Tribute to your Boss?

 One of the late WaPo editor Fred Hiatt's contributions to American journalism was reporting by anectdote.

He swept in a diverse range of educated and credentialed new voices, few with reporting training or backgrounds. Hired more to check a box, his writers told us tales based on their experiences, which ironically made the pool of those communities and lifestyles reported on smaller, as much of the diversity didn't really run deep...

That, along with the legacy of distrust sowed nationally by the neocons who championed fruitless Mideast wars at American expense, accounts for the lack of trust in today's media mouthpieces.

But using anectdote-style reporting, a great tribute to Mr. Hiatt might be a detailed look at his heart attack at 66.  "Get vaccinated, get vaccinated, get vaccinated again!" Is a fine and simple media chant but for those with a history of heart issues, it's. a bit more complex...

Hiatt's heart history, and a timeline of his vaccinations, booster and Covid history -- if any -- might be instructive. He's just one man, but we need to admit that Covid and perhaps vaccines affect people with preexisting conditions differently.

Reporting by antectdote doesn't teach that much, as the sample set is limited and pliable, but surely some of his latter-day hires might be wondering if there is a Covid cardiac connection to the death.  Maybe after expressing heartfelt condolences for the career help, they might ask questions too about why he died so young and if there were contributory factors that others still alive can protect against?

RIP Mr. Hiatt. We Americans will carry on from here, reporting the facts and following up on whether the initial information was reported correctly. It's never too late to unspin a story, even or especially when it's so costly to American society and beyond...