Is a correction needed?

Damn, smalltaters, I'll bet your football previews get awfully long.

 

So who made the decision in this case?

 

Apparently the stringer decided. Of course, maybe the coach did by not telling the stringer about a few people.
Either way, I stand by my point. You don't get to have your name in the paper just because a parent says so.

 

So it's OK with you if stringers make willy nilly decisions about whose names go in the paper when the policy seems to be run them all?

I think the parent is standing on firmer ground here than the stringer.

 

We still don't have a straight answer on the policy.
I agree with you there -- if such a policy exists, the stringer needs to follow it.
However, I find that to be a silly policy and I HATE it when parents tell me I have to do something. If they can make a sane argument, I'll listen, but if it turns into, "You need to do this," they can shove it.

 

I see where you're getting at, but that line makes you sound Godawfully arrogant. It's one of the huge complaints many of our readers have against us. Frankly, I think they're right about that.

 

Maybe it does sound arrogant, but it is our job to decide what goes in the paper. That is what we are trained for.
Readers can suggest things. I'm not saying I won't do something just because it wasn't my idea, but I don't go into the doctor's office and tell them they MUST prescribe this medication, do I?

 

Yes, but if they charge everyone else $50 for the visit and the receptionist decides to charge you $200 is that OK with you? She decided that was gonna be the price.

 

That's a Straw Man, Ace.
I agreed with you on the stringer. If it happened that way -- the stringer ignored a paper's policy -- then it's a problem.
Is your argument that we should just transcribe what the community thinks we should?

 

No. I think we should be consistent. I would not want to run the names of all the players on a softball team in a preview, but if our paper did it for three other teams and not the fourth, that's wrong.

I would absolutely consider correcting it (maybe in the form of running a full roster or something), especially if the coach gave all the names to the stringer and he didn't use them all.

Just because parents are mad doesn't mean they are wrong.

 

Agreed. There's a reason for the term "gatekeeper." Hell, I pick and choose which of the "Notable:" stats go at the end of the box score every night. Not good enough? Select all, Delete.

 

Then we are in agreement. However, I try to do what's right, not what will make some irate parent happy.
Just because they are mad doesn't mean they are right either.