The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story

Posted on | July 12, 2013 | 45 Comments

Yesterday, the New York Times put a story on its Web site with the headline: “Christians Targeted for Retribution in Egypt.” Then, evidently, the editors took over and turned it into a story headlined: “Egypt Calls for New Look at Morsi Prison Escape in 2011.”

As they say in the newsroom, they added a new top, and what had been the lead of the story became the B-matter.

While working on something else yesterday afternoon, I saw the headline at Memeorandum (which aggregated it at 5:45 p.m. ET) and made a mental note to blog about it later, but when I checked again this morning, the entire story had been changed.

The elements of the original story about the persecution of Christians by Muslims — 14 paragraphs, 445 words  — has been shoved to the bottom of the story and a new top — 12 paragraphs, 545 words — has been added. Here’s the original lead, accidentally preserved by Doug Mataconis at Outside the Beltway who linked the story yesterday:

CAIRO — The military’s ouster of President Mohamed Morsi has unleashed a new wave of violence by extremist Muslims against Christians whom they blame for having supported the calls to overthrow Mr. Morsi, Egypt’s first Islamist elected leader, according to rights activists.

And here is the new lead:

CAIRO — Egypt’s new rulers gave new credence to a court case against the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, and members of the Muslim Brotherhood on Thursday over their escape from prison during the uprising that toppled his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.

On what planet is this second story more newsworthy — more interesting, more readable, more important — than the first?

Answer: Not on planet Earth, buster.

Never mind anything about politics. This is simply a matter of news judgment. “Extremists Unleash Wave of Violence Against Christians” is the kind of headline that sells newspapers. And instead we get some gobbledygook about what happened in 2011?

You suck, New York Times editors.

 

Category: Egypt, Media Bias, New York Times

Comments

45 Responses to “New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story”

  1. jwbrown1969
    July 12th, 2013 @ 10:54 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story: Yesterday, the New York Times put a story on i… http://t.co/AW0IRubI7c

  2. Lockestep1776
    July 12th, 2013 @ 10:54 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story: Yesterday, the New York Times put a story on i… http://t.co/kVXa87KDg4

  3. CHideout
    July 12th, 2013 @ 10:54 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story: Yesterday, the New York Times put a story on i… http://t.co/EGA0rUYs0s

  4. Citzcom
    July 12th, 2013 @ 10:54 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story: Yesterday, the New York Times put a story on i… http://t.co/DvL1KUcV2E

  5. Josh_Painter
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:02 am

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/mLCzZ2VeaO #TCOT

  6. preciseBlogs
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:06 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead Deliberately on #Egypt Story http://t.co/i7xxCGvNYO #news #conservative #newyorktimes #mediabias

  7. rsmccain
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:06 am

    THANK YOU, DOUG MATACONIS. http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq @dmataconis

  8. rsmccain
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:10 am

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq (Hat-tip: @dmataconis) #tcot

  9. mooseandskwerl
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:12 am

    RT @rsmccain: THANK YOU, DOUG MATACONIS. http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq @dmataconis

  10. Josh_Painter
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:14 am

    RT @rsmccain: New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq (Hat-tip: @dmataconis) #tcot

  11. rsmccain
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:15 am

    NOT EXACTLY NEWS. New York Times editors suck. http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq REAL NEWS. I was compelled to hat-tip @dmataconis

  12. mooseandskwerl
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:15 am

    RT @rsmccain: New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq (Hat-tip: @dmataconis) #tcot

  13. WilliamTeach
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:16 am

    RT @rsmccain: NOT EXACTLY NEWS. New York Times editors suck. http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq REAL NEWS. I was compelled to hat-tip @dmataconis

  14. LNSmithee
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:21 am

    RT @rsmccain: NOT EXACTLY NEWS. New York Times editors suck. http://t.co/YGdKVP9Ttq REAL NEWS. I was compelled to hat-tip @dmataconis

  15. RS
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:35 am

    And from the NYT this surprising how?

  16. ThePaganTemple
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:52 am

    The most important part of this story to me is how the Egyptian military reasserted control. I hope they keep on doing so, as “democracy” in Muslim countries is never going to amount to more than mob rule. A truly Republican form of government is beyond their comprehension, let alone attainment.

  17. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:58 am

    Sort of like NBC editing Zimmerman’s 911call initially to make him seem more racist.

    Or like the New York Times not ringing alarms in WWII over the Holocaust. History does repeat itself…

  18. Finrod Felagund
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:00 pm

    For cases like this I reverse the old rule of thumb “Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”: they don’t suck, they’re deliberately being evil.

  19. RS
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:00 pm

    Indeed. Their societies are stuck in the 7th Century. For that reason, I was not enthused about Bush II’s “nation building” efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Better to use the 19th century US Navy approach to foreigners who ticked us off, defined by Max Boot as, “Butcher and Bolt.”

  20. LeatherPenguin
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:21 pm

    Another Bullet in the Old Gray Lady’s Ass… http://t.co/rDvFMeTU4f

  21. StarCoreOne02
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:28 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/mLCzZ2VeaO #TCOT

  22. B2Journal
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:30 pm

    TOM: NY Slimes Buries the Lead – Deliberately – on Egypt Story. Christian persecution http://t.co/JnqxB3EEL0 #tcot #ccot

  23. ljewelry2
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:34 pm

    RT @B2Journal: TOM: NY Slimes Buries the Lead – Deliberately – on Egypt Story. Christian persecution http://t.co/JnqxB3EEL0 #tcot #ccot

  24. UntilimInCharge
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:35 pm

    RT @B2Journal: ~ NOTHING 2 SEE HERE: ~ NY Slimes Buries the Lead on Egypt. Christian persecution. ~ http://t.co/cMXenn8igw #tcot #ccot #p2

  25. politsoutherner
    July 12th, 2013 @ 12:48 pm

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/0m6xHltGH5

  26. joleone
    July 12th, 2013 @ 1:00 pm

    RT @UntilimInCharge: RT @B2Journal: ~ NOTHING 2 SEE HERE: ~ NY Slimes Buries the Lead on Egypt. Christian persecution. ~ http://t.co/cMXenn…

  27. Word: Journalism Is an Act, Not a Profession #tlot #tcot | The Rhetorican
    July 12th, 2013 @ 1:28 pm

    […] Cases in point via R.S. McCain: Poor news judgment – or perhaps something worse – at the NYT and […]

  28. ThePaganTemple
    July 12th, 2013 @ 1:45 pm

    Linked-http://thepagantemple.com/2013/07/12/kudos-to-the-egyptian-military.aspx

  29. kobayashifh
    July 12th, 2013 @ 2:39 pm

    New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story http://t.co/nQYRVoX8wh

  30. OldmanRick
    July 12th, 2013 @ 3:22 pm

    This is the NYT. Folks there are afraid that if they report the truth, they may lose important body parts.

  31. BeccaJLower
    July 12th, 2013 @ 4:13 pm

    Yesterday, WaPo. Today, The New York Times … they both suck, @rsmccain! 😀 http://t.co/i7qG2WcOOk #tcot #tlot #egypt

  32. Becca Lower
    July 12th, 2013 @ 4:17 pm

    Ha, some more important than others. IYKWIMAITYD

  33. rsmccain
    July 12th, 2013 @ 4:17 pm

    RT @BeccaJLower: Yesterday, WaPo. Today, The New York Times … they both suck, @rsmccain! 😀 http://t.co/i7qG2WcOOk #tcot #tlot #egypt

  34. Bob Belvedere
    July 12th, 2013 @ 11:23 pm

    Five words: New York Times, Walter Duranty.

  35. Saturday thoughts and news | Walla Walla TEA Party Patriots
    July 13th, 2013 @ 3:54 am

    […] New York Times Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on Egypt Story […]

  36. hale_razor
    July 13th, 2013 @ 10:21 am

    NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  37. carolteuchert
    July 13th, 2013 @ 10:24 am

    RT @hale_razor: NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  38. 1oneverybus
    July 13th, 2013 @ 10:28 am

    RT @hale_razor: NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  39. wizguy123
    July 13th, 2013 @ 10:57 am

    RT @hale_razor: NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  40. RipCityRepeat
    July 13th, 2013 @ 11:27 am

    RT @hale_razor: NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  41. IndyEnigma
    July 13th, 2013 @ 6:07 pm

    New York Times http://t.co/7fYypyhtrC Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on #Egypt Story ? #msm #ccot #lnyhbt #ocra #p2 #tcot #tlot #uniteblue

  42. paddygreenfield
    July 13th, 2013 @ 7:42 pm

    RT @hale_razor: NYT buries the lede and puts a 2011 event above today’s Egypt persecuting Christians. http://t.co/ujUt509rPI

  43. SteveMGD
    July 13th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm

    Exactly; they missed the entire holocaust. I guess they must have had more interesting stories to tell..

  44. _PatJohnson_
    July 15th, 2013 @ 10:48 am

    RT @IndyEnigma: New York Times http://t.co/7fYypyhtrC Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on #Egypt Story ? #msm #ccot #lnyhbt #ocra #p2 #tcot…

  45. saneaustinite
    July 15th, 2013 @ 10:54 am

    RT @IndyEnigma: New York Times http://t.co/7fYypyhtrC Buries the Lead — Deliberately — on #Egypt Story ? #msm #ccot #lnyhbt #ocra #p2 #tcot…