hoe

 

October 1, 2003

Is Inference Fact?

 

Sandra Diaz-Twine

Vanessa Simpson
OP Contributor

Thursday September 18 millions of viewers
watched the first episode of Survivor: Pearl
Islands to see the eclectic personalities of. the
castaways, the brewing intrigue, and the new
twists of Survivor’ new season. I admit I was
one of those viewers with eyes glued to my TV
set. The opening episode was enjoyable and
somewhat unpredictable. I’m not a° movie
critic so my comments about the show should
end here. But they don’t, because an old twist
in journalism played out on the front page of
the Vancouver Sun on Friday, September 19.

I opened my newspaper Friday morning to
see the face of one of the Survivors plastered
on the page. The picture of Sandra Diaz-
Twine looked larger than life, residing in the
penthouse equivalent of newspaper space and
under the heading “Vancouver snared by
Survivor scandal.” I read the article that fol-
lowed by reporter Alex Strachan and became
disappointed in the Vancouver Sun.

Here is quick synopsis of the article.
Strachan reported that an online gaming site
receiving bets on the Survivor series has halt-
ed betting because 95 percent of the wagers
were for one contestant. A number of these
bets originated in Vancouver, BC. CBS
refused to comment on the. Survivor show.
The article seemed to infer that one of the
castaways or one of the crew members had

Opinions

e the other press ©

leaked the winner of the show to someone in
Vancouver. This person was trying to profit
from the juicy, classified information.

Nowhere in Strachan’s article did any of his
sources mention the name of the castaway
supposedly involved in the scandal. Yet the
Vancouver Sun decided to run a photo of Ms.
Diaz-Twine with Strachan’s article because I
assume she lives in Washington State, in close
proximity to Vancouver.

The inference is clear. Sandra Diaz-Twine is
the winner of Survivor: Pearl Islands and she
may very well be the winner who couldn't
keep her mouth shut. Inference is not fact.
I’m disappointed in the Sun’ lacklustre
reporting. Isn't a reporter’s job to factually
report information that has been scrutinized
by him and his editor? The Swm has tainted
their reputation and the reputation of Sandra
Diaz-Twine. It would have been too easy to
replace her picture with a photo of all the con-
testants. But to do so, wouldn't be tantalizing.
Scandalous journalism is better left at the
fringes of the profession and should be
removed when it tries to creep into a credible
paper.

I will watch Survivor this week wondering if
Diaz-Twine is the winner and wondering
what my Friday newspaper has for me this
week.

 

 

 

PERSONNEL

$8.50 - $20/hr

PROACTIVE] NOW HIRING
MANY POSITIONS

TEMPORARY * FULL TIME
PART TIME * ON CALL

Warehousing, Manufacturing, Construction,
Special Events, First Aid, & Office Positions.

Apply in person weekdays w/ resume &
references at #118-713 Columbia Street,
New Westminster. Tel: 604-522-4455

 

http://www.otherpress.ca_

Page 11