We previously directed you to the strange and hilarious corrections of the Stranger, Seattle's wonderful alt-weekly. While definitely over the top, at least they give you the impression that the paper puts some thought into its corrections.
Recently, however, the Stranger took things to a whole new level. Its theater editor recently confused two well known playwrights and the paper decided to make him pay for his mistake. It produced a quiz and made him complete it as penance. We spend a lot of time harping about how the media handles mistakes so it's a pleasure to find something to praise. This is fun, interactive, and it demonstrates that the paper takes accuracy seriously enough to do something innovative.
Here's how the Stranger explained its rationale:
Last week, Stranger theater editor Brendan Kiley made a mistake worthy of lifelong shame, somehow confusing Neil Simon with Eugene O'Neill. Brendan made a prompt apology, but can a mere apology suffice? Of course not, hence this quiz, through which Brendan will confirm his new and thorough understanding of these two ridiculously distinctive playwrights. Feel free to join in the fun!
The quiz is here. Enjoy. And props to Romenesko for spotting it.
