Get the quote right, get the right quote

Paraphrasing is tricky [View this email online]( [NPR Public Editor by Poynter's Kelly McBride]( When a direct or indirect quote makes it into a news report, the journalist is indicating that the words themselves are important and the speaker is significant. We have two letters this week that critique the quoting techniques of two separate pieces of NPR journalism. In the first, a listener calls out a newscast on the anniversary of Sept. 11 for putting words into the mouth of former President George W. Bush. And in the second, a reader wonders why a company’s official spokesperson (a journalism company, at that) would need to remain anonymous. In both cases, other choices would better serve the audience. When paraphrasing a speaker, it’s critical to accurately capture the speaker’s intentions. While it is an all-too-common habit for corporate spokespeople to give quotes on the condition of anonymity, it’s an annoying practice that journalists have to push back against. Read on to see our analysis and recommendations. Here are a few quotes from the Public Editor's inbox that resonated with us. You can share your questions and concerns with us through the [NPR Contact page](. Was former President Bush talking about Jan. 6? Barbara Spreadbury writes: I just listened to Louise Schiavone at 5 pm CT Saturday, 9/11. She reported that Former President Bush condemned the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol during his speech at Shanksville, PA. I listened to that speech twice, and he never mentioned the Capitol or the January 6th attack. He referenced domestic and foreign terrorists, but did not mention any specific event other than 9/11. … Most people listening to it assumed that former President Bush was referring to the Jan. 6 insurrection during his speech in Shanksville, Pa., on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. But the fact that Bush did not explicitly mention the date Jan. 6, or say “the attack on the Capitol” was clearly a deliberate choice that was also notable. [Here’s what Bush]( said: “And we have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit. And it is our continuing duty to confront them.” And here’s what Schiavone said in her newscast that day: “Recalling the sacrifice of the dozens aboard United Flight 93, former President Bush condemned the January 6th rioters, linking the spirit of their actions to the spirit of the 9/11 terrorists.” Most other news outlets reported that Bush “[seemed]( to be referring to [Jan. 6]( and Schiavone should have done the same by inserting a qualifier that noted that she and other observers were making an inference. “Technically, Louise made a bit of a leap — but in my opinion — a very small leap,” said Robert Garcia, executive producer of NPR Newscasts. “ ‘Seemed to allude’ would have been better language. Better still would have been his reference to ‘violent extremists at home.’ ” For someone who listened to the speech, it might have felt like NPR was putting words in the former president’s mouth. And if you didn’t listen to the speech, you came away from that particular news report thinking that Bush directly condemned those involved in the Jan. 6 attack, rather than indirectly. Your sharp ear shows us why precision is so critical in journalism. It matters that Bush seemed to condemn the insurrectionists. And it also matters that Bush did not directly say so. — Kelly McBride Signed, anonymous John Gregg [tweeted]( Why does @NPR grant a @NewYorker "spokesperson" [anonymity here]( Plus it allows the spox to criticize a magazine employee anonymously, btw. This story recaps what happened after New Yorker archive editor Erin Overbey used her research to [call out]( her employer on Twitter for a lack of diversity in the ranks of writers and editors. NPR’s story took a quote from [a linked]( New York magazine piece in which the spokesperson is unnamed. That New York magazine story attributes the quote to “a spokesperson for The New Yorker.” It’s unclear why the spokesperson is unnamed there, though directly following their quote, the story says New Yorker Editor-in-Chief David Remnick declined to comment. We spoke to Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter, about the broader issue of not naming spokespeople in journalism. “The best practice is for spokespeople, like any other people, to be quoted by name,” he said. Sometimes a corporate spokesperson will ask to go unnamed because it’s really the company speaking, not a person. “I don’t know that that’s a great reason,” Edmonds said. There has been plenty of journalism discourse around [anonymous]( [spokespeople]( (as well as [anonymous sources](. Edmonds sees a distinction between an anonymous source and an unnamed spokesperson, because it’s a spokesperson’s job to speak for their company. “Stories that routinely grant anonymity kind of lead to the general idea that journalists play fast and loose,” he said. “Pushing to get people on the record is a good practice if you can do it.” In this case, it would have been good to reach out to the company and ask the spokesperson to go on the record, and by name. And then if the spokesperson refused, at least you can tell the audience you tried. — Kayla Randall The Public Editor spends a lot of time examining moments where NPR fell short. Yet we also learn a lot about NPR by looking at work that we find to be compelling and excellent journalism. Here we share a line or two about the pieces where NPR shines. A postponed quinceañera [Citlaly Olvera Salazar during her quinceañera]( Maridelis Morales Rosado for NPR ALL THINGS CONSIDERED [COVID-19 Delayed Quinceañera Celebrations. And Now, 17 Is The New 15]( The coronavirus pandemic delayed many life events, such as weddings and certain traditions like quinceañeras — birthday parties that, in many Latino communities, are seen as a 15-year-old girl’s rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. NPR National Correspondent Jasmine Garsd brought [All Things Considered]( a moving story about Citlaly Olvera, a Latina teen in Brooklyn who postponed her quince after her grandfather died last year and because of the pandemic’s toll. She ended up celebrating this year, at 17 years old. NPR listeners are transported to the event through the rich sounds of ranchera music and the excitement of Olvera. NPR offers [a fuller story]( on its website, complete with gorgeous photos of Olvera’s special day. It’s the kind of nuanced culture story I so appreciate. — Amaris Castillo The Office of the Public Editor is a team. Researchers Amaris Castillo and Kayla Randall make this newsletter possible. Illustrations are by Carlos Carmonamedina. We are still reading all of your messages on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( and [from our inbox](. As always, keep them coming. Kelly McBride NPR Public Editor Chair, [Craig Newmark Center for Ethics & Leadership at the Poynter Institute]( Kelly McBride, Public Editor Kayla Randall, NPR Amaris Castillo, Poynter Institute The Public Editor stands as a source of independent accountability. Created by NPR's board of directors, the Public Editor serves as a bridge between the newsroom and the audience, striving to both listen to the audience's concerns and explain the newsroom's work and ambitions. The office ensures NPR remains steadfast in its mission to present fair, accurate and comprehensive information in service of democracy. [Read more]( from the NPR Public Editor, [contact us]( or follow us on [Twitter](. You received this message because you're subscribed to Public Editor emails. 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