Native Sun News Editorial: Holding the story on tribal college drama


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And now for the rest of the story: Headlines can be harmful
By Native Sun News Editorial Board

When calls came into the office of Native Sun News that the President of Oglala Lakota College, Tom Short Bull had been suspended there was a lot of chatter that we should run with the story.

Managing Editor Richie Richards said “Whoa, hold your horses!”

Richards wanted to first get a comment from Mr. Short Bull because as he surmised, a good reporter does not make an accusation of suspension without getting a quote from the person supposedly suspended.

Second, Richards tried to reach Jackie Siers of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council to get affirmation or denial of the supposed suspension. It was late in the day and at press time there was no call from either Short Bull or Siers so Richards decided to hold the story until he had absolute confirmation.

This was and is a very important story. It is also one that could have been harmful to the career and reputation of Mr. Short Bull and therefore Richards decided it needed solid verification. We believe he was quite correct in holding the story.


Read the rest of the story on the all new Native Sun News website: And now for the rest of the story: Headlines can be harmful

(The Editorial Board of Native Sun News can be reached at editor@nsweekly.com)

Copyright permission Native Sun News

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