A factual error in a story is bad; in a headline, worse; in a column title, unforgivable.
At Medill it will get you an F. At a professional publication it can get you sued. At North By Northwestern, it gets you a comment from Northwestern’s Marketing Director John Mack.
“Kit, I really enjoyed this story. I also wanted to let you know that we will be providing shuttles for the following women’s basketball games this season…
Sunday, January 30th vs. Wisconsin 2pm
Thursday, February 3rd vs. Illinois, 7:30pm
Sunday, February 13th vs. Iowa, 2pm
The shuttles will begin running one hour prior to game time and will continue throughout the game and ending about an hour after the conclusion of the game. Any students with questions can contact the athletic marketing staff.”
Mere seconds after reading this, my journalistic ego turned on its sirens and blasted through the roof. I created change. Take that, Mr. Pulitzer.
But it turns out, the marketing department made the decision to provide buses at “key” women’s basketball games before the season started. Mack saw last season’s success and decided it was time to foster more student appreciation.
The little gray comment box at the bottom of my story wasn’t a congratulatory speech; it was a condemning letter pointing out a factual error.
“Coach McKeown and his staff are doing a phenomenal job changing the quality of the team,” Mack said to me in an interview after the comment was posted. “It’s only a matter of time before the culture around the program changes.”
On Sunday, February 13, at approximately 1:16 p.m., I was the only person standing at the Patten Gym bus stop.
At 1:18 p.m. I saw tinted windows raised above all the other cars. The changing face of women’s basketball culture arrived spewing exhaust and splashing slush onto the sidewalk in front of me.
The author of a column titled “Because There’s No Bus” took his seat on a bus.
And he was the only passenger.
Well not the only passenger. A suited junior who worked for athletic communications, headed to Welsh-Ryan for his work-study job, sat in the front row across from me.
I didn’t think a public place could appear emptier than the student section at Welsh-Ryan during women’s basketball games.
It would appear that a bus headed to a women’s basketball game at Welsh-Ryan can.
That empty bus was more than a skipped two-mile walk for me. It was a symbol of a once down-and-out program getting recognition. A team that used to cling to the bottom of the Big Ten rankings has the opportunity to play in the postseason. Sixteen wins with three games left in the season deserves recognition.
And some white coach buses.
Editor’s note: Bus time has been corrected from 6:15 p.m. to 1:18 p.m. Thanks to commenter E. for pointing out the error.