Boston Now whiffs (again) on Scientology

Published Apr 11 2008, 04:04 PM by Adam Reilly

Today's Boston Now cover story on the ongoing battle between the Church of Scientology and Anonymous isn't quite as bad as the paper's June 2007 homage to a Scientology-based tutoring center in Roxbury. But it's close.

Here's one problem: the article's online version features a transcript of an interview that senior reporter James O'Brien did with the Rev. Gerald Renna of the Church of Scientology in Boston, but no countervailing transcript of an interview with a representative of Anonymous. Here's another: O'Brien's interview reads, at times, like something you'd find in Freedom Magazine ("Do you worry that if the church brings this Anonymous member to court it somehow validates or lends more credibility to it [sic] opponent?"). And here's a third: if you're new to this issue and read O'Brien's article, you'll come away with no real understanding of what's driving the fight between Anonymous and Scientology.

Before they tackle this subject again, O'Brien and his editors should really take a look at this Radar article on the Anonymous-Scientology feud. So should anyone who read today's Boston Now piece and came away scratching their head.

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4 Comments

Ron Newman said:

Despite the article's problems, Anonymous was glad to see BostonNOW publish it on the front page. Any publicity being good publicity for the cause right now...

April 14, 2008 7:00 PM
h20 said:

It would be great if your publication would at least cover this issue instead of mocking other papers that cover it.

April 14, 2008 11:29 PM
anon and on and on said:

while i agree that the article certainly was lacking in content and context, the important thing is that bostonNOW was willing to cover the story at all. i would be delighted if the phoenix would take the time to cover the anonymous vs CoS battle. the protests are drawing hundreds of participants and, based on the fact that high ranking ex-scientologists are coming forward and standing with anonymous, the movement is growing and gaining acceptance with established long-time critics of the church.

April 16, 2008 3:05 PM
Joshua said:

Agreed. It seems rather petty for Phoenix to trash BostonNOW's coverage of a story that Phoenix didn't cover at all. I mean, if you want something done right, do it yourself. It's not like Phoenix lacks the resources to cover the story or anything.

May 12, 2008 6:55 PM