From the Newsroom -- Tony Dodero

At the end of this column each week, I provide my direct phone number

and e-mail address. We do the same with our reporters at the end of many

of their stories, and on page 2, every day, is an access list to key

editors in the newsroom.

The reason we do this is to give readers or community leaders the

chance to call us with story tips, or concerns they may have about

stories or our reporting.

Of course, we wouldn’t mind if someone wants to just call and chat or

say hello.

For me, at least, the numbers and e-mail lets me make good use of my

computer keyboard and telephone and gives the illusion to my boss that

I’m a really busy guy.

Seriously though, I do get a lot of calls. And no, they aren’t always

critical, like some of you might think. In fact, I often get calls from

readers who are happy with our coverage of a story or issue, and to them,

I am grateful.

I’m also grateful, believe it or not, to those who may be steamed at

us -- even though I might not act like it at the time.

Which brings me to my real point.

Of late, I’ve been alerted by community members or members of my staff

about problems or concerns with our news coverage.

Some of the concerns, frankly, were about things that we in the

newsroom may just disagree on or have a different opinion. Others,

however, were valid points and constructive criticism that will help us

do better jobs in the future.

Some of the conversations got heated and some were much like a friend

just giving a heads up to another that we’re missing the point.

I don’t want to get into specifics, but either way let me explain why

it’s always best to pick up the phone and give me or a reporter or

another editor a call when something we’ve reported is gnawing at you.

News reporting is not a perfect science, far from it. Reporters rely

on authorities, city and school officials and members of the public to

steer us down the right course.

We do our best to double check and triple check facts, but sometimes,

there may be a key element we are missing or some background that we need

to have.

Often, when we get calls from sources giving us that background on an

issue or individual, it is a great help to us in determining the validity

of a story. Sometimes, a story never makes it to print because of a

tipster who let us know some key information.

Ironically, though, our biggest critics are often those who refuse to

call us back on a story or who later tell us how we got it wrong because

we didn’t know all the “facts.”

First, let me point something out.

In my experience, when we get an allegation that we don’t have all the

“facts,” or that we misquoted someone, those charges are often incorrect.

We often do have all or most of the pertinent “facts” before we report a

story, and our reporters are not prone to making up quotes out of thin

air.

“Facts” that we can’t verify should not make it into print.

More than likely, the person involved with the story just doesn’t like

how the “facts” are reported or how their quotes sound. That doesn’t make

our story wrong, though.

Either way, if the person complaining that we neglected to report all

the “facts” didn’t bother to call and give us the whole story, I have a

hard time feeling sorry for them.

My advice is that is almost always a critical error. If you think you

know something we don’t about a big issue, call us and tell us. It will

make us all look better.

Otherwise, you won’t have much room to complain.

***

OK, someone please tell me. Is the Daily Pilot newsroom on some Tiger

Scout Web site or something?

Never in my 12 years of affiliation with this newspaper have I seen

more newsroom tours, mostly with young Cub or Tiger scouts.

Not that we mind. Actually, it’s a lot of fun watching the

youngstersrumble through the newsroom and wake my reporters and

photographers up from any afternoon naps they may be taking.

And City Editor James Meier has become a part-time tour guide through

it all. So we urge you to keep those scouts coming. Sooner or later,

we’re going to convince one to become a reporter I’m sure.

Here’s a rundown of our latest visitors:

Tiger Cub Pack 301 of Costa Mesa checked in on Monday, April 22. Those

taking in the various desks at the Pilot included Kyle Barnett; Eric

Harman; Andrew Magee; Robert Murtha; Arthur Rockwell; Shane Sutton; Kyle

Whiteside; and Christopher Woycheese.

Then, on Wednesday, Tiger Cub Pack 17 of Newport Beach stopped by. The

first-graders included Cole Caminiti; Jake Chavez; Alexander Greenberg;

and Nathan Warner.

We hope both groups enjoyed all the sites and personalities our office

offers.

* TONY DODERO is the editor. His column appears on Mondays. If you

have story ideas or concerns about news coverage, please send messages

either via e-mail to o7 tony.dodero@latimes.comf7 or by phone at (949)

574-4258.