Bad writing, reporting and headlines
I know I made my fair share of stupid mistakes as a greenhorn, but sometimes I just want to reach through cyberspace or news print and shake the life out of writers and editors who make stupid mistakes.
The latest today that has me shaking my head is the headline on this story on the Yahoo News site.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20040825/ap_on_re_eu/russia_plane_crash
The headline reads: Russia Probes Cause of Two Plane Crashes
I tilt my head. Hmm. Scratch my chin. Since when do the Russians launch probes? Maybe Star Trek is closer to the truth than I was thinking ... ooooohhhhh, now I get it. The country is probing the cause of the crashes. Wow, I didn't know a country as big as Russia could get around easily enough to do investigations. OOOOhhhh, wait. They mean Russian officials are probing for the cause. Why didn't you say that? *shaking my head*
The other one, which made me practically fall out of my chair laughing hysterically, came from an Associated Press story on a very sad event. In Temple, Texas, (about 20 minutes from Fort Hood, where I once lived with Army of Dad) a woman and three children were found dead in a house after an apparent house fire. The AP writer writes about what happened, talked to fire and police officials and then offers this paragraph:
Brenda Drobny, who lived in the house that burned until June, said she was shocked to learn of the fire.
Why would she be shocked if it burned until June? That sounds like a sadistic children's rhyme.
There once was a lady who lived in a house that burned until June. It charred all the furniture and left it in ruin.
I could continue, but it would be in REALLY poor taste.
Between that and all the "analysis" that is disguised as news, I'm ashamed of my profession. Maybe I'll become a bill collector, a car salesman, lawyer or HMO manager. Those are all respected professions, right?
The latest today that has me shaking my head is the headline on this story on the Yahoo News site.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=1&u=/ap/20040825/ap_on_re_eu/russia_plane_crash
The headline reads: Russia Probes Cause of Two Plane Crashes
I tilt my head. Hmm. Scratch my chin. Since when do the Russians launch probes? Maybe Star Trek is closer to the truth than I was thinking ... ooooohhhhh, now I get it. The country is probing the cause of the crashes. Wow, I didn't know a country as big as Russia could get around easily enough to do investigations. OOOOhhhh, wait. They mean Russian officials are probing for the cause. Why didn't you say that? *shaking my head*
The other one, which made me practically fall out of my chair laughing hysterically, came from an Associated Press story on a very sad event. In Temple, Texas, (about 20 minutes from Fort Hood, where I once lived with Army of Dad) a woman and three children were found dead in a house after an apparent house fire. The AP writer writes about what happened, talked to fire and police officials and then offers this paragraph:
Brenda Drobny, who lived in the house that burned until June, said she was shocked to learn of the fire.
Why would she be shocked if it burned until June? That sounds like a sadistic children's rhyme.
There once was a lady who lived in a house that burned until June. It charred all the furniture and left it in ruin.
I could continue, but it would be in REALLY poor taste.
Between that and all the "analysis" that is disguised as news, I'm ashamed of my profession. Maybe I'll become a bill collector, a car salesman, lawyer or HMO manager. Those are all respected professions, right?
3 Comments:
At 10:50 AM, August 25, 2004,
Army of Mom said…
And, this is from another former reporter and member of the Fourth Estate ladies and gentlemen.
I like that one. Accuracy. So glad to see if it still alive and well in the media.
At 11:14 AM, August 25, 2004,
Army of Mom said…
Yes, yes indeedy. In my hall of shame memory box, I have the caption from the Greenville newspaper in BFE, Texas, with the photo caption that should have read "bulging disk" but said bulging dick.
Now, that explains why Deion's turf toe bothered him so much. Wasn't the toe injury so much as the dick in his back. *ROFLMAO*
Shouldn't we be working?
At 1:50 PM, August 25, 2004,
Army of Mom said…
Someone emailed me a question about the Fourth Estate. It is an old term for the media. This link will explain its history. It is a great piece.
http://www.e11th-hour.org/archives/4th.estate.html
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