Generally in the media, there is a saying: "When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news."
On my Yahoo home page today, in the Local News section, one of the headlines read, "Authorities: No Plane Crash In Bay." It was attributed to the Pensacola News Journal, what we call the local mullet wrapper. A plane didn't crash? Well you know, I had to click on THAT story! It read:
Emergency personnel checked out a report of plane down in Pensacola Bay this afternoon, but the report turned out to be erroneous.
The supposed downed aircraft was actually a boat, authorities said.
I see. A boat, not a plane.
What's next, PNJ, a report saying that no cars crashed on I-10 today? That nobody drowned at Pensacola Beach? Somebody ought to tell the editors at the Pensacola News Journal that it's only a news story if a plane DOES crash. When a plane doesn't crash IT'S NOT NEWS!
From reading the Comments section, one gets the impression that the PNJ might have printed a blurb about a possible plane crash based on bogus information, which would explain the "man didn't bite dog" retraction.
Woodward and Bernstein would be so proud.
These days, there is a huge rush to GET THE NEWS OUT!! It's like each media outlet feels that they get extra points for breaking stories before anyone else. We viewers/readers are left unimpressed. We really don't care who gets it first. What we care about is getting it accurate. And news organizations look pretty stupid when they rush "Breaking News!" to us that turns out to be...well...nothing.
Oh, and if you think I'm joking, read it HERE.
Who Am I?
- Bob Barbanes:
- A nobody; a nitwit; a pilot; a motorcyclist; a raconteur; a lover...of life - who loves to laugh, who tries to not take myself (or anything) too seriously...just a normal guy who knows his place in the universe by being in touch with my spiritual side. What more is there?
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