Arctic Power demands retraction re Liddy

Posted by Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

Posted: April 23, 2008 - 6:04 pm

ADN's editorial page received this complaint today, asking for a retraction of a story about Arctic Power's effort to host G. Gordon Liddy in Alaska:

Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 6:57 PM
Subject: G.Gordon Liddy Alaska Resource Tour
Importance: High

The Arctic Power Executive Committee met today to address the state of affairs caused by the April 19 Anchorage Daily News [sic] headline, "Group hires Liddy to promote Alaska petroleum drilling," and the misquoted statement that Liddy "was hired to broadcast from Alaska" attributed to Adrien Herrera. This information is untrue and has caused a serious misunderstanding. The Executive Committee unanimously called for the Daily News to issue an immediate, prominent retraction.

Mr. Liddy volunteered to come to Alaska because he is concerned about national energy production and wanted to learn more about Alaska's energy and natural resource potential, not just the issue of ANWR’s future. Arctic Power neither hired him nor will it pay him. He will control all content of his show as an independent entity and will interview whom he wishes and present them on his show as he wishes.

Arctic Power is delighted Alaskans will be able to share their views on this popular national talk radio show. The organization has invited members and supporters to help fund the costs of getting the production team around the state. For clarification, no state funds were ever intended to be used for Mr. Liddy’s Alaska resource tour. When the tour itinerary is arranged, we will let you know the details....

-- Paula (Easley)

As ADN's reporter on the story, Sean Cockerham, explained to Arctic Power in an email, the objectionable terminology was not in the ADN version of the story -- it was in the Associated Press rewrite that was distributed to other news organizations:

The statement Liddy "was hired to broadcast from Alaska" never appeared in my story or any other that has run in the Anchorage Daily News. Our headline did not say "Group hires Liddy to promote Alaska petroleum drilling."

My story said Arctic Power is paying to bring Liddy to Alaska. It said Arctic Power is looking for corporate sponsors, including in-kind donations of hotels and rental cars, to offset the costs of doing so.

My story included Adrian Hererra describing Liddy as a volunteer.

The headline that appeared on my story in the Daily News was "Arctic Power taps Liddy to spread ANWR message."

I've since discovered that the Associated Press picked up my story for distribution and rewrote the top of it to say Arctic Power "has hired" Liddy to broadcast from Alaska.

Unfortunately, I was not aware the AP was rewriting it.

I understand your frustration with what the Associated Press did. But the Daily News does not control what AP does. The AP has been made aware of the concern over their rewrite.

No one has pointed out any factual errors in the story I wrote that appeared in the Daily News. We can not write corrections unless there is an error in a story that appeared in our newspaper.

Best,

Sean Cockerham

login or register to post comments