[antimedia] antimedia: You don't suppose....

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Posted by antimedia:
You don't suppose....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1146722102.shtml


   ....we're [1]having an impact, do you?

     Former Associated Press Vermont bureau chief Chris Graff, whose
     firing for unannounced reasons in March sparked statewide protests
     from journalists and public officials, was terminated for
     distributing a column by Sen. Patrick Leahy that promoted open
     public records, according to his termination letter obtained by E&P
     today.
     The letter, written by AP Northern New England Regional Bureau
     Chief Larry Laughlin, revealed that Graff, a 27-year veteran of the
     Vermont bureau, lost his job because he distributed the column,
     which was eventually pulled from the AP wire.
     "This is to inform you that your employment at the Associated Press
     is terminated," the March 20 letter begins. "The AP has a proud
     tradition of speed, accuracy and impartiality that has made it the
     most trusted news gathering organization in the world. Your
     decision to allow an elected official's editorial comments to run
     unfettered on the wire March 8 compromised the integrity and
     impartiality of the AP's news report."

   So the AP is all about integrity and impartiality, right?
   Well....not exactly.

     When Graff was fired, widespread speculation surfaced in Vermont
     that the Leahy column had been the reason. Neither Graff nor AP
     officials had previously commented on the cause. But Graff, who
     released the letter today, said the "elected official" cited in it
     refers to Leahy and his column. Many in Vermont news circles had
     been puzzled that the Leahy column would prompt a firing since a
     similar Leahy column on the same topic had been distributed by
     Graff's bureau a year earlier with no repercussions.
     The termination letter, which was released by Graff as part of a
     severance agreement struck between AP and Graff last week, also
     notes an alleged misstep in 2003. That year, Graff allowed a
     staffer, David Gram, to write a chapter for a book on Howard Dean.
     The book, published by the nearby Times-Argus and Rutland Herald,
     included submissions from nine different reporters who had covered
     Dean in the past.
     Laughlin's letter referred to that decision as "a failure in
     judgment," noting that he was "admonished" for allowing it at the
     time. "Both incidents could have been avoided by consulting with
     your supervisors, specifically me," Laughlin added. "When viewed
     either independently or in totality, these grave violations of the
     AP's policies, procedures and specific directives supply just and
     sufficient cause for the termination of your employment."

   So, three years ago, a "mishap" occurred, and he was "admonished".
   Last year he published a column from Leahy and it was distributed
   without comment. Now, this year, he does the same thing and he's
   fired?
   What a difference a year makes! One can only hope this sudden attack
   of conscience is contagious within AP. One might be a fool, but one
   can always hope.

References

   1. http://editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002462017&imw=Y