August 25, 2007
�Drinking water unaffected by sewage release into lake�
A+ again. The story was presented in a responsible manner, and in reasonable context.No complaints.
There was no need, for example, to start a panic by pointing out that MWRD�s release contained � using the district�s own 2006 report as a basis � over 1.6 million pounds of solids and ammonia. It would have been unseemly to sensationalize the story that way.
There was no need to call those solids �tiny sludge particles�, or to say that they were �toxic�. That would be a distortion.
There was no need to point out that, according to MWRD�s 2006 report, their solids contain cyanide, as well as heavy metals like Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Selenium and Silver. That would be irresponsible, especially if Hawthorne had selectively used that fact, without telling you how much cyanide and metals were in the discharge, and how those concentrations compare to naturally occurring levels and toxicity thresholds.
If Hawthorne had talked about this discharge in terms of giant numbers, or if he had used words like �sludge�, �toxic� and �heavy metals� in connection with this release, he would have been guilty of terribly irresponsible, biased reporting designed to prey on the worst fears of the community.
And we all know that a good journalist would never do that.
