They say you don’t want to watch newspapers or sausages being made.
The sausage part is easily understandable. There are a lot of food items that I find that the less I know the better, otherwise it might put me off some things I like to eat.
For example, I was a fan of eating the talapia fish until I learned what its main food source is. I stick to cod mostly now for fish in my diet, and I don’t want to know what it eats. I’ll leave that one a mystery for our readers as well today.
As far as newspapers go, I’ve seen plenty being made and shepherded in more through the production process than my share as the editor here and other places.
You might think that having spent so many years on the front lines of producing newspapers that I would have learned enough by now to prevent any major gaffes from getting into the final copy of the paper before it is sent to print. Well, last week’s edition showed that not to be the case.
Not only was a mistake made, but it was as glaring as the winter sun, when despite the fact that the earth is colder, the Sun is actually closer and its light more harsh. Our mistake was made last week in the position of the top brief in the paper.
It is the spot we refer to as the paper’s “point of entry” and can be the most powerfully read and scrutinized part of the newspaper. In our attempt to enlighten our readers to the fact that last Sunday was time to change the clocks we used a graphic element that touted the need to “Fall Back” an hour.
You would think the “Fall” part would have been a good enough clue to help us know better, as we certainly are just beginning to see the signs of spring all around us.
But no, with deadline closing in, and the fact that the graphic looked good on the page, and still many other little details to attend to, we let the obvious become eclipsed by our need for speed in getting the job done.
The irony is that the mistake was viewed and passed muster through at least six pairs of eyes. I suppose I had infected those working with me with the deadline bug that made us think more about how to “git her done,” than to make sure we were being totally accurate.
It certainly showed that it is better not to make a mistake in the first place than to have to come back and fix it later on.
Therefore, as the editor, and the person who put the wrong information forward in the first place, I cannot pass the buck, but I must take responsibility for the gaffe that seemed to have some in town delight in catching the newspaper and its editor making a mistake.
Last Thursday, our receptionist’s phone rang off the hook so to speak, with folks calling in to ask we if had figured out that we had made a mistake.
Some folks were gracious and tried to laugh with us, although it was not a laughing matter to us. When all was said and done, we learned a few things that will help prevent the same thing from happening again and how to see our way through to prevent other kinds of mistakes. Thankfully, it was not the kind of mistake that was premeditated or done with any malice, or forethought for that matter. No one was killed and as far as we know, no one suffered any pain or injury—except our pride. We thank everyone for reading the Sun each week and we hope that continues.
No doubt there will be other mistakes from time to time. It’s the nature of the business.
While we regret every mistake, we realize that everyone now and then we must give overselves the chance to shake the dust off our feet and continue doing what we do best … the best that we can.
Dennis Kaiser is editor of the Sun Newspapers.
