A Case Study in How The Associated Press Waters Down a Positive Story
Here is a comparison of Jennifer Greff’s original story in The Omaha World-Herald (requires free registration) to what the Associated Press found and reported nationally (link is one of many having the identical story; both articles have been copied in their entirety for fair use and discussion purposes):
| (Omaha World-Herald) Boy Scouts’ deed saves girl from drowning __________________________ Some Omaha Boy Scouts are credited with a very good deed: rescuing a little girl from drowning. At Two Rivers State Recreation Area on Saturday afternoon, 18-month-old Stephanie Pacheco slipped away from her mother and began floating face-down in the Platte River, said Duane Arp, a conservation officer with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. About five members of St. Cecilia’s Troop 100 were swimming nearby during a camping trip to earn merit badges. Christian Nanson, 11, spotted the girl in the water and yelled to fellow Scout John Fitzgerald, 9, said assistant Scoutmaster Matt Fitzgerald. Matt and John Fitzgerald are father and son. The two boys ran to the girl and grabbed her out of the water. “She was probably literally minutes away from a tragedy,” Arp said. Once ashore, the girl began vomiting water but started breathing. Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy David Brock said the girl was treated for hypothermia and was in intermediate care at Children’s Hospital. A hospital spokeswoman declined to release Stephanie’s condition Sunday afternoon.< Arp said the girl had been swimming with a group of family members but had chased after some dogs playing in the water about 3:30 p.m. Matt Fitzgerald said all the boys in the troop remained calm during the rescue and they all helped. The two boys pulled the girl out of the water, while other Scouts located a cell phone to call for help and directed rescue vehicles. "They were initially shocked. Right now, they're pretty proud of what they've done," Fitzgerald said. One of the responding firefighters with the Yutan Fire Department visited the boys' campsite Saturday night and invited them to the station sometime for a celebration, he said. And the Boy Scout council will likely honor them as well. "Thank God for Boy Scouts," Deputy Brock said. |
(Associated Press) Boy Scouts Save Toddler From River _________________ A troop of Boy Scouts on a camping trip saved an 18-month-old girl who had fallen in a river upstream from them and was floating face down, officials said. The boys were swimming in the Platte River at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, about 20 miles west of Omaha, on Saturday when 11-year-old Christian Nanson spotted something floating in the water. It turned out to be a young girl. Nanson and John Fitzgerald, 9, both member of an Omaha Scout troop, reached the girl and brought her to shore while others called for help on a cell phone, assistant scoutmaster Matt Fitzgerald told the Omaha World-Herald. Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy David Brock said the little girl, Stephanie Pacheco, was treated for hypothermia and released from a hospital Monday. The child had slipped away from her mother upstream, said Duane Arp, a conservation officer with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. |
The AP “strangely” left the following on the cutting room floor:
- The fact that it was some of the troop, not all of it, that participated in the rescue.
- That the boys were members of a specific scout troop (St. Cecilia’s Troop 100) and not just “an Omaha Scout troop.” I believe the troop and its leaders deserved specific recognition. Apply what I would call the Paul Harvey test: Do you think Mr. Harvey would neglect to specifically name the troop if her were reporting this story in the very compressed time frame of his show?
- Deputy Brock’s “Thank God for the Boy Scouts,” or any direct quote or compliment.
I think The AP took all the humanity and recognition out of the story that got distributed nationally, and didn’t have to. I’ll leave it to readers’ imaginations as to why.
Thank God tyhe child was saved but I heard no mention of the parents in any of the stories I’ve read. Are they under arrest has the child be taken aways from them. We’re they drinking at the park and let the child wander away? There is another story here that needs to be told I think.
Comment by Richard Osborn — August 25, 2006 @ 1:41 pm
#1, the longer story in the second paragraph says she slipped away from her mother.
I searched on the child’s name and saw no follow-up story. I’m assuming it’s an “accidents happen” thing unless I see something that says otherwise. You would think there would be a story by now if it were something negative.
Comment by TBlumer — August 25, 2006 @ 1:53 pm