AFTER DEADLINE

By Anne Harpham

The Advertiser's mission statement includes these promises: "To be diligent, truthful, accurate and fair. To provide a voice for all the community."

That is part of the paper's mission, day in and day out. But there are some stories in which the conflicts present a particular set of problems for journalists.

From beginning to end, balance is crucial to all elements of a strike story, from the reporting to the presentation in each day's paper.

The bus drivers' strike was a dominant theme on O'ahu last week. The media have been an integral part of that as a source for news on the strike and for information on transportation alternatives. They also have provided a forum for dialogue.

In addition to updates in both the morning and afternoon editions, breaking news has been posted regularly on The Advertiser's Web site.

We have provided phone numbers and Web addresses for resources on how to get around. City editor Marsha McFadden says that information box will run daily as long as the strike lasts. She and her staff plan to assess the material in it regularly "to make sure we give readers only the most helpful and useful information."

As an example, we stopped included information on the taxi jitney services after it became apparent the system wasn't really working. And on weekends, when there are no HOV or zipper lanes, that information will not be included.

News stories on the strike must focus not only on the issues that divide labor and management, but also on effects to the community.

In the case of a bus strike, almost everyone is affected in some way.

The Advertiser is committed to putting the story in context, whether it is looking at the money issues and what got the two sides to the impasse, or the very human impact on daily life on O'ahu.

"The commuter stories have been compelling, from people who walk for two hours, to those who have bought scooters to get around," McFadden said. "So we want to continue tapping into all those kinds of stories."

Whether we are focusing on money issues or the human impact, fairness is the primary consideration in reporting on walkouts. The goal of both reporters and editors is to make sure that all sides are treated equally and have the chance to state their positions clearly.

Headlines and photos are part of the fairness discussion.

Editors carefully review headlines in strike stories for fairness and balance, while recognizing the need to capture the news of the day succinctly.

Photos must be chosen carefully. We have to make sure the instinct to use the best picture doesn't outweigh a need to be fair to both labor and management.

When a strike begins, one of the first pictures you want to show are picket lines, notes photo editor Seth Jones. "We were able to get that picture into our Tuesday morning paper by being at the Middle Street bus garage when the first pickets went up about 12:15 a.m.

"After shooting daylight picket lines Tuesday morning for the p.m. edition, we turned our focus on the alternative means of transportation commuters were using. The idea was to move the story ahead and refrain from more of the same picket shots," said Jones.

On the letters page, editorial page editor Jerry Burris is aiming for a balance of opinion, looking particularly for letters that detail innovative or creative solutions to the lack of bus service.

Burris said that so far there "seem to be more letters critical of the strike than supportive of the drivers, but it is typical that unhappy people are more likely to write than satisfied ones."

Senior editor Anne Harpham is The Advertiser's reader representative. Reach her at aharpham @honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8033.