Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2010-03-01/In the news

American bias?
Kevin Myers wrote an Irish Independent opinion column on 25 February that tangentially accused Wikipedia's contributors of idealizing America's fortunes at the time the Star Spangled Banner was penned. Myers contends that the US essentially lost the War of 1812 to Canada, but "Wikipedia's US monitors" instantly correct "every attempt by Canadians to put it into the historical record." He provides no supporting evidence, but was likely referring to controversy at the War of 1812 article and an ensuing Mediation Cabal case, closed in Nov 2009. Your reporter finds no evidence that opinion strictly reflected the nationality of editors (nor of historians for that matter).

Curious Announcement
BBC Radio 4's comedy series The Museum of Curiosity announced its new co-host (or "curator") via Wikipedia on 26 February. Dan Schreiber, the co-creator and co-producer of the show, tweeted that the name could be found on the newcomer's Wikipedia page, and offered a prize to the discoverer. This edit was subsequently found to name Jon Richardson.

Briefly

 * New York Times Upfront, a publication of Scholastic Corporation, on 8 February featured an article "Free Speech vs. Privacy" by John Schwartz about the conflict between different countries' free speech and privacy laws as they relate to content in Wikipedia articles. (see Signpost coverage of an earlier NYT article by Schwartz on the same legal case)
 * The Wall Street Journal Classroom edition for students published a January cover article, "What's Wrong with Wikipedia?", documenting Wikipedia's sustainability challenges. It cited Felipe Ortega's 2009 research. (see extensive coverage on 23 November, 7 December, and 30 November of 2009)