The executive editor of the Sacramento Bee, Joyce Terhaar, said today she will review how the paper's website displays and identifies press releases, and that some changes might already be in the works.
Her comments came in response to a Feb. 24 post on the Tracker suggesting that press releases were not always clearly identified as such and that searches of the site brought up a mix of news stories and press releases.
In an email, Terhaar said that PR Newswire has been running its releases on the Sacramento Bee's website "for as long as I can remember, though in recent years we've worked to improve the header identifying the content more clearly so readers clearly understand they are reading press releases." She said she did not know that searches would produce a mix of news stories and press releases, "and I don't like that mix."
The releases "are indeed labeled PR Newswire, which might be enough for most readers. But we'll take a look at how they're displayed and identified to ensure it's clear," she said.
And in a second email, she said that "apparently someone saw your post this past week and they already have a work request in to the digital team." She said she had been out of the office but would check to see whether changes were being discussed.
-Paul Raeburn
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