Heard, loud and unclear

Working in the news business can get you in trouble. When you spell a name wrong, there's trouble. When you appear to be biased, there's lots of trouble. If you get a story just plain wrong, you deserve whatever trouble you get.\nBut getting in trouble for something somebody else said? That sort of thing occurs a little less often; nonetheless, many people hold the newspaper accountable for everything in it, even if it's a direct quote from someone outside our walls.\nJim Holthaus, former president of the Varsity Villas homeowners association, would like to hold the Indiana Daily Student accountable for a comment a source made in our recent Housing and Living Guide. In the story the source, when asked about the Smallwood apartment complex downtown, had this to say:\n"When you put that many college students in one building, they're going to destroy it. In five years, Smallwood will look just like Varsity Villas because people abuse the place."\nI'll bet you can guess which part of that Holthaus had a problem with. He had so much of a problem with it that he wouldn't allow me to quote him in this column when I called him. What he essentially told me is that it was irresponsible of the IDS to quote someone about the Villas who doesn't live there, nor is an expert on the complex.\nSomething tells me that you really don't have to be an expert on building codes and occupancy laws to know what kind of reputation a place has. But Holthaus' complaint does bring up an interesting point -- reporters do choose which quotes and sources they will use in a story. This presents a two-way ethical street. Which is more unethical -- withholding a quote because someone won't like it or using a quote knowing someone won't like it?\nOur designer's decision to use the inflammatory quote as a central element on the page in bright red letters probably didn't help, but is indicative of the nature of news. When a reader (you all) sees something like that in red, it draws attention to the story. Thus making you (hopefully) want to read it. When you read it, you were informed, right?\nHere comes the part where the person (or Villa) being informed on doesn't like the information. Then what? That person (or Villa) calls us with the complaint -- which is why I'm here. I respond to complaints.\nThe reporter who wrote the story, Molly Kravitz, responded as well. In an e-mail, she said:\n"My intention was not to bash Varsity Villas. I used the quote objectively to provide a visual of what Smallwood could potentially become. Students all over the campus are familiar with Varsity Villas and its reputation."\nWhere did that reputation come from? Tommy Guthrie, a Villas association board member, blames the riots that occurred in the past, stemming from wild Little 500 weekends and various men's basketball trips to the NCAA tournament. Guthrie said he understands why the IDS used the quote.\n"I don't like it, but at the same time, I understand it, so what are you gonna do? At the same time, I don't think the article will have any affect on our business. People love the Villas and the freedom that they get."\nShould Kravitz have recounted the Villas checkered history to justify the quote? Yes and no. There's no way to tell if the reaction would have been the same, but as a rule more information is always better. Guthrie extended an invitation to the IDS to check out the Villas, and I think we should take him up on it.\nIf you want to read more about the riots, search the www.idsnews.com archives and see what you dig up. \nDo it because reading is fundamental, and apartment owners everywhere would love to see their customers more informed.