"The News & Record runs a feature at its website billed as an "Online Poll." Although it appears to be part of the news coverage, the tool is unscientific: The sample population is self-selected (that is, anyone who shows up can participate) but also limited to people who use computers and visit that particular site at a given time. And it's easy to manipulate: I just voted several times, raising the dark green bar in the image at left, and a coordinated group effort to direct voting could dictate outcomes. This is not a robust method of measuring public opinion, it's infotainment.
So, not great. But things get worse when the results of these pretend polls are touted by the paper's reporters via social media, without any caveats. Now the infotainment is granted a new layer of legitimacy. When veteran journalist Lorraine Ahearn and I said so to N&R reporter Amanda Lehmert on Facebook, re a recent question about GSO's panhandling laws, Amanda and another commenter replied that it's understood that these things aren't scientific. Ahearn's response: "Then stop calling it a poll!"
My reply:
"That isn't the only manipulation that has been going on at the N&R. They are also in the habit of deleting and changing the content of online stories without noting the changes or deletions. Hugh is one of several alert readers who has brought this to my attention of late.
Another was the deleting without any explanation the story of Robbie Perkins again being taken back to court come April.
I think it's time we called the N&R for what they are-- shills."
For years now we've watched as the N&R goes out of its way to manipulate the information given to the public concerning important issues. Recently I sent the following e-mail to Amanda Lemhert and Taft Wireback concerning their coverage of the Duke Energy coal ash spill on the nearby Dan River:
"Amanda and Taft,
Some questions about this article you might want to follow up on: http://www.news-record.com/news/government/article_06a64288-941e-11e3-9171-0017a43b2370.html
The first pipe was made of galvanized steel. Is the second leaking pipe made of concrete, plastic, terra cotta, galvanized steel, cast iron or some other material? All of those have been used for storm drains at one time or another.
If the pipe is made of galvanized steel or cast iron then the source of the odd color and “iron-oxydizing bacteria” could very well be a rusting pipe itself. After all, it was rust that did the other pipe in. But if the pipe is made of anything other that galvanized steel or cast iron then BINGO, Duke Energy is lying because none of those other kinds of pipes rust. Only iron and steel can rust and rust is iron oxide.
And this statement:
“We believe the discoloration is from iron deposition that is naturally occurring,” Duke official Joanie Cooke said in an email."
Where would this iron deposition come from? Duke Energy claims it's a storm drain, right? Are they dumping tons of rusty nails in their parking lot? Have they been storing coal ash on the lot? The quote from Joanie Cooke goes a long ways towards confirming suspicions that the discoloration is caused by coal ash.
Of course, if the pipe is rusted out then water from the driveway or parking lot that it drains would start washing away at the soil around the pipe to create a sinkhole. We all see what happens when sinkholes wash out under city streets but when sinkholes wash out under ponds you simply get leaky ponds.
And if that pond happens to be a coal ash pond..."
Neither ever replied nor did the News & Record publish another article concerning my concerns until after it was confirmed by other media outlets that the second pipe was also leaking.
As always, if you'd like me to forward you a copy of my e-mail to Amanda and Taft, just send an e-mail to RecycleBill@gmail.com with the words Duke Energy in the subject line and I'll send it your way.
