Determination 35: Burtrand/Church of Wicca v. Minneapolis Star
A man named Burtrand, high priest of the Church of Wicca (a religion known also as witchcraft), complained that the newspaper was unfair when it associated witchcraft with satanic activities in two articles published on its religion page, headlined “Occult.” Burtrand claimed that the layout, taken as a whole – including artwork, photographs and articles – perpetuated negative and erroneous stereotypes about the occult.
Background: On March 2, 1979, the paper published on its religion page two articles on the occult. At the top of the page was an account of the published diary of a teenager’s purported experiences with a satanic group. At the bottom of the page was a news story about the occult that quoted both ex-occultist Lee Nystrom and Conlith Christensen, who was manager of Gnostica Bookstore and a member of a witchcraft religion called the Church of Wicca. The articles were accompanied by a picture of Christensen and artwork depicting demons torturing a man.
When Burtrand complained to the paper about the articles and layout, he was informed he could write a letter to the editor, subject to normal editing procedures. He declined because he felt the letter might not run as he wrote it and would not have the same effect as an apology. Burtrand complained that the paper should have attempted to verify questionable information in the diary, and that the account of it should have been clearly labeled as a book review. The news story, Burtrand said, contained derogatory statements Nystrom made about the occult that should have been substantiated. The news story also misquoted Christensen and was unfair because it gave her age and marital status but not Nystrom’s (Christensen is divorced). Regarding the page as a whole, Burtrand alleges that the artwork and articles perpetuated negative and erroneous stereotypes about the occult that were strengthened by their placement on the religion page. He said that witchcraft, and specifically Wicca, were incorrectly linked to satanism.
Determination of the Council: A letter might have helped Burtrand to achieve his goal of educating the public about the occult. Newspapers do, however, have the right to edit letters for such things as length and style.
Regarding Burtrand’s objections to the articles, the paper should not have been expected to investigate every fact disputed by Burtrand. Readers are better served if a newspaper devotes its limited time and resources to its regular news columns. There is no evidence to support the contention that Christensen was misquoted, and hence that matter is indeterminable.
With respect to the page taken as a whole, the articles and accompanying illustrations do not seem to perpetuate negative and erroneous stereotypes about the occult, nor does their placement on the religion page unfairly strengthen such alleged impressions. The first article was clearly an account of a book describing satanic activities, and the artwork clearly illustrates the activities described in the book, and not all occult activities. The news story balances derogatory statements about the occult by Nystrom with several quotes from Christensen. To this extent, the complaint against the paper is not upheld.
However, the placement of the photograph of Christensen was unfair and misleading. The layout appears to associate her with the book account and the satanic activities described in it. The casual reader may not read through to the end of the news story, where Christensen is quoted as dissociating herself from the satanic activities depicted and described on the rest of the page. Also, the paper should not have characterized only Christensen by age and marital status, and it is encouraging that the paper acknowledges this.
To this extent, the complaint against the paper is upheld
Dissenting Opinion: Fairbanks, Staples, Craig, Hetland, Spielman The majority is correct in rejecting the allegations about the factual content of the articles. However, the articles and accompanying artwork and photographs are sensationalized and do perpetuate negative and erroneous stereotypes about the occult, apparently due to a lack of understanding of the occult and a failure to ascertain the facts about different parts of the occult before publishing the articles. The total effect of the page is to associate occult activities in general, and witchcraft in particular, with satanism. The words “occult,” “witchcraft,” “Satan” and “demonic” are used interchangeably throughout the page, without regard to the fact that “occult” is a very broad term that encompasses many religions and cults. Christensen’s quoted statements dissociating herself from satanism do not adequately balance the confusing use of these terms interchangeably on the page.
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