Les Enfants Terrible

AS A REPORTER, I MUST ADMIT THAT I sometimes feel a bit sorry for Newsweek. I understand what it is like to have made an unforgivable error, one that impacts other peoples lives in profound ways. What I don't understand is Newsweek's reticence to make things right beyond a retraction. Being in the business, it is hard for me to fathom that the journalists and editors at the vaunted magazine aren't more proactive in correcting their error.

About two years ago I had a major scoop, and I made the mistake of relying on back issues of my own newspaper for background. I did so because I didn't want to make a series of phone calls that would undoubtedly lead my competition to get wind of the story. You see, when you write for a weekly, scoops are almost impossible to come by, and rarely go unnoticed by readers who generally read both publications. A scoop was good for me, and I salivated at the thought of the competition's upcoming editorial meeting, in which heads would roll.

A city on my beat had settled a police brutality suit in a state court far away from the local area. I happened upon the conclusion only out of natural curiosity which prompted an impromptu phone call. In my zeal for secrecy, I relied solely on past reporting on the story, reporting that proved to have been factually incorrect. The high I felt at breaking a major story was soon turned to despair upon receiving word that I had made an unforgivable error.

In a nutshell, I reported that a perfectly law-abiding citizen had been wanted on felony charges. Not surprisingly, this caused a great deal of anger for the person's family, who demanded a front page retraction and an apology from the newspaper. My publisher, who ultimately did agree to the front page retraction, would not get on board with the apology, much to my chagrin.

The guilt I felt was overwhelming and I realized after about a week and a half that there was no way I was going to feel good about myself and my job unless I offered some kind of apology to the family. Since my employer refused to do it publicly, I decided that I would do it personally. So, I got in my truck and drove to the address. I don't mind telling you that it was a trip marked by dread.

Upon my arrival I instantly regretted the decision. The driveway looked like a Sturgis event and I thought I was about to be subjected to a thorough beating. It was too late to turn back however and I sheepishly inquired whether the person I sought was at home. Naturally I was asked to identify myself, which only made the beat-down look like more of a reality.

Long story short, I bit the bullet and had a talk with the person at which time I apologized profusely for my error and offered to make things right in any way that he could think of. I was assured that my apology was appreciated, was treated to a hand-shake, and the episode was finally and mercifully over. It was then, and only then, that I felt things had been made right and allowed myself to enjoy my job again.

Granted, Newsweek cannot go to the families of riot victims and shake hands. And, perhaps the example I use is a bit pedestrian. But it is hard for me to imagine that Newsweek would rather retreat into protectionism than attempt to do something, anything, to correct the record and repair their sullied reputation.

One does not trade their conscience for a by-line, or so I thought. It is to Newsweek's eternal shame that they have done so in regard to a story that has caused real damage to America's reputation, and far more importantly, to families that will never again know the companionship of members lost.