Worst ... typo ... ever
June 14, 2011
By Mike Weland
Publisher

In nearly 30 years in the news business, I've made my share of mistakes, but none with quite the impact of a simple slip that occurred Sunday evening. It only happened once, and it only involved the omission of a single vowel ... In this case, an "i," in a single word ... the same on many on the page.

Recital.

What you've read on this site thus far is boot-strap reporting. I am hoping that eventually I will earn the "reach" that advertisers need to make this a profitable media to advertise in so that I can hire the help I need to ensure that such faux pas doesn't occur; primarily, copy editors. I can't afford copy editors, and most local papers don't employ them.

When I worked at the Spokesman Review, nothing reached print, not even from the managing editor, until it passed through a wide bank of editors; content, who helped make sure that all angles and sources were covered, fact checkers, who made sure every detail of the article was correct, copy editors, who made sure not only of spelling, but of punctuation and syntax. It was finally proofed by the layout editors, who, using paper and wax (this was a few years ago), read every line.

Occasionally, even the Spokesman makes mistakes.

With News Bonners Ferry, sadly, it's just me. And I'm using an old keyboard upon which I have to strike many keys several times and watch closely what appears on the screen, lest I find my fingers slipped over a key in my haste to get the story out or a key malfunctions.

On Sunday night, I was working diligently to put that evening's edition to bed, finishing up with the sort of story I love to write; The Dance Studio's upcoming dance recital. Great pictures of some very talented kids.

Barb sent me the names, and I double and triple checked each one before I published ... names are important.

But toward the end, I left out an "i", and spell check didn't catch it, because it was a recognized word.

I am grateful for Linda Alt, who sent me an email, which I caught on an early morning moment of wakefulness.

"Mike, did you see ..."

AUGH! I scurried and corrected the inadvertent error, never recognizing that this was a case where a single missing vowel could make so much difference.

I received a personal letter from Barb Russell asking if I'd like to attend the "rectal." My friends at work asked me if rubber gloves were needed, and wondered if I was fit to report news.

I regret my typo, and wish I'd never made it, but I do have to admit ... this is a classic.