Determination
14
Minnesota
News Council
In the Matter of the Complaint of
MN Federation of Teachers against the St. Paul Pioneer Press
The Minnesota Federation of Teachers complained that
the newspaper was irresponsible and misleading when it published a facsimile
edition of the paper and substituted another organization's advertising
and publicity materials for some of the newspaper's own material.
Background: In connection with the annual
convention of the Minnesota Education Association (MEA), the publisher
of the newspaper agreed to publish a newspaper facsimile edition,
with front and back page news and photos provided by the MEA, to be
distributed to MEA members at the convention. The body of the paper
was to be the same as in regular editions of the paper for that day.
The special edition of 20,000 newspapers was printed and delivered
to the convention site.
A small disclaimer on the front page of the facsimile
edition explained that the material on the front and back pages was
not the newspaper's regular news but was provided specifically for
the convention by the MEA.
The Minnesota Federation of Teachers (MFT) complained
that the small disclaimer on the front page could be too easily overlooked,
causing the paper to be potentially misleading to readers, who might
mistake the MEA publicity for objective, factual journalism. The MFT
added that the delivery of the special editions to a location near
a delivery point for the regular paper made it likely that people
other than those attending the convention received copies of the facsimile,
and that these readers would likely be more apt to mistake the MEA
material for news.
The MFT claimed that a public retraction by the newspaper
was needed.
Response of the news organization: In response
to the complaint, the paper reviewed its procedures regarding the
printing of special editions and adopted a new policy whereby the
newspaper would reject any request for a special edition in which
the special copy would promote a product, an enterprise, or a point
of view.
Determination of the Council: The practice
of making over front pages in specially produced promotional editions
should be discouraged, as it tends to debase the integrity of a newspaper.
When newspapers do print facsimile editions for special occasions
or upon special order, they should also publish a disclaimer that
is so readily apparent that even the most casual reader might be alerted
to the special nature of the newspaper facsimile.
In this instance, the fact that the paper carried
a disclaimer on the front page was evidence that it did not intend
to mislead or deceive readers about the nature of the "news" in the
special edition. No retraction or apology from the newspaper is warranted,
and the newspaper is commended for reviewing its procedures and developing
a new policy on special editions.
The complaint against the newspaper is not accepted.
January 17, 1975
Addendum: In response to the initial letter
of complaint, St. Paul Dispatch-Pioneer Press publisher Thomas L.
Carlin explained the existing policy in a November 25, 1975, letter:
"Over the years, permission has been given for special
printings involving a regular issue of one of our newspapers. Almost
always this special front-page issue has been limited to a single
picture or story of a parochial nature and there have never been any
ensuing complaints or criticisms. It was not realized that a variety
of stories oriented to the MEA program were going to be used and had
this been brought to the attention of our management, we would have
insisted on a change in approach or a cancellation of the project.
'Your letter has caused us to examine our present procedures in accepting
these printing requests and new policies are being formulated....'"
A Dispatch-Pioneer Press Policy Memo from publisher
Carlin dated November 25, 1975, addressed the subject of "Acceptance
of Special Printing Requests for Souvenir Editions":
"In the past we have occasionally accepted a request
to print copies of a regular edition of one of our newspapers. Normally,
this has involved a special front-page makeover.
"It will be the policy not to accede to any requests
where the special copy promotes a product, an enterprise or a point
of view. Authorization will be given only in those instances where
no commercializing of the newspaper name is involved. All special
copy and art are subject to approval.
"Permission for the printing must be obtained in
advance from the publisher."
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