Editor: As a former reporter, I am truly embarrassed for the letter writer last week who claimed to be a journalism major from Northwestern University. Ms. Lovallo-Coddington’s opinion-as-fact letter is a gross disservice to both Northwestern University and journalists everywhere.
She actually – and embarrassingly – claims that she couldn’t find the email addresses of Bob McClure and Alexandra Lundahl. Since both are easily found in the print and online editions of the TBN Weekly papers, her efforts were nothing short of a horrid lack of effort, creativity and journalistic acumen on her part. A true journalism student would know that instead of making broad, nebulous accusations, you build your story on facts and back them up with proper attribution. She did neither while purporting her personal opinion as fact.
Throughout the past seven years, I have had regular interactions with the staff of Tampa Bay Newspapers and if there’s anything that sums up their collective efforts, it’s accuracy and a steadfast adherence to the Society for Professional Journalists Code of Ethics (http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp). Apparently, based on her absurd letter, Ms. Lovallo-Coddington skipped that class at Northwestern. So silly and embarrassing was that letter that I can confidently say if ever there were (not “was” as the she incorrectly penned – apparently she’s more a stranger to the written word than she thinks) a need for a fact-checker, it lies with Ms. Lovallo-Coddington.
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