several women said the beauty parlor ad is demeaning.
Others have been offended by the super hero’s bare hairy chest.
Post and Courier Marketing Director Craig Rogers says the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The idea, he says, is to use humor and creativity to capture people’s attention.
Ann Tracey, creative director with Rawle-Murdy that produced the ads, said her staff came up with the newspaper ads, augmented by radio ads, to target readers who are primarily interested in reading the newspaper for news they can use, such as classified ads, or for entertainment news.
