6.8.04
On the Importance of Copy Editors
Apropos of this column (and this item) by King Kaufman, the WaPo.com front page shows just how important copy editors are:
Short semi-related convention anecdote - one of the Run Against Bush founders is at one of our parties, and gets asked about the organization by another young woman. She starts talking, giving the schpiel, talking about how all the cute guys are Democrats, etc., and then the woman in the middle of this pulls out a tape recorder.
Run Against Bush says, what are you doing with that tape recorder? Young woman says, oh, I just want to make sure I remember all these quotes for the story. Run Against Bush says, don't use anything I said before you made it clear you were a reporter.
Can ya guess how this story ends? (Hint: it's with the reporter using what she said before she made it clear she was a reporter).
Seriously kids, I had more scruples than the mainstream media when I was editing a freakin' college weekly newspaper.
Neglected Market's High EndWow. That is an expensive house. Click to the article, and it makes more sense:
$930M Tudor house shows how upscale mortgages used in affordable housing goals.
The $930,000 Tudor house Jeffrey and Lisa Stegman bought on nearly two acres in Cincinnati in 2001 probably isn't what lawmakers had in mind when they ordered government-sponsored housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help disadvantaged home buyers.Ah yes. 930,000, as opposed to 930,000,000. What's three zeroes, or a K or M, between friends?
Short semi-related convention anecdote - one of the Run Against Bush founders is at one of our parties, and gets asked about the organization by another young woman. She starts talking, giving the schpiel, talking about how all the cute guys are Democrats, etc., and then the woman in the middle of this pulls out a tape recorder.
Run Against Bush says, what are you doing with that tape recorder? Young woman says, oh, I just want to make sure I remember all these quotes for the story. Run Against Bush says, don't use anything I said before you made it clear you were a reporter.
Can ya guess how this story ends? (Hint: it's with the reporter using what she said before she made it clear she was a reporter).
Seriously kids, I had more scruples than the mainstream media when I was editing a freakin' college weekly newspaper.
perma-linky posted by jkd : 14:32
