An article in the national section of today's New York Times runs under the headline "Child Well-Being Improves, U.S. Says." The article reports that "In 1999, 16 percent of the nation's children lived in families below the poverty line." But the article fails to report that, after government assistance like the earned-income tax credit and food stamps is taken into account, the percentage of children in poverty falls to more like 10.9 percent.
The article also reports that "In one measure of the strong economy of the 90's, the percentage of children living in households with at least one employed parent rose to 79 percent in 1999, from 77 percent in 1998 and 72 percent in 1994." Isn't it possible that that shift is not only "one measure of the strong economy of the 90's" but one measure of the success of welfare reform?
Late Again: A front-page, above-the-fold news article in today's New York Times reports that Senator Frist, a Republican from Tennessee, supports federal financing for research on embryonic stem cells. That's old news to readers of the Wall Street Journal, which had this story yesterday under the headline "Influential GOP Sen. Frist Supports Stem-Cell Research." Today's Times doesn't mention the fact that the story appeared in yesterday's Journal.
One-Sided Story: A five-paragraph item by the Associated Press in the international section of today's New York Times runs under the headline "Japan Charges U.S. Serviceman With Rape." An ABCNews.com story reporting the same event reports in its third paragraph that the American "has denied the charge, claiming he had consensual sex with the woman." A Reuters story on the same topic reports in its second paragraph that the American "said he had consensual sex with the woman but denied rape." But the Times today reports the accusation against the American without including his response.
Misplaced Modifier: A dispatch from Cairo in the international section of today's New York Times begins, "In a high-profile crackdown on suspected homosexual activity that has been condemned by some legal activists and human rights groups, 52 men were charged today in a state security court with engaging in immoral acts or religious offenses." This makes it sound like the legal activists and human rights groups are condemning the homosexual activity, or that the crackdown is confined to homosexual activity that has been condemned by legal activists and human rights groups. In fact, what the human rights groups and legal activists are condemning is the crackdown.
Vulcanization: A dispatch from Birmingham, Alabama, in the national section of today's New York Times reports that the Senate approved by a vote of 87 to 12 a plan to spend $3 million on restoring a 56-foot tall statue of the Roman god Vulcan. The Times doesn't tell its readers in today's story how New York's senators voted on the issue. Smartertimes.com checked the Senate roll call and, sure enough, Senator Schumer and Senator Clinton backed the $3 million face lift for the Roman god in Alabama. Your tax dollars at work.