For Article: What Makes Reporting and Blogging Successful?
Posted by Jane Abao 1/14/2008 8:59:23 PM
Journalists take deadlines seriously. Yes, that should be. And yes, they generally report better – than bloggers. That is the way journalists had been trained. However, beating deadlines has nothing much to do with “bad reporting.” Looking at some writing as “bad reporting” so that the editor makes some material changes would not augur well for truth. Correct judgement is called for. I had a bad experience regarding some editing made on my story that ended as the opposite of what I had intended.
In a feature story where I wrote about a beggar child south of my country, I had intended to let the public know about government neglect on street children. My character was one that slept on cement floors in some streets during the day and roamed around the city to steal food and enjoy his world at night. The police caught up with him and had him placed at a boy’s town. He had escaped back to his world of his own when a matron brought him home for some Christmas vacation. Now, it was government neglect I had wanted to showcase but the editor twisted the story and rendered an ignorant child rejecting the confines of government with donations from benevolent spirits - not to exclude those from other countries. Yes, the child got fed up of life where he was just a specimen. Had he enjoyed those camera shots of visitors? You bet, he did. But he had wanted freedom. This beggar child was Every-beggar-child on the streets.
It’s time we ask the journalists what they think about “bad editing.”
Showing posts with label news_writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news_writing. Show all posts
Monday, January 14, 2008
THE PROFIT ANGLE
For Article: Obama Wins in U.K. Headlines
Posted by Jane Abao 1/10/2008 8:04:39 PM
Yes, credibility is that important for any news system. But what obtains is that as though being first in the race to report is all there is to it. I had the experience of trying to buy a broad sheet one morning on my way to the city. I saw some of them displayed at one corner, and when I glanced at the headlines, they appeared engaged in a debate of sorts.
It is not only in names that newspapers struggle to get ahead and report, and then fail to make the mark when after a few hours, the day exposes them as guessing. It is also in numbers, but with this kind, they seem not to care enough. Why? Because the customer of the day might think the one with the greatest number may have covered the latest of the event.
There was a case of a tsunami that occurred south of my country not many years ago. One broadsheet stood out from among the rest for reporting the greatest number of fatalities. It was not my favorite paper, but thinking that it may have the latest accounts and the most details, I bought the paper. Tsunami and its effects stretches for weeks, even months, and so with its news coverage. Later on, I found out that this paper has the habit of bloating figures whenever there are events of this kind.
You bet, customers will find out about the truth later on – about the profit angle – after comparing news from other sources and after a time of dealing with these news systems.
Posted by Jane Abao 1/10/2008 8:04:39 PM
Yes, credibility is that important for any news system. But what obtains is that as though being first in the race to report is all there is to it. I had the experience of trying to buy a broad sheet one morning on my way to the city. I saw some of them displayed at one corner, and when I glanced at the headlines, they appeared engaged in a debate of sorts.
It is not only in names that newspapers struggle to get ahead and report, and then fail to make the mark when after a few hours, the day exposes them as guessing. It is also in numbers, but with this kind, they seem not to care enough. Why? Because the customer of the day might think the one with the greatest number may have covered the latest of the event.
There was a case of a tsunami that occurred south of my country not many years ago. One broadsheet stood out from among the rest for reporting the greatest number of fatalities. It was not my favorite paper, but thinking that it may have the latest accounts and the most details, I bought the paper. Tsunami and its effects stretches for weeks, even months, and so with its news coverage. Later on, I found out that this paper has the habit of bloating figures whenever there are events of this kind.
You bet, customers will find out about the truth later on – about the profit angle – after comparing news from other sources and after a time of dealing with these news systems.
Sixth “W” Smart but of a Different Level
For Article: The New "Sixth W"
Posted by Jane Abao 12/26/2007 8:59:55 PM
Yes, that’s smart! “What’s next” as the sixth “W” of Rich Boehne, that is. Too often, we deal with just reproductions of events. Highlighting on what’s next gives the reader a view on future plans and perspectives. It gives reporters outside of the organization an idea on what to watch out for. Once the “What’s next” is given, it behooves the subject of news to realize the “What’s next” as announced and as expected by the audience or readership. The problem with this is that the “What’s next” is of a different level. It has not yet happened and subject to time and its vagaries – and the audience may mistake it for fact.
Posted by Jane Abao 12/26/2007 8:59:55 PM
Yes, that’s smart! “What’s next” as the sixth “W” of Rich Boehne, that is. Too often, we deal with just reproductions of events. Highlighting on what’s next gives the reader a view on future plans and perspectives. It gives reporters outside of the organization an idea on what to watch out for. Once the “What’s next” is given, it behooves the subject of news to realize the “What’s next” as announced and as expected by the audience or readership. The problem with this is that the “What’s next” is of a different level. It has not yet happened and subject to time and its vagaries – and the audience may mistake it for fact.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Principle of Proximity
For Article: News Lessons from Ireland, U.K.
Posted by Jane Abao 7/17/2007 11:26:55 PM
One reason news stories are not useable is that they do not tie up well with the readers for want of the element of proximity. Right so! Going local is important in that people find they can relate to the items in the story. So what if the story is great but has nothing to do with its immediate environment?
Posted by Jane Abao 7/17/2007 11:26:55 PM
One reason news stories are not useable is that they do not tie up well with the readers for want of the element of proximity. Right so! Going local is important in that people find they can relate to the items in the story. So what if the story is great but has nothing to do with its immediate environment?
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