Like my headline? Sign me up, New York Times! Okay, sometimes I have typos or interject a few less than objective comments on various topics here. But I’m an ad blogger, so it’s okay. Journalists though are supposed to be held to higher standards. (Least that’s what Huffington Post tells us.) So when I came across this NBC New York article, I had to reread it a few times to make sure it wasn’t a joke. (I highlighted the best parts for you in a larger version, because that’s what bloggers do.)
If journalism wants to take some “higher road” when it comes to fact-checking and credibility, fine. First, cover off things like grammar and objectivity, then we’ll talk. That a major media outlet like NBC let writing like this slip by is becoming standard operating procedure for the industry. I’ve seen way too many news outlets such as the AP, Excite news and others regularly publish material with duplicate paragraphs, typos and missing words.
Unfortunately, it again reinforces the idea that getting the news right now is more important than getting it right.
1 comment:
In the race to the bottom, WNBC is currently in the lead group. While they're not alone, they've been one of the most aggressive at purging experienced, adequately compensated journalists in favor of cheap seat fillers. Just a quick look at the Content Producer's LinkedIn page reveals the type of resume that would have gotten you laughed out of a medium-market newsroom not too long ago. Is she talented? No. Is she competent? No. Does it matter in the digital bitmine? Not a bit. The pens are a thing of the past, it's shovels now. There's a hole--fill it up. Move on to the next hole. Quickly, please!
Over the weekend, when LaGuardia was evacuated for three hours, WNBC totally missed the story. NBC Nightly News had to rely on still pics from the AP for the story. Not too long ago, missing a story like that would have got someone fired, but now it's just part of the business. Vicki Burns presided over the dismantling of WNBC before getting kicked upstairs. Now they're having trouble finding anyone who wants her old job. Is it any wonder?
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