New York Rangers forward Sean Avery is definitely not a fan-favorite hockey player.  In my opinion, his behavior on and off the ice is unruly and unjustified. That said, a Canadian newspaper reported last month that Avery apparently made cancer-related remarks to Jason Blake after he was diagnosed with Chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare yet treatable form of cancer.  Blake was told by doctors that he would be able to continue playing throughout the rehabilitation process and that he would live a long, full and normal life."

That same newspaper yesterday changed its story yesterday after Avery and his attorneys threatened a libel suit against FAN 590 reporter Howard Berger.

"It was my intention only to report accurately on what transpired during the pregame warmup," he said. "Based on Mr. Avery's clear statement that he made no such remarks, my information and therefore my reporting does not appear to have been accurate.

"I truly regret reporting that Mr. Avery made any such comments. I apologize to Mr. Avery for having done so. And I hereby retract my comments about what transpired during the pregame warmup on Nov. 10, 2007" (Canadian Press).

While I may not like Avery for pestering and annoying style of play, I, as a journalist myself know that reporters need to present accurate information and use honest and reliable sources.  They are broadcasting to millions of people throughout the globe and everything they say will be scrutinized.

Take, for example, the Don Imus situation.  Imus, a radio and television talk show host, described the Rutgers Women's basketball team using racial epithets in a live broadcast eight months ago.  He was consequently fired from his CBS show and forced to apologize several times to the ladies in person and on air.

As we all know, Imus eventually returned to the airwaves yesterday, after signing a contract with ABC Radio Networks.

"Don Imus returned to the airwaves yesterday, eight months after he was fired for a racially charged remark about Rutgers' women's basketball team, and introduced a new cast that included two black comedians, Karith Foster and Tony Powell" (Baltimore Sun).

A Rutgers University student myself, I felt the media attention when the story broke out.  The mess also occurred after the football team's magical run, a time period when the media sent out daily reporters interviewing students about "Pandemonium in Piscataway."

We can learn a valuable lesson from both of this stories.  Broadcasters must be so careful about what they say on television or radio, or what they publish in a mass medium (e.g. newspaper, magazine).

Should Imus have ever returned to the airwaves? Should Avery have even been part of a confrontation before the game began, which led to the whole incident?

These are two questions about which people can debate over dinner.

Imus was forgiven.  I expect the same to happen to Berger, who was not fired for his remarks, even if they were hurtful and unprecedented.

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