Media Tidbits

The Maven has a few tidbits of media stupidity for your Thanksgiving Day consumption.

While one would consider the morning newspaper, The Journal Gazette, a source of accurate information, one has to wonder how they could botch the name of a well-know road in southeast Allen County. 
To wit: the headline and body copy referring to "Trenman" Road, as opposed to the correct spelling of "Trentman" Road. 

The Maven wonders if the unpaid intern, who most likely created this story, was having a bad day. While one could suggest the proofreader was neglectful, remember, they fired them years ago. The third possibility is that the press release from the County Highway Department contained the misspelling. Either way, the JG missed it, and published it for us all to see. 

Now, part two:

WOWO news dutifully reports about a shooting. However, what makes this story interesting is that, according to the overly lip-glossed "journalists" at WOWO News, police are not looking for a person, but rather, a gun. Strange. Apparently WOWO is not aware of the old yarn "guns don't kill people, people kill people". 

One more:

A perfect holiday drinking game for you. It's very simple. Every time a WOWO News person utters the words "According to your partners in news, 21 Alive".....take another guzzle of Moscato. Winner hits the floor first. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dead Air Does Not Save Lives

Another severe storm, and the Federated Media cluster goes dark, poof, off the air. 
Oh, the transmitters are on the air, but with no power at the Maples Road studios, all those listeners that might be craving lifesaving 'information,' all they get to hear is dead air.  
The Maven would like to suggest:

But, since you guys are the media experts, the Maven won't dare to question where you spend your money. 

Nobody Reads That Anyway...

"It's just the web page, who give a sh*t? Nobody reads that. We're a TV station for heaven's sake...."

The Maven agrees. 

Beyond Sloppy

The Maven would bet a fine bottle of wine that the WOWO Sales Manager is extremely happy that the WOWO Newsroom does not write sales proposals for him/her.

The shopworn argument from the kids on Maples Road is that "this is radio, we write for the ear". That's fine, unless you publish your "journalism" for all the world to see. Then your readers, listeners, advertisers have no other choice than to think you are either sloppy, ignorant, or just plain foolish. The ambiguous  wordy copy, and being too lazy to capitalize words (including your 'partner in news') illustrates that WOWO News can not be taken seriously. 

What you are seeing is just one of the many pitfalls that radio managers make when they hire news directors based solely on the amount of lip gloss they wear. 

Who Said What?

The Maven is confused. While some of you may have just chuckled, I'll pose my question. 
According to this piece of "journalism", the Indiana Supreme Court has taken over press and public relations functions for the Allen Superior Court. The highest appellate court in the state is now moonlighting as a public information office? 
WOWO said so, so, it must be true. 

ANOTHER JUROR HAS BEEN DISMISSED IN THE DAVID BISA...

Another Juror Has Been Dismissed in the David Bisard Trial 
Created by kmiller on 11/4/2013 9:39:15 AM

---

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Another juror has been dismissed in the David Bisard trial. The juror was dismissed after apparently researching blood alcohol. This leaves the case with 12 jurors exactly. The case started with three alternates. According to the Indiana Supreme Court, jurors were individually questioned by the judge regarding the research. An alternate was placed on the jury. The court is now in recess.

Sloppy Media, As Usual

Media opportunists. Find a national story with a victim, exploit that story and use a local person(s) to illustrate the local impact. That's how the media works these days. 

WANE TV's story: "Food stamp cuts affecting local families" is a perfect example. Thank you to friends of the Maven for pointing out this story. 

Just one problem. The photo is NOT a local family, and WANE TV forgot about the 7 or 8 bottles of liquor/booze in the picture. 

Does WANE TV know that booze is not an eligible SNAP item? They probably don't care, because their job, as they see it, is to portray people as victims and blame others. That creates division and causes conflict, and that, they feel, increases viewers and ratings. Nicely done, WANE TV. 

It's Daylight-SAVING Time...

After seeing/hearing at least one news story on Friday about "Daylight Savings Time" and hearing one morning radio show argue about it, The Maven would like to pass this along from the AP Stylebook: 

You are welcome.