Omdudsman Replies To Michael Yon Query

That is to say, my query asking how on earth the Peter Carlson's feature on Shock neglected to mention the raging dispute between Michael Yon and the magazine over the latter's unauthorized misuse, in its launch issue, of Yon's photo in an antiwar screed. Updates on the affair, which also includes Shock publisher Hachette Filipacchi Media, are available at a dedicated section of Yon's website. Post ombudsman Deborah Howell, who was on vacation when I emailed her, responded this afternoon:

He told me he didn't know about the copyright dispute when he wrote the piece.

To quote Yon from July 5:

The simplest test of any news organization’s research capabilities is what I call, “the Google test.” This admittedly non-scientific measure is the cyberspace equivalent of the wet finger wind test but just like no one should spray pesticide or laquer without testing for wind, newspapers should perform minimal research before publishing any material, even something as trivial as a magazine review. Google “Shock Magazine” and the copyright controversy is there on the first page of the search results....

As an institution that prides itself on being a safe repository for the public trust, the real question for the Washington Post is an either-or. Is the Washington Post incompetent or dishonest? Or, is the Washington Post incompetent and dishonest?...

At least one.

I don't know how current it is, but this tally at Yon's site counts 7,266 stores that have pulled Shock from their racks, among them chains including Rite Aid, Eckerd's, Kroger's and Fry's Electronics.