Friday, May 25, 2007

A Sad Day for Reporters Everywhere.

I have to preface this first by saying that the following comes from a newspaper reporter's blog (I know, I know) and not from a news article. But even so.

Here is a classic example of why I so often have a hate on for reporters. My favorite quote:
"The fact that ten years after his death people still think [Matthew Shepard's murder] is a hate crime makes me contemplate the roll of the media. Why did the media jump on the bandwagon - it was a hate-crime based on Shepard’s sexual orientation? A 20/20 investigation in 2004 revealed his death was due to a simple robbing that turned brutal. If you ask several University of Wyoming alumni, they say it was a “drug deal gone bad.” I guess it depends which side you’re on and which side you want to believe. But there is information out there citing both – that it was hate-crime and that it was a drug deal gone bad."

We are in sad, sad shape as a nation if newspaper reporters are looking to 20/20 to get their facts (not to mention random U of W alumni).

In other news, Rodney King's beating was really deserved because he resisted arrest. I know, 'cause I saw it on t.v. Oh, and also, I asked some people who live in L.A. But, you know, it's all about whom you want to believe and which side you're on, right?

Thanks to Anna at Dakota Women for the tip.

5 comments:

Anna said...

Number one rule of journalism: always believe rumors spread by 1. college students and 2. people who live in small rural towns.

When are we having dinner?

Plain(s)feminist said...

That's what's so enormously frustrating: *I* know that that's not how real reporters work. *You* know that that's not how real reporters work. We both know that there are some piss-poor reporters out there, but there are also a lot of good ones who work hard at their craft.

So how the hell does the Argus Leader allow reporters to be so stupid on the paper's own blog?! Is this supposed to inspire confidence? And why didn't someone say to Tiffany, "dude, if you write that, you're going to make yourself look pretty stupid and basically give your readers cause to doubt your every word from now on?"

And then there's that other issue re. "everybody else has a blog, so why don't we have one, too." I think Epp had something to say about it, or maybe it was CCK...something about, "how about you guys do your job, and we'll do ours?"

Dinner - yes. Email me!

Trinity said...

the "roll" of the media?

gah.

Hahni said...

I'm with trinity--how dare he call himself a journalist and not even spell "role" correctly?

Gah x2

andi said...

20/20 is a horrid source for anyone. But *especially* reporters. They engage in yellow journalism and rumour mongering.
Anyone with a lick of sense would know that.
too bad these "journalists" don't have a lick of sense.