Leaps of Faith, and the Trouble That Followed.

THE average weekday New York Times contains nearly 130,000 words of news, information and opinion distilled from millions cascading in from throughout the world. The newspaper employs layers of editors and multiple policies and procedures to make sure that every one of those words is as accurate as anyone can determine in the daily rush of history. But, with all the safeguards, bad things still happen. Last month, because reporters and editors in three different parts of the paper did not take enough pains to verify information, The Times reported as fact a political telephone call that didn't happen, fell victim to a faked letter to the editor, and published a sensational anecdote about a college football recruiting battle that the paper cannot be confident is true. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]