April 10, 2003

Just the Spin

It's Journalism 101: a one-source story is a no-no. But today's Tennessean has one, providing former state Finance Commissioner Warren Neel an uncontested forum to cover his tail on a computer services contract that is now the subject of a criminal probe. Neel, who it appears may have knowingly allowed two computer services companies to continue grossly overbilling the state (at a cost to taxpayers of millions of dollars) has long been a Tennessean favorite because he was tireless champion of the income tax while a member of the Sundquist administration. The paper printed op-eds by Neel, and rarely if ever challenged his heavily-spun and often outright deceptive revenue data press releases. Now they're violating a basic rule of journalism and letting Neel, in essence, dictate a story in his own defense. There's no evidence in the story that the reporter fact-checked Neel's claims. How pathetic.

The Knoxville News Sentinel today has a better story on the probe.