As published in Toledo Business Journal - October 1, 2014
Blade uses false info to attack TBJ
Cleveland Fed rebukes Blade actions
In early September, The Blade unleashed a vicious attack on Toledo Business Journal (TBJ). The attack involved the use of false information that appeared to be carefully structured, designed, and worded to tarnish the name and reputation of the region’s business newspaper.
An article was published by The Blade with the headline- “Toledo-area publication accused of plagiarism.”
The first sentence of the article stated, “The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland has expressed concern that a Toledo-area business publication has reprinted an article the Fed published without giving it credit.”
Following publication of the article in the daily newspaper, June Gates, public information manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, denied providing such information to The Blade.
In fact, the Cleveland Fed communications professional stated that she told The Blade just the opposite of what the daily newspaper actually printed for readers to see.
This is an important issue. It is necessary to restate this information because of its significance and potential consequences-
The Cleveland Fed communications professional (June Gates) stated that she told The Blade just the opposite of what the daily newspaper actually printed for readers to see:
“I was disappointed to see that reporter Jon Chavez characterized my remarks as expressing concern, as I thought I had conveyed in my conversation with him that this was not a matter of concern. I did contact the Toledo Business Journal, to make them aware of what I assumed was an unintended oversight …” stated Gates.
Gates was referring to the byline of an article that TBJ published on August 1 involving a study that The Cleveland Fed provided to Toledo Business Journal for publication. The byline was inadvertently omitted and a correction notice advising of this issue has been provided to TBJ readers.
Why would The Blade take statements given to it by an experienced communications professional from such a prestigious organization as the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and then completely change their meaning so that the daily newspaper’s readers see false information that is harmful to Toledo Business Journal?
Blade conduct
This is a very serious issue involving alleged conduct by a daily newspaper.
Where at The Blade was the decision made to change and misrepresent information provided to it by a representative of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland?
There appear to be multiple layers of management between the reporter and publisher and editor-in-chief, John Robinson Block.
Who at The Blade is responsible for the false information that was published that appears to have been designed to damage the name and reputation of Toledo Business Journal?
In addition to allegations of conduct that involve serious ethical issues, are there legal issues raised?
Deception
The headline of The Blade’s attack article against TBJ reads “Toledo-area publication accused of plagiarism.”
The article and the headline appear to have been carefully worded, structured, and designed. A reader of The Blade attack article is left with the impression that the Cleveland Fed accused TBJ of plagiarism.
It is important to examine the Cleveland Fed’s reaction to The Blade’s attack article against TBJ.
“…The bottom line? Neither I nor anyone else at the Cleveland Fed has made accusations about the Toledo Business Journal,” stated Gates in a strong response after she reviewed The Blade attack article.
How could this possibly be? The Blade placed the plagiarism “accusation” on the front page of its newspaper. It put this information in a bold headline on the top half of the page in its business section.
The plagiarism “accusation” in the headline is followed by an article that includes false information that assists in leading a reader to believe that the Cleveland Fed raised this “accusation” against TBJ.
The careful wording, structure, design, and false information of The Blade attack article result in a reader forming the opinion that the Cleveland Fed “accused” TBJ with plagiarism.
It appears that The Blade went to significant effort with its attack article that results in a reader obtaining information that is false.
With the Cleveland Fed denying ever making such an accusation of plagiarism against TBJ, why would The Blade publish an article that misleads a reader about this issue?
Was the information in The Blade article simply part of an act by the daily newspaper to deceive a reader into believing false information about a competitor?
Where at The Blade was the decision made to publish an article that misleads a reader into wrongly believing that the Cleveland Fed “accused” TBJ of plagiarism?
If the Cleveland Fed advised The Blade that it was not concerned about this issue, advised The Blade that the financial institution believed that this was likely an “unintended oversight” or “mistake,” and has stated strongly that no one at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland has made any accusation against TBJ, why did the daily newspaper misrepresent information from the Cleveland Fed? Why did The Blade publish an “accusation” against TBJ that the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland claims it never made?
The Blade attempted to raise an issue of journalistic ethics as the focus of its recent attack article against TBJ.
Which is the media organization in our region that again faces allegations of conduct that is a serious violation of journalistic ethics?
Is there another newspaper in this country that would employ such actions?
According to a statement from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, The Blade misrepresented the comments given to the daily newspaper by a professional communications manager at this prestigious financial institution.
According to a statement from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, no one at the financial institution made any “accusation” against Toledo Business Journal as The Blade article leads a reader to believe.
What are the journalistic ethics of such actions by a daily newspaper? Are there legal issues raised by such actions?
Omission
The Blade attack article included a discussion of plagiarism. However, this discussion did not include a proper review of the issue of “intent” as it relates to plagiarism.
Black’s Law Dictionary (Ninth Edition, Bryan A. Garner, editor-in-chief), provides the following definition of plagiarism as it relates to “intent”:
Plagiarism is “…The deliberate and knowing presentation of another person’s original ideas or creative expression as one’s own.”
“Deliberate and knowing” is a standard of behavior or action used to determine “intent.”
Additional information on this subject is provided from plagiarism.org, a website focused on this issue.
“…When determining whether a student plagiarizes, the intent does matter.”
Why did The Blade attack article omit a proper review of the issue of “intent” as it relates to plagiarism and also as it relates to the inadvertent omission of the byline by TBJ.
The Cleveland Fed did make The Blade aware of its belief that this was likely an “unintended oversight” or “mistake.”
With the byline omission being inadvertent, and this not being “deliberate and knowing,” and as a result there being no “intent” on the part of TBJ, why did The Blade publish a story on such a situation? Why did the daily newspaper publish this story using false information designed to mislead a reader of the article?
Vendetta campaigns
The Blade has a long, documented history of using the newspaper to conduct personal vendetta campaigns against community leaders who do not follow the direction given by the daily newspaper’s publisher and editor-in-chief, John Robinson Block.
There is no question that Toledo Business Journal does not follow the direction given by John Robinson Block and his newspaper.
Personal vendettas have included threats against community leaders that their name and reputations would be damaged if they did not do what Block and The Blade directed.
Block and The Blade have succeeded in damaging the name and reputation and then silencing many caring community leaders. They have succeeded in forcing their will and their priorities on the citizens in our area.
TBJ has addressed in detail the extraordinary damage that has been done to the region by Block and The Blade’s actions.
The Blade’s recent attack against TBJ using false information to mislead a reader of its article is an example of a typical action that the daily newspaper has used regularly when it conducts one of its personal vendetta campaigns.
Confronting and exposing the use of a daily newspaper to conduct these personal vendetta campaigns against community leaders who refuse to follow the direction given by Block and The Blade remains critical to the area.
