Examples
These are some highlights of changes that have been
curated by hand. Do you see a good
one? Let us know.
-
In
Yvonne Brill, a Pioneering Rocket Scientist, Dies at 88
By DOUGLAS MARTIN on March 30, 2013
In an obituary, the start of the lede changed from
"She made a mean beef stroganoff" to "She
was a brilliant rocket scientist".
-
In
Gunman Massacres 20 Children at School in Connecticut; 28 Dead, Including Killer
By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN, WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM, and JAMES BARRON on December 14-17, 2012
The story evolved as the reporters got a clearer picture of
events, mostly over the course of the first day. We display 19
different versions of the article, giving a clear view of the story's
evolution.
-
In
U.S. Officials Say Iran Has Agreed To Nuclear Talks
By HELENE COOPER and MARK LANDLER on October 20, 2012
The original lede was "The United States and Iran have agreed
for the first time to one-on-one negotiations over Iran’s nuclear
program". Two hours later, it was changed to "... have agreed in
principle for the first time..."; a paragraph was added to say
that "The White House publicly denied the report on Saturday
evening".
-
In
Behind Romney’s Decision to Attack Obama on Libya ==> A Challenger’s Criticism Is Furiously Returned
By DAVID E. SANGER and ASHLEY PARKER ==> PETER BAKER and ASHLEY PARKER on September 12, 2012
An article discussing Romney's response to the Benghazi attacks
was completely rewritten in a very different tone. The first version
was quite critical of Romney, while the second was more neutral
he-said she-said coverage. Compare
For a country looking to understand how Mr. Romney, a Republican
candidate with no foreign policy experience, would respond to a major
crisis, this was a first glimpse. And as an adviser to the campaign
who worked in the George W. Bush administration said on Wednesday,
Mr. Romney’s accusation that Mr. Obama had invited the attacks because
he had weakened America looked like “he had forgotten the first rule
in a crisis: don’t start talking before you understand what’s
happening.”
to
Mr. Romney’s criticism fed into his larger theme of painting Mr. Obama
as apologizing for the United States, and his team stuck by it. “While
there may be differences of opinion regarding issues of timing,” said
one senior strategist, who asked not to be named, “I think everyone
stands behind the critique of the administration, which we believe has
conducted its foreign policy in a feckless manner.”
These are sampled from the first week we were in operation:
- In Mubarak Rushed To Military Care After a Stroke
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and KAREEM FAHIM on June 19, 2012
The story was updated and rewritten after former President Hosni Mubarak's condition was changed from being
"clinically dead" to ""critical condition and still alive."
- In
Egyptians Return to Polls for a Second Day
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and KAREEM FAHIM on June 17, 2012
"the democratically elected, Islamist-led Parliament" ==> "the competitively elected, Islamist-led Parliament."
- In
China Closes Window on Economic Debate, Protecting Dominance of State
By IAN JOHNSON on June 16, 2012
A "Propaganda Ministry directive" ==> "A propaganda department directive".
With the correction: "An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the Propaganda Ministry of the Communist Party. While there is a propaganda department under the Communist Party Central Committee, there is no government ministry by that name."
- In Supporters of Bailout Claim Victory in Greece
By RACHEL DONADIO on June 17, 2012
The following paragraph was removed: "The fact that Syriza did not place first may make European
leaders
more
likely to grant some concessions to Greece, but they also have to consider the larger economies of Spain and Italy, which are also under intense pressure."
- In Obama
and Putin Meet at Last, but Deadlock on Syria Strategy
By HELENE COOPER on June 18, 2012
Increased detail in phrasing."White House officials in the past few days have been sounding increasingly impatient." ==> "it has put Mr. Obama in a difficult
position as he tries
to
persuade
Mr.
Putin of
America’s good
intentions — or, at least, its lack of ill intentions — toward Russia."
- In Road Trip Helps Romney Brush Up on Banter
By ASHLEY PARKER on June 18, 2012
The following paragraph was removed: "Al Gore was so stilted in 2000 that his campaign, trying to warm him up, paid the feminist writer Naomi Wolf for sartorial advice: earth tones for the man who wrote “Earth in the Balance.”" And this correction added: "An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the role of Naomi Wolf in Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign. She was a consultant on women’s issues and outreach to young voters; she was not Mr. Gore’s image consultant and did not give him sartorial advice."