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Kristof's anthrax apology doesn't overreact

By Mark Obbie

Times reporter-columnist Nicholas Kristof (pictured here) has written the public apology to Steven Hatfill that the paper's public editor, Clark Hoyt, referred to nearly two weeks ago. But if Hoyt, Hatfill, or Times critics hoped that Kristof would go beyond simple regret to renounce aggressive coverage of uncharged criminal suspects, they'll be disappointed. Kristof doesn't explicitly say that he would cover Hatfill the same way again under the same circumstances, but he all but says it when he articulates a standard for naming suspects that puts a premium on public interest and safety -- over the individual's privacy rights. Using hypotheticals, he makes his point clearly and, in my view, persuasively. Kristof shows backbone for not letting pressure, litigation, and hindsight backpedal us into a standard of news coverage that falls short of the independent ground we American crime reporters have staked out. He responsibly draws the line between mere titillation (reports concerning tabloid sensations) and stories that truly affect our readers. Giving scrutiny to law enforcement means treading on individuals sometimes, and Kristof doesn't back away from that ugly truth. Now he's opened himself to public comments about this on his blog. I'll keep an eye on the comments, once they start, and return to the subject if anything notable happens.

Full post as published by Lawbeat on August 28, 2008 (boomark / email).