The Public Editor
The Public Editor Signs Off
The New York Times may no longer have a public editor, but if that role’s extinguished, who will watch the watchdog?
By Liz Spayd
Liz Spayd
Liz Spayd was the sixth public editor of The New York Times. She evaluated journalistic integrity and examined both the quality of the journalism and the standards being applied across the newsroom. She wrote a regular column expressing her views. The public editor worked outside of the reporting and editing structure of the newsroom and answered questions or comments from readers and the public, principally about news and other coverage in The Times.
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The Public EditorThe Bombing, the Crime Scene Photos and the Outcry
The smoke had barely cleared from the Manchester attack before The New York Times ran forensic-evidence images. British officials were angry. So were readers.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorVague Guidelines Lead to a Misstep on Gender Pronouns
At a time when society’s views on gender identity are outpacing the language to describe it, easily referenced rules can prevent embarrassing mistakes.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorThe Real Power of Journalism? Blockbuster Scoops
The best way to build reader confidence is often just to let the facts of a story speak for themselves.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorA Rare Libel Suit Against The Times
A coal mining company claims that a Times editorial falsely accused the firm’s founder of lying about a mine collapse — though the last time the paper lost a U.S. libel suit was at least the early 1960s.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorA Late Entry by The Times Into the Fact-Check Biz
The paper has started a new unit aimed at holding politicians’ feet to the fire.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorThe Story Was Fine, the Headline Less So
Readers were quick to point out that a headline fell short in conveying the potential impact of the Republican health care bill.
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorBret Stephens Takes On Climate Change. Readers Unleash Their Fury.
The New York Times’s new Op-Ed writer drew a strong reaction when he questioned the data on climate science in his first column. Now what?
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorIntemperate Words, Temperate News Coverage
When a public figure utters a slur and news organizations use euphemisms to describe it, a question comes up: Who’s really being protected?
By Liz Spayd
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The Public EditorSeeking More Voices, Even if Some Don’t Want to Hear Them
After the election, The Times promised to include more viewpoints in its report. It has, but some readers have not embraced it.
By Liz Spayd
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