[Baz]

New York Times public editor: We neglected our duty in Louisiana flood coverage

As south Louisianians wonder if the rest of the nation even knows about its plight after widespread flooding, The New York Times' public editor admits that it was "late to the scene."

Liz Spayd says in a piece published Tuesday that the newspaper devoted no staff resources to the story until Sunday.

This despite that fact that, by Saturday, a state of emergency had been declared, flood waters were raging and people were being rescued from vehicles and houses.

The slow start led to a number of well-deserved reader complaints, said Spayd, who described the Times' effort as "particularly weak."