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Al Geist wrote, " The days when Edward R. Murrow could save the country by
exposing corruption and abuse of power are long gone. . ." Sadly, I agree
with him, however, for perhaps a different reason. [Pulling out soap box,
standing on it.]
In the days of Murrow, Ernie Pile, and even Walter Cronkite, people cared
about what went on and by hearing the truth, they were moved to right
wrongs. Unfortunately, during Cronkite's tenure as a reporter and anchor,
honest politicians who were motivated by patriotism, idealism, and altruism
were replaced by the sort of politicians we have today -of both parties. As
time went by, the parents and grandparents who cared about things gave way
to children and grandchildren who became so apathetic that they would not
even vote, let alone voice their opinions. Perhaps it was because they did
not have to fight for the right to vote or because they felt that voting and
voicing opinions could change very little.
Anyway, with abject apathy comes little need for the media to be totally
truthful, objective, or comprehensive in reporting news. Besides, how much
of your local reporting is really news anyway? When was the last time your
local news reported on our troops in Afghanistan, the crisis in Darfur, or
the plight of thousands of Katrina victims who still have not received
insurance payments? When was the last time they reported on Tom Cruse, the
Da Vinci Code (book or movie), or equally as newsworthy, what to wear to the
beach for summer? [Getting down off soap box, putting it away]
David B. Dubin, PHR
Senior Curriculum Developer
Sage Software
727-579-1111 x 3356
david -dot- dubin -at- sage -dot- com
Your business in mind.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- dubin=sage -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- dubin=sage -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 12:01 PM
To: Fetzner, Bill
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Linguistic Overreaching
> Al Geist writes: <<If you
> think technical writing is frustrating, try being a beat reporter for a
> daily newspaper for six months, or worse, a freelance stringer charged
> with supplying text and photographs. Take your vow of poverty first.>>
>
> Aha. So that's why there's so much ideological distortion in the
> newspapers.
> Maybe they should pay reporters and stringers more so we'd get text and
> photographs with better balance and objectivity.
> ~ Bill
>
Most reporters are balanced and objective (except maybe those working for
Fox news); however, their work goes through a number of desks (editors)
before reaching the layout department. A lot of material gets left behind
on this journey, because each desk has a different purpose and they are
all fighting for limited space in the paper, and they all answer to the
publisher, who knows he/she needs advertising to stay afloat, especially
the smaller papers. Advertisers do more to censure what we read than any
group in the country because those advertisers are in turn controlled by
the customers of the products they are marketing. The days when Edward R.
Murrow could save the country by exposing corruption and abuse of power
are long gone....and I'm an optimist.
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