On Aug. 7, there was a typo in a headline of a front page story of West Hawaii Today. Unfortunate and embarrassing for sure, a “U” was accidentally added to the word “scorched.”
The copy editor actually caught it before it went to print, and sent a revised cover to production on Oahu, who mistakenly grabbed the previous version when they plated the pages for print.
That’s all elaborate insider talk to say — we blew it.
But other than wearing all that egg on our face, did it matter in the end?
Yes it mattered, in so far as it speaks to attention to detail, an important trait in the news-gathering game. But in another way, no it didn’t matter, because it didn’t change any of the information any of the front page stories provided.
One of those stories detailed the latest in 19,000 acres of West Hawaii burning wildly. Another covered the expected track, strength, and effects of looming Hurricane Hector. A third tackled the latest donations to candidates and misleading information (lies?) spoken by some of them. And the last unveiled details and identities of an investigation into a double fatality involving a well-known lifeguard, despite police not sharing much information with the media.
That’s not a boring front page on a Tuesday.
But that miscreant “U” befouled it beyond repair, at least for one reader.
“How is it that a bolded headline is misspelled?!?!?” a woman wrote in an email to the reporter, who was not responsible for the typo, under the subject line, Illiterate much?
“It amazes me just how often this happens,” she continued. “Don’t you folks have a real computer and spellcheck or even a desktop dictionary??? Come on, is it really that hard? It’s YOUR article! Do your due diligence so YOU won’t look like a moron, there are enough of those working next to you.”
Critical mail is par for the course in this industry. In fact, some of the clever notes, ones with real adult wit, we save. There’s a folder tucked away in an editorial office drawer just for them because every once in a while, it’s fun to stroll down memory lane.
But we share this one because there seems to be real anger there, unsettling anger, from someone we’ve never met.
There’s a tone here, in our estimation after 12 years working in editorial departments, that is elevated and new. This writer is enraged to such a degree that it seems her anger almost must stem from an impetus far deeper than a misplaced “U.”
We share this email with another story.
Recently, following a news article about an investigation, a West Hawaii reporter contacted several of the sources after one of the stories had appeared in print to see if there were any new developments.
The sources, other than suddenly being thrust in the middle of a crisis, were normal, everyday, neighborly people. They worked, paid taxes, raised families and obeyed laws.
And they relayed to the reporter in surprised — almost perplexed — fashion how relieved they were the information they presented was accurately portrayed.
“So all that fake news isn’t real,” one said, almost dazed. “At least not in West Hawaii.”
We’re not sharing this to boast of a compliment. We’re sharing this because it, to us, it is a good and disappointing illustration of just how widespread the idea of “fake news” is in every community. Just how prevalent the notion of the media as the enemy of the people truly is.
It sounded as though the sources had accepted that message as partially true — even if they’d never dwelled on it before. If that’s the case, how many others, how many hard party-liners, are deeper in the camp?
Millions, we fear.
President Donald Trump, a mastermind of chaos, is winning that front. Actually, depress us as it may, he’s padding the margin of victory by the day. The example above of the angry email sent to the reporter, we believe, is an example of Trump’s rhetoric being at least absorbed, if not accepted entirely.
Editors of hundreds of newspapers appeared to agree. Newspapers, in a coordinated effort across the country, pushed back Thursday against Trump’s frequent attacks on the media and his assertion that the news media are “the enemy of the people.”
Lawmakers did the same, including one of our own.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced and called for the immediate passage of a new resolution affirming Congress’ support of the First Amendment and condemning attacks on the free press, which, they said in a news release, undermine the credibility of journalists and the press as a national institution.
They are noble sentiments, but won’t quell Trump’s push. The fact that it’s gotten this far says to us that many media publications didn’t realize it was in a real fight until it was too late, while Trump is someone who thrives on conflict.
But a country without a free, trustworthy press is doomed. We hope the American citizenry realizes this before it is too late. We believe it will.
All we can do from here, in the meantime, is continue to cover news as accurately as we can and shine a light on this simmering hatred — make no mistake, it is hatred — when the unhealthy vile laps upon our shores.
This is about more than a “U.”