Julie Satow’s feature article on Amanda Burden, “Amanda Burden Wants to Remake New York. She Has 19 Months Left,” paints an unbiased three-dimensional picture of Ms. Burden. The feature starts out depicting Burden as an innovator. Satow sites many of the beatifications and transformations undertaken by Burden. Soon after, the writer dives into Burden’s interesting past which is a foil to her “innovator” title.
Satow does not, however, illustrate Burden as perfect. Many of Burden’s shortcomings are exemplified and backed by substantial sources. Julia Virtullo-Martin, a senior fellow at the Regional Plan Association and the director of its Center for Urban Innovation, attacks Burden’s idea of “contextual zoning” and how developers don’t know if their plans will please Burden. Burden is shown as indecisive and difficult to please.
By the same token, Satow expresses positive aspects of Burden’s leadership with solid sources. When talking about Burden saving a small makeshift pier in Stuyvesant Park, Satow quotes a community board chairman praising Burden’s attention to even small projects.
Satow’s feature on Burden is evenly reported, with sources coming from both sides. However, Satow does allow her own opinion to shine through in the final paragraphs of the article. Satow chooses to end with several becoming quotes about and from Burden. Readers are left with an image of Burden as a neighborhood savior, reflecting on her successful tenure as Planning Commissioner. If Satow chose to end with a quote from Julia Virtullo-Martin, this would have been a very different feature. Since her article is backed with multiple sources and viewpoints, her glimmer of admiration for Burden can be ignored; Satow produced a fair feature article.
