(Credit: ReportanError.org)
In a Feb. 8 blogpost, the Washington Post announced the new “correction submit form.” The feedback form is on the right side of “bylined articles” effective Feb. 7 and is “an experiment designed to encourage reader feedback, and underscore its commitment to accuracy and accountability.”
According to the Post, “Registered site users can suggest corrections and ideas for future coverage by clicking on the links and filling out a Google form describing the problem they spot or idea they propose. Editors will review the user posts frequently during the day, and make corrections in print and online where stories turn out to be wrong.”
Washington Post managing editor Raju Narisetti weighed in on the feature, reportedly saying: “It addresses a chronic complaint that we don’t make it easy for our online audiences to engage with us on stories, whether it is about factual issues or other ways to get us to meet their needs.”
However, as the Post noted, blog posts on the newspaper’s site don’t have the corrections feature yet. StinkyJournalism sampled a few articles on the Post’s site and noted that, for example, this bylined news article about Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak doesn’t have a feedback form. This bylined news article in the Metro section did, though.
In order to submit “feedback,” users must give their e-mail address and a Washington Post user ID.
Hat Tip: Scott Rosenberg
