Norman Oder, the writer of the report, has been a journalist for more than 20 years. As a freelancer, he has contributed to a wide range of publications, including Columbia Journalism Review, American Journalism Review, New York Newsday, New York Daily News,The Village Voice, New York Press, and Gotham Gazette. He earned a Master of Studies in Law as a journalism fellow at Yale Law School. A licensed tour guide, he also has operated a part-time tour business in Brooklyn since 2000.
Develop Don't Destroy—Brooklyn (DDDB) leads a broad-based community coalition fighting for development that unites communities instead of dividing and destroying them. It co-sponsored the creation of six alternate development plans (for both an arena and for the site targeted by FCR), which illustrate deep flaws and weaknesses in the FCR plan.
The Fort Greene Association is devoted to historic preservation, neighborhood and park enhancement, as well as cultural, economic, and housing advancement.
NoLandGrab.org is a media watchdog group and blog devoted to the Atlantic Yards project.
Park Slope Neighbors is a neighborhood organization, formed in 2005, committed to the protection and enhancement of quality of life in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Prospect Heights Action Coalition is a group of “street fighters” defending Brooklyn's neighborhoods from predatory developers. It was the first organization to publicly expose and oppose Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards project.
The report was delivered to Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., Executive Editor Bill Keller; Assistant Managing Editor and Standards Editor Allan Siegal; Metro Editor Susan Edgerly; Editorial Page Editor Gail Collins; Editorial Board Member Carolyn Curiel; and Public Editor Byron Calame. The groups endorsing the report request that The Times promptly issue corrections of errors and that Editor's Notes disclosing The Times's business relationship with developer Forest City Ratner be appended to archived versions of articles. The groups also request that Public Editor Calame conduct a thorough and prompt investigation of The Times's coverage of Forest City Ratner and Atlantic Yards.
The report and executive summary, with backup documentation, is available here. It was first reported on the blog Big Cities Big Boxes.
CONTACT: Norman Oder, TimesReport@hotmail.com
Ed/Pub:LM
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