The Disappearing Record

I thought I'd share with you an email I sent tonight to the Public Editor of the New York Times, Arthur S. Brisbane. The Public Editor is billed as the reader's representative.

This reader is concerned that in its steady transition to digital news coverage The Times will lose its credibility as the “newspaper of record.” Mr. Brisbane's column today detailed how The Times will update and change breaking news stories as developments warrant. And it will make corrections on the fly as well.

This raises some serious concerns in my mind. Here's my email to Mr. Brisbane:

To The Public Editor:

Re: (On NYTimes.com, Now You See it Now You Don't.) What will this transition to digital news do to The Times' reputation as the newspaper of record? What record will that be? The first, second or third draft of the story? And how will we know which story is the final one? As for corrections, we all know that corrections never catch up to the original mistake. It would be wonderful if corrections were given the same play as the original story in which the mistake was made. But that won't happen. Best, as you said, to be accurate in the first place.
 
I don't expect a response to my email, other than the automatic one generated whenever someone sends an email to the public editor. I do hope, however, that some time in the future he addresses the question of whether by digitizing its news product, The Times is sacrificing its standing as the newspaper of record.