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Author Topic: I hate journalistic writing  (Read 99730 times)

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Offline JT

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I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #50 on: January 10, 2007, 07:25:52 AM »
In this morning's Times-Picayune: Colston's score ranked in the upper 10 percentile of wide receivers, according to his agent, Mark Clouser.

 <_<

I wrote the guy and gave him a gentle primer on the difference between 'percent' and 'percentile'.
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Offline JT

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« Reply #51 on: January 10, 2007, 07:54:00 AM »
The same journalist in the same day's paper also wrote this sentence (in a different article):  He decided to live by the tenants of the US Army.

I wrote him another email.  He's gonna hate me.
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Offline Jonathon

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I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #52 on: January 10, 2007, 08:59:58 AM »
I say that if you're going to write for a living, you've got to be willing to withstand scrutiny of your writing.

Also, a good copy editor should've caught both of those problems.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2007, 09:00:39 AM by Jon Boy »
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Offline Porter

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I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #53 on: January 10, 2007, 09:10:37 AM »
Maybe you should write the copy editor.
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Offline Brinestone

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« Reply #54 on: January 10, 2007, 09:33:54 AM »
Maybe all newspapers should include a section called "Letters to the Copyeditor" for stuff like this.
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Offline pooka

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« Reply #55 on: January 10, 2007, 09:58:07 AM »
It was long before Pat's day that I saw an column in the Des News that said "continued on page D?"
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Offline JT

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« Reply #56 on: January 10, 2007, 02:47:00 PM »
He wrote back, saying that he knew the proper usage both times but that the errors slipped through due to deadline pressures.  He was very nice about it, so I chalk it up to a bad day.
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Offline pooka

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« Reply #57 on: January 14, 2007, 03:14:02 PM »
I guess that happens to me.  I was going to say "to the best of us" but thought again.
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon

Offline rivka

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« Reply #58 on: January 15, 2007, 12:24:04 PM »
Quote
Maybe you should write the copy editor.
Totally. I blame them more than the writer in cases like that.

One of the many reasons I have stopped subscribing to the L.A. Times is the consistently poor copy-editing. :P
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Offline Porter

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« Reply #59 on: May 03, 2007, 10:49:26 AM »
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Offline Jonathon

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« Reply #60 on: May 03, 2007, 11:05:50 AM »
Great find!
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Offline Jonathon

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« Reply #61 on: May 25, 2007, 09:36:22 PM »
Here's a tortured headline. And better yet, it contains a hidden surprise: the first time I read it, I left out one letter in the middle.
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Offline Porter

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« Reply #62 on: May 25, 2007, 11:47:49 PM »
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Offline Jonathon

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« Last Edit: May 30, 2007, 12:14:34 PM by Jon Boy »
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Offline Jonathon

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« Reply #64 on: May 30, 2007, 12:13:19 PM »
And this one isn't a writing problem, but it's a journalism problem nonetheless. Check out this blog post. Then look at the picture of the guy on his own site. Apparently the "5 easy moves" to building bigger arms are Photoshop techniques.
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Offline JT

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« Reply #65 on: May 30, 2007, 02:01:13 PM »
You call that easy?!  Clearly you're a much more accomplished photoshopper than I.  

But yeah, that Men's Fitness cover is ridiculous.
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Offline Porter

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« Reply #66 on: May 30, 2007, 02:09:59 PM »
It looks like they just pasted his head onto somebody else's body.
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Offline Porter

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« Reply #67 on: June 08, 2007, 10:02:30 AM »
Why in the world are there scare quotes in this headline?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6731659.stm
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Offline Jonathon

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« Reply #68 on: June 08, 2007, 10:16:50 AM »
I really don't know. The only thing I can think of is that they want you to know that they're quoting someone and not editorializing. But I don't think that's really an issue.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #69 on: June 08, 2007, 12:32:07 PM »
People are unaware that food comes from farms?  Manna from heaven they think they're eating, maybe?

Why do I doubt the veracity of this survey?
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Offline pooka

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« Reply #70 on: June 10, 2007, 12:40:45 PM »
It depends on your definition of farm.  Unless this is magical meat being grown in a petri dish.  MMmmm.  Petri dish.
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon

Offline pooka

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« Reply #71 on: June 12, 2007, 12:05:54 PM »
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon

Offline Brinestone

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« Reply #72 on: June 12, 2007, 02:07:38 PM »
Now that one's actually funny.
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Offline spacepook

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I hate journalistic writing
« Reply #73 on: June 18, 2007, 12:24:17 PM »
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Don't open this at work or while drinking.
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OK. I'm fine. I think.....:lol::lol::lol::etc:
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Offline pooka

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« Reply #74 on: June 21, 2007, 06:50:54 AM »
I hope it's okay if I keep posting funny language oriented news items here:Government wont' approve baby name

This couple in New Zealand wants to name their child 4real.  

Maybe I'll start calling spacepook ROTFLOL.  It almost rhymes with her real name.
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his work."  Comte de Saint-Simon