Public Editor: Why the NY Times Doesn't Cover Environmental and Social Justice Issues!

From: "Daniel Okrent" <public [at] nytimes.com> View Contact Details
Subject: Re: Social/ Environmental Justice Section

>>>Dear Mr. Zern,
Much as we might wish it otherwise, I think I can say with some certainty that such a section will never come to pass at The Times, or
at any other daily paper in the U.S. The cost of launching new sections is invariably borne by advertisers who want to reach readers interested in
the section's subject (to wit, dining, home design, entertainment, etc.).
Without that, the cost couldn't begin to be covered.
That said, I think it's entirely reasonable for readers to
expect
The Times to cover these subjects appropriately in the news pages of
the
paper. If you believe it does not, I can only suggest that you say so
in a
message to the paper's top editors, at nytnews [at] nytimes.com.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Okrent
Public Editor
N.B. Any opinions expressed here, unless otherwise attributed, are
solely
my own



>>>>Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 09:56:53 -0800 (PST)
>>>>From: Jonah Zern <jzern1 [at] yahoo.com>
>>>>Subject: Still Waiting for Response on Social/ Environmental
Justice
>>>>Section
>>>>To: public [at] nytimes.com
>>>>
>>>>I have written 3 times now to ask why the New York
>>>>Times doesn't start a section to highlight the work of
>>>>those who are struggling for environmental and social
>>>>justice (and peace!)? You have a section on dining, a
>>>>section to highlight the work of the capitalists, even
>>>>a section on cruises on occasion. Please include a
>>>>section highlighting the forgotten voices of those
>>>>working for social and environmental justice.
>>>>
>>>>Please don't respond with others to contact as you did
>>>>last time. Your response did not genuinely give me
>>>>people to contact. I really want a response to this
>>>>question. I think it is not an unreasonable request.
>>>>
>>>>Jonah Zern
>>>>Education not Incarceration Coalition
>>>>(http://www.ednotinc.org)
>>>>Oakland, CA Teacher
>>>>