An NYT story correctly notes how far ahead the Toronto Star was of everyone else in its coverage of the terror suspects arrests.
Here's a tidbit as to why:
The Star's success, which also included the reporting of several details, like potential bomb targets, that continued to elude other news organizations, did not attract much in the way of congratulations from rivals.
That includes The National Post, which hastily reworked a scheduled story about terrorists to include a basic outline of the raids. When asked how The Star managed to so outflank its competition, Stephen Meurice, the managing editor for news, replied, "I can't possibly tell you."
The answer, said Giles Gherson, The Star's editor in chief, was mainly hard work by a single reporter.
About two years ago, before Mr. Gherson joined the paper, The Star's editors assigned Michelle Shephard, a police reporter, to cover national security issues.
Mr. Gherson acknowledged there were times when the decision to commit a reporter to that beat full time did not always seem wise. "There have been a number of cases she has covered that didn't amount to anything at all," he said.