LAT Corrects an Adjective

From today’s Corrections:

Live 8 Critic’s Notebook – In the Critic’s Notebook by Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn that ran in Section A on July 3, the term “ultraconservative” was added by a copy editor to describe Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly. Hilburn, before interviewing O’Reilly about the social activism of U2′s Bono, had told the commentator he would not label him in a subjective way. The adjective that was inserted did not reflect that agreement or the critic’s views.

For a little back-story on this, go here. On his show Friday night O’Reilly called Hilburn a liar and “dishonorable” because Hilburn had promised not to use an adjective in front of O’Reilly’s name in the piece:

But last week, Robert Hilburn, the music writer for The Los Angeles Times, called wanting to talk to me about Bono and his Africa project. Now, I like Bono. He’s a good man, and I agreed to talk on one condition: Hilburn was not to put an adjective in front of my name, you know, like “bombastic,” “fascist,” that kind of thing. They always do that.

Hilburn agreed to those terms. But he lied. When the article appeared, I was labeled an ultraconservative by this guy.

Now, do I care? No, I don’t. But you should know how dishonorable people like Robert Hilburn are, and there are legions of them in the print industry.

Anyway, it turns out that this unnamed LAT copy editor is O’Reilly’s culprit. Wonder if he’ll rant about him/her tonight.

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