Trust me, in these days of shrinking media budgets, I understand the fact-checker/researcher has gone the way of the evening paper. But there's no excuse for the Trib's lead editorial this morning to feature a giant fib - one that could have easily been corrected with a Google search or visit to Wikipedia. Or heck, even reading Shadow of the Stadium.
In support of state funds rehabbing Florida's spring training facilities, the Trib writes:
As (State Sen. Jack) Latvala, a Pinellas County Republican, points out, 15 years ago every MLB team held its spring training in Florida. Now, Arizona, which has aggressively sought to take teams from Florida, hosts half of the majors' 30 teams for spring training.Except as this blog pointed out last month, not every MLB team was training in Florida 15 years ago. In fact, in 1998, only 20 of the league's 30 teams trained in Florida.
In fact, six teams have never trained in Florida. In fact, the Trib carelessly lifted the claim from an incorrect press release and based part of its pro-subsidy argument on it. It's a mistake that needs fixing.
The Times isn't afraid to post corrections based on Shadow of the Stadium discoveries. Is the Trib?
If it didn't require a Facebook account to do so, I'd have left a comment admonishing their lack of basic fact-checking.
ReplyDeleteI expect such sloppiness and/or willful distortion from elected officials. I hold Papers of Record to a higher standard.
LOL, I understand the need to "keep'em honest", but was it worth the time to "call'em out'? And, wayda toot our own horns with "Or heck, even reading Shadow of the Stadium.", and "The Times isn't afraid to post corrections based on Shadow of the Stadium discoveries. Is the Trib?", because we ALL know how this blog is to now recognized in ALL of West Central's Florida's media as the Sheriff of the reporters. Keep keep'em inline Noah!
ReplyDelete