Word: ombudsman
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...felt for having published the hoax that won a Pulitzer-the touching but phony story of an eight-year-old dope addict. The following Sunday the paper filled 3½ pages with a remarkably frank and thorough examination of how it happened, written by the newspaper's ombudsman, Bill Green. One word among his 18,000 words said it all: "Inexcusable." To publish Green's findings without change did credit to an excellent newspaper, but the findings themselves gave plenty of evidence of the Post's shortcomings. Such a self-examination comes close to self-flagellation...
...ombudsman's report suggests, Bradlee has created competitive fiefs on the Post; some staff members don't confide in others, and one who did voice doubts was regarded as "jealous." Police vainly looked for "Jimmy" to give the child medical help. When Washington's black mayor and black police chief concluded that "Jimmy" didn't exist, the Post arrogantly stood by its story. "We went into our Watergate mode," Woodward concedes. "Protect the source and back the reporter...
...story for a Pulitzer Prize? "In for a dime, in for a dollar" was Woodward's attitude. Coleman's was: "If we did not nominate the story, there would have been questions asked." Bradlee, who had ardently defended the story to all comers, insisted to the ombudsman that he had heard no reservations whatsoever about it from his staff. Howard Simons, the managing editor, said, "I had reason to doubt, but no reason to disbelieve. And Woodward supported the nomination thoroughly...
...hold down city spending, the ombudsman cannot be hired until the next fiscal year. "If we can find the money in this year's budget, we'll do it immediately. If not, we can spend the year planning and preparing," Sullivan said...
Rent Board Executive Director Peter Stanton said the new ombudsman "might be useful," but added that he had not requested the position and urged the council not to cut the number of hearing examiners assigned to the board...