I've pretty well given up on getting accurate, factual reporting from mainstream media, and that view has nothing to do with my politics. I always thought that the criteria for being a serious journalist included the ability to fact-check and superior communication skills, but that's all changed now. A college degree is not even required (I'm looking at you, Scott Pelley).
Speaking of Scott, I was watching the CBS Evening News on the night the Royal Infant's name was announced. Pelley informed us that the child would bear the name of George Alexander Louis: George in honor of the many British monarchs of that name, Louis for Louis Mountbatten, the Earl of Burma and the grand-uncle of the current Prince of Wales. and Alexander, as there have been three kings of Scotland of that name. Okay, we're doing fine. The information is correct.
But as Pelley is educating us on Scottish Kings, a graphic appears on the screen. It's a portrait of Alexander
...the Great.
You know, the guy from Macedonia. He's even got a laurel wreath around his head. I kid you not. Somewhere, a lot of real journalists are turning over in their graves.
Oh, dear. But fact-checking? Seriously? Do they even teach that to journalists any more?
ReplyDeleteI think they (journalists) just WIKI or Google stuff now. No in depth fact checking, because, why bother? Most people they're talking to won't know a fact from a fig and possibly don't care!
ReplyDeleteAnother author I read is doing a historical novel and her cover art had the dress sporting a ZIPPER! I let her know via her FB page (where the cover art was featured) and I was the one who got flamed by some of her readers for pointing it out. The zipper got pulled though...and now there are ties.
I so wish we didn't 'dumb down' our news.
Bev, given my limited experience teaching college, our schools are not even teaching proper grammar anymore. I'm sure you see that at work.
ReplyDeleteUnknown, your first paragraph sums up things nicely. Sadly.
This is so similar to the Korean Asiana airline crew name fiasco. I think this is a sign of young people working in TV news with terrible prank playing ideas. I believe there are way too many yahoos working in TV news these days and too many who aren't taking the world of journalism seriously.
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right, John. Couple the young and stupid with the airhead news readers and we have a problem. I'm thinking of the blonde who read the crew names. After the first one I think I would have put two and two together and said, "Wait a minute..."
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