I have a new (to me) clip about Regret the Error to share. This time it’s from The Publisher, the trade magazine of the Canadian Community
Newspapers Association. I did this interview a long time ago and the article appeared back in 2005, but I never saw it. So here we are.
Montreal journalist Craig Silverman’s web site is devoted to newspaper corrections
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
By Tiffany Conroy
CCNA INFORMATION SYSTEMS COORDINATORA journalist in Montreal is making sure the whole world knows when you’ve made a mistake. Not only is he pointing, he is also laughing.
Craig Silverman, a writer and consultant in Montreal, is the editor of Regret the Error, a website dedicated to reporting "corrections, retractions, clarifications and trends regarding accuracy and honesty in the media."
Silverman culls the corrections pages of newspapers and other news sources across North America and presents the more humourous and litigious tidbits for easy digestion at www.regrettheerror.com.
There, readers are treated to all forms of errata, from not-so-innocent errors such as labelling innocent Chicago businessmen as mobsters, to the accidental dropping of letters that result in amusing typos.
Silverman, whose work has appeared in national newspapers and magazines, is no stranger to errors himself.
"Every human is fallible and I am no exception," admits Silverman. "Each week I run a listing of all the corrections I made to the site."
His worst?
"I would say one of my worst was referring to ‘Strunk & White’ as ‘Stunk & White,’" he said. Strunk & White are the original authors of the classic principles of grammar and style manual The Elements of Style. "That drew more than a few emails."
Like the subtitle of Regret the Errors says, mistakes happen. However, the clippings’ accompanying commentary starts to get critical when a publication has reprinted rumour or hoaxes. Ever the entertainer, Silverman’s criticism remains sardonic rather than severe. While humour lightens the mood of his site, his real motivations are earnest.
"Corrections are an important part of the media, yet, for the most part, they are hidden and ineffective," said Silverman, when explaining his motivation for creating the site. "Regret the Error not only points out the humorous corrections that run everyday in a variety of newspapers, but—I hope—also raises the profile of corrections and helps drive the media to a higher standard of accuracy and accountability."
The continuing problem, in Silverman’s opinion, is that errors are given little to no prominence.
"People simply aren’t getting the correct information, and I think that’s a monumental failure on the media’s part."
So if apologizing is not enough, what can a media outlet do to make amends?
"Don’t bury it, don’t hedge your apology," suggests Silverman, "and make sure that the correction is clear about what the mistake was, how it happened, and what the correct information is."
Or better yet, check your facts before you print. Prevention, of course, is the best remedy.
"There are simply too many errors in the mainstream media; the lame corrections that follow them only compound the problem and serve to further erode the public’s trust. We can and must do better."
So watch out. Whether silly or serious, your mistakes might get lifted from the back pages of your newspaper to the front page of Silverman’s website.