NY Observer: NY Times Draws Ragged Line Between Fact and Opinion

[DeepModem Mom]

Times Draws Ragged Line
Between Fact and Opinion
By Tom Scocca and Michael Calderone

The New York Times has a rule about presenting opinions in its news columns: Henceforth, they must all conform to the left.

As of Sept. 20—this morning, if you’re reading a brand-new copy of The Observer—The Times has instituted a sweeping but subtle redesign, to emphasize the difference between objective and subjective journalism. Straight news will remain, well, straight: laid out in justified columns, with even margins on the left and right. Stories that have been colored by analysis, commentary or authorial whimsy will all receive the layout previously reserved for columns: a straight left margin and a ragged right one.

“It sort of grew out the concern that we hear from some readers that feel that our coverage isn’t necessarily objective,” said Times design director Tom Bodkin. “Our sense is that they may get confused as to what stories are meant to have an individual voice, and which ones are straight news stories.”

Earlier this year, executive editor Bill Keller asked Mr. Bodkin to convene a committee to study the treatment of news and opinion articles in the newspaper. After a half-dozen meetings, the committee came up with a report establishing new guidelines. The group—incorporating staffers from an assortment of desks and sections—concluded that The Times’ existing approach was a muddle: “We have too many labels …. We do not have clear definitions for all of our labeled forms …. We are inconsistent in our use of language …. We are inconsistent in our presentation … ,” the report said.

The reformers called for The Times to throw away an assortment of tags and rubrics, some of them so undefined that the paper itself seemed to forget whether or not to use them. Gone are “Letter From,” “Washington Talk,” “Fine Print,” “Sports Notebook” and “Appreciation,” among others....

http://www.observer.com/20060925/20060925_Tom_Scocca_pageone_offtherec.asp