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Reader reaction to Reuters news

October 28th, 2009

Wrong deadline?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Senate seen extending home buyer tax credit soon

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate should act later this week to extend a $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers that is scheduled to expire soon, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said on Monday.

“The existing law ceases to exist on November 1. This would be an extension for a limited period of time,” Nelson said.

Your story says that existing law ceases November 1st. Please check your sources and the actual existing law which actually ends December 1st. NOT November 1st!

Thought you should know before you have a million readers freak out cause Nov 1st is just a few days away and they really have about a month left with current law.

Christian

This one was a bit complicated because both the lawmaker who spoke and the reporter who did the story were on a plane at the time we spotted the wrong date. We fixed the problem by dropping the quote, but not before some readers noticed the wrong date.

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) steps off Air Force One with Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) as they arrive in Miami, Florida, October 26, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young

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October 25th, 2009

Where’s the chocolate?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Travel Picks: Top 10 chocolate museums

3. Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, Phillip Island Chocolate Factory; Newhaven, Phillip Island, Victoria, Canada

You have an error in this article. Number three is listed as Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, Phillip Island Chocolate Factory; Newhaven, Phillip Island, Victoria, Canada.

It’s not in Victoria Canada, it’s in Victoria, Australia.

Lorri

Indeed. We corrected: GBU Editor

Model Nikole poses in a dress of chocolate wrapping in front of the Cologne cathedral in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender

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October 14th, 2009

Wonderful, Wonderful Copengahen?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Queen of Denamrk Margrethe II arrives at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Congress at the Opera house in Copengahen October 1, 2009….

Did you notice this caption talks about COPENGAHEN?

Surprised

Sigh. Yes. And Denamrk, too. We had to correct a whole bunch of photo captions in this series: GBU Editor

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October 8th, 2009

Grammar in Olympics story…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Chicago go out in first round of 2016 Olympics voting
COPENHAGEN, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Chicago were eliminated after the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics host city.

Correct grammer would be Chiicago WAS eliminated. The grammer in the headline is also atrocious: “Chicago go out…” What does that mean?

Please watch what you publish, running a grammer checker would probably have eliminated both of those errors.

Michael C.

For quite some time now I have been referencing Reuters’ website for news updates because of your quality and accuracy in reporting. Understandably the occasional error slips through - not a big deal.

However, your current article(s) on the failed Chicago Olympic bid are (or should be) an embarrasment. Clearly the products of a lazy reporter and editor using a prewritten template, the news items with their repeated errors in grammar show both a lack of concern for us as readers and for your own reputation.

A deadline rush is no excuse. Shame on you.

Coyote

Shame on us, indeed. Understandably, we took a hit on this one. The fact that one of these readers misspelled grammar and the other misspelled embarrassment doesn’t excuse our poor writing and editing: GBU Editor

International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge, holds a card with the name of Rio de Janeiro, chosen as the city to host the 2016 Olympic Games, during the 121st IOC session in Copenhagen October 2, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Dharapak/Pool

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October 6th, 2009

Box office figures…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Zombieland” top destination at box office

Drew Barrymore’s directing debut, “Whip It,” and documentary filmmaker Michael Moore’s “Capitalism: A Love Story” each reported about $4.9 million in ticket sales.

“Capitalism” played in almost twice as many theaters as “Whip It,” which had been expected to open in the high-single-digit millions ahead of the Gervais comedy.

The article claims the movie “Whip It” that tied for seventh place with “Capitalism..” played in half as many theaters as the Michael Moore pick though the opposite was true.

My questions is if anyone is going to fixed this error and notify the outlets you sent the story to? why does it take so long to correct an obvious error such as this?

Sean

Several readers pointed this out. We corrected: GBU Editor

Director of the movie and cast member Drew Barrymore poses at the premiere of “Whip It” in Hollywood, September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
October 5th, 2009

Capital vs. Capitol…

Posted by: Robert Basler
Court to hear gay divorce in Texas, despite gay marriage ban

The District of Columbia city council voted on May 5 to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where those unions are legal, even although gay marriages cannot be conducted in Washington D.C., the U.S. capitol.

You mean “capital” not “capitol.”

C.W.
Yes. A number of readers pointed this out to us. They shouldn’t need to. This building in the photo is a capitol. We corrected: GBU Editor.

REUTERS photo by Hyungwon Kang

October 1st, 2009

Mixed-up names…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Hugh Craig, Daniel Jackman sell out on Broadway

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig, best known for playing big screen action heroes Wolverine and James Bond, have drawn record ticket sales for their play “A Steady Rain,” but it drew mixed reviews on Wednesday after opening night.

Um really? Hugh Craig & Daniel Jackman in the headline? How many people reviewed and approved this article before it posted? A severe case of dyslexia here. Hope you fix.

M.H.

It’s not all that important, but you might want to correct the headline of one of your entertainment stories from “Hugh Craig, Daniel Jackman sell out on Broadway” to “Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig sell out on Broadway.”

C.D.

Yikes. A number of readers noticed this one. The headline error was inserted in some online products. We corrected: GBU Editor

Actor Hugh Jackman gestures to fans while sitting on a motorcycle at a red carpet event for the Japan premiere of “X-men Origins:Wolverine” in Tokyo September 3, 2009. REUTERS/Michael Caronna

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October 1st, 2009

Useful information, but wrong…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Redskins’ season threatens to unravel after loss to Lions

“We need to get guys to stay together,” Redskins two-time Pro Bowl linebacker London Fletcher told reporters. “That is one of the main things you got to do.

The author states that London Fletcher is a two time Pro Bowler. In fact, he has been an eight time alternate while never actually having been elected or sent to the Pro Bowl.

I am not sure where the author got this information, possibly Wikipedia as it lists this incorrect information as well.

Alex P.

We corrected. A useful cautionary tale for journalists. There are a number of online sources presenting this as fact, when it is not: GBU Editor

Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher in 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Eric Miller

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September 30th, 2009

Polanski’s legal status…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Anger in France and Poland after Polanski arrest

Artists and film makers also urged the release of Polanski, who faces charges of having sex with a girl of 13 in 1977, accusing Switzerland of being overzealous in pursuing such an old case and bowing to U.S. demands.

In an article on PolanskI, you say he faces charges of having sex with a girl of 13.

“Faces charges?” HE ALREADY PLEAD GUILTY TO HAVING UNLAWFUL SEX WITH AN UNDER-AGED PERSON.

He’s not facing charges, he’s facing prison time. Can you actually put out a story that tells the truth and gives truthful background?

S.B.

Several readers pointed this out to us. Our subsequent stories on Polanski made his correct status clear: GBU Editor

Polish-born film director Roman Polanski  awaits a public talk in Potsdam February 19, 2009. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

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September 28th, 2009

Unfortunate typo…

Posted by: Robert Basler

Klitschko retains WBC title with Arreola victory

He then burst into teats and apologized to his hometown crowd, who had cheered wildly for him throughout the fight.

Omigosh, he burst into “teats”? Might be time for a gender test on Arreola.

Chris

Why couldn’t it have been any other incorrect letter? We corrected: GBU Editor

Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine holds up his fist to the crowd after defeating Cristobal Arreola of the U.S. in the WBC heavyweight title bout in Los Angeles, September 26, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

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