Author Topic: I hate journalistic writing (Read 100517 times)

JT · « **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'.

JT · « **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.

Jonathon · « **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.

Porter · « **Reply #53 on:** January 10, 2007, 09:10:37 AM »

Maybe you should write the copy editor.

Brinestone · « **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.

pooka · « **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?"

JT · « **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.

pooka · « **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.

rivka · « **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.

Porter · « **Reply #59 on:** May 03, 2007, 10:49:26 AM »

Chinese nuke base open to tourists

What a headline.

Jonathon · « **Reply #60 on:** May 03, 2007, 11:05:50 AM »

Great find!

Jonathon · « **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.

Porter · « **Reply #62 on:** May 25, 2007, 11:47:49 PM »

Jonathon · « **Reply #63 on:** May 30, 2007, 12:08:24 PM »

News flash: If everyone on the Jazz just played better, they could win more.

Jonathon · « **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.

JT · « **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.

Porter · « **Reply #66 on:** May 30, 2007, 02:09:59 PM »

It looks like they just pasted his head onto somebody else's body.

Porter · « **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

Jonathon · « **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.

Tante Shvester · « **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?

pooka · « **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.

pooka · « **Reply #71 on:** June 12, 2007, 12:05:54 PM »

Don't open this at work or while drinking.

Brinestone · « **Reply #72 on:** June 12, 2007, 02:07:38 PM »

Now that one's actually funny.

spacepook · « **Reply #73 on:** June 18, 2007, 12:24:17 PM »

Quote

Don't open this at work or while drinking.

:drinks water:
:opens link:
:laughs:
:chokes:
:swallows water:
:lols:
:Micropook freaks out because I'm laughing so hard I'm crying AND because I won't tell him what is funny:
:Breathes:
OK. I'm fine. I think.....

:etc:

pooka · « **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.