* Always interesting to see how the two dailies handle the same story. Usually comparably, but sometimes there’s a notable disparity. Case in point: Coverage of the story about how a number of students and employees at the University of Tampa had sensitive information about them accidentally posted on the Internet.
The Tampa Tribune, whose survival strategy dictates increasingly prioritized local news, ran it as a page-one, above-the-fold headliner. The Tampa Bay Times ran it as a page-eight, Tampa round-up in the Local section–right under dateline items from Gibsonton and Sun City.
Arguably, the Trib’s treatment, including potential fraud scenarios, was more appropriate. Those who had been at UT between January 2000 and July 2011 would likely agree.
* The Times made news by pulling an installment of “Doonesbury” last week over language that didn’t meet the paper’s standards for taste and appropriateness. The offending strip dealt with Texas law regarding abortions.
Two points.
First, the Times exercised its legal and ethical prerogative. “Doonesbury’s” syndicate, Universal, does not permit editing, even though many syndicates do. So, the Times pulled the plug.
Second, isn’t it time that “Doonesbury” was moved to the editorial page? Put it this way: What’s sonogram satire doing next to “Marmaduke” and “Family Circus”?