12 replies to this topic

[D.M.N.]

Hmmm: http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/77123

See the bottom of that article:

* Columns which appeared in the features area on autosport.com and in AUTOSPORT magazine last week claimed that a private jet, paid for by the FIA, had taken Jean Todt and Michelle Yeoh to Africa for their recent engagements there.

AUTOSPORT accepts that these claims were untrue and that Jean Todt and his partner Michelle Yeoh travelled to Africa by scheduled airline and not at the FIA's expense. AUTOSPORT would like to apologise for any confusion caused by these reports.

Do Autosport not fact check before publishing features which maybe untruthful? First time I've seen this occur.

[kar]

Hmmm: http://www.autosport...rt.php/id/77123

See the bottom of that article:



Do Autosport not fact check before publishing features which maybe untruthful? First time I've seen this occur.

It's pretty sloppy, but autosport are generally pretty good. Hopefully the relevant journalist(s) have a sore bottom and wont make the same professional errors again.

One or two errors like this are understandable. If it becomes the rule rather than the very rare exception I think that's when we start talking about credibility.

That said, I think reports of such errors shouldn't be tucked down the bottom of articles and should be highlighted.

[Jackman]

Do Autosport not fact check before publishing features which maybe untruthful? First time I've seen this occur.

Let's just leave aside that motorsport writers aren't actually journalists in any meaningful sense, and the fact that it is actually impossible to check this information (there is no way to find out who was or wasn't on a private jet, commercial airlines are unable to give passenger information to relatives, let alone journalists), and look at what has actually happened here.

Ari Vatanen made a throwaway, if knowing, comment about Jean Todt being on the FIA Foundation's private jet, provided for his fiance to attend meetings on the foundation's behalf, with the intention of canvassing FIA members for the upcoming election. Carlos Macaya, chairman of the FIA Foundation, asserts that these comments are untrue.

But what does he specifically state is untrue? That they didn't take the private jet, but instead flew commercial? No, that's nowhere in the statement. That Michelle Yeoh was attending meetings on behalf of the foundation? No, that's actually expanded upon in great detail. That Todt was canvassing FIA members ahead of the election? It's not specifically commented upon, but rather it is noted that Todt accompanies Yeoh on trips "when he has another task to fulfil". In Dar es Salaam Todt attended a workshop organised for the ASNs on safety issues, a workshop that self-evidently will be attended by the ASNs who will vote in the upcoming election.

So what part of Vatanen's comments were untrue? Well, the chairman of the FIA Foundation doesn't specify anything really, other than Yeoh is a lovely person and well-known actress who does some work for the foundation.

So what has led to Autosport back-pedalling on the comments that you are insensed about, leading you to question their credibility, if the FIA Foundation's comments do not actually dispute them? It's not hard to see the guiding hand of Mosley's spin doctor Richard Woods making his daily call to Jonathan Noble and saying: "You can't prove they took the private jet, I'm saying they didn't, so you'll have to retract."

Of course, there would be no way of checking Woods' facts either, but he wouldn't be a spin doctor if he went around allowing people to check his version of the truth. So, stuck between a comment by Vatanen that they can't prove and a comment by Woods that they can't prove, it would be fairly easy to see Autosport agreeing with Woods once again, if only to save getting yet another earful from Woods.

Edited by Jackman, 22 July 2009 - 13:04.

[Mat]

well said Jackman.

I thought it funny that out of all the comments to object, it was Vatanen's comments about a private jet! He had some pretty interesting things to say and they smack him down with that? It seems a little weird. Lots of power play going on i imagine but im pretty certain Todt will get the numbers.

[Buttoneer]

Either way this story, and the follow up about Todt's 'integrity' speech, will do Vatanen's campaign some harm I think.

[Jackman]

That's kind of the point of spin doctoring.

[potmotr]

It's pretty sloppy, but autosport are generally pretty good. Hopefully the relevant journalist(s) have a sore bottom and wont make the same professional errors again.

One or two errors like this are understandable. If it becomes the rule rather than the very rare exception I think that's when we start talking about credibility.

Exactly.

It's not like we see these kind of errors every day.

Autosport is still miles better than pisspass and all those other zillion crap websites out there.

Edited by potmotr, 22 July 2009 - 18:49.

[cheapracer]

Jackman, send this to Ari, he needs a spin doctor himself and your just the man.

[Viktor]

Great, the line "It's FIA's fault" works in every part of this forum now

/Viktor

Edited by Viktor, 23 July 2009 - 07:22.

[se7en_24]

Great, the line "It's FIA's fault" works in every part of this forum now

/Viktor

What the hell are you talking about?

[as65p]

... Yeoh is a lovely person and well-known actress ...

That's actually the only straightforward and credible information in the piece....

[potmotr]

You'd have to say, the current Autosport's cover displays credibility of an incredible degree!

[BigWicks]

Autosport is still miles better than pisspass and all those other zillion crap websites out there.

at least pitpass don't give us an ex-renault press officer writing that SHOCK HORROR ! he thinks renault shouldn't be punished for something.

Edited by BigWicks, 02 August 2009 - 08:47.