In what has been deemed the most awkwardly-presented news story of the week, WPTA 21 give us a textbook example.
This week's gem: An awkward graphic, and awkward headline and awkward copy.
Here's a larger look at the picture....
All the electronic graphic doo-dads that WPTA supposedly has at their disposal, and this looks like Mrs. Brown's third grade finger-painting class could have done a better job.
Lip gloss overload in the WOWO news room.....
If you can spot the error, you're smarter than the kids in the WOWO news room.
Really. Which HOUSE do the kids at WPTA mean?
The US House of Representatives?
The Indiana House of Representatives?
The House at the end of the street?
Maybe, Doctor House?
Read the story, and see if you can tell.
Which SENATE?
OK, they didn't make it up, they just took some liberties with Indiana law....
Indiana does not have a statue against driving "high". Indiana does, however, have statues against driving while intoxicated and/or driving while impaired.
So, rather than "confuse" their audience with legal jargon, WPTA merely changed some words around. This, to make their news story more "relate-able" to their ignorant Indiana audience by adding "street" jargon, everyday words, conversational writing. What's the harm, it's only silly legal words?
What's the harm? First, WPTA, technically, is lying to their audience. The woman was not charged with driving while high. Second, WPTA further damages their already shaky credibility with their audience by assuming they are ignorant and foolish and need to be spoon-fed information so as not to confuse them. And further, if WPTA will cut corners like this, what's to prevent them from playing fast and loose with other "facts" that they don't think their audience will grasp or embrace.
The Maven recalls it was WPTA who published this gem a few years ago, noting with near astonishment that the jury verdict was unanimous. Apparently it was news to them......that a verdict in a criminal case required a unanimous verdict. Who knew?
The News Sentinel gets the story correct, and does not insult their readers.
Here's the link:
http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/Woman-charged-for-hitting--injuring-pedestrian-in-December-at-Walmart
February 9 is National Pizza day, and the kids in the WOWO news room celebrate it by pulling a national story that mentions national chains and totally igonres Fort Wayne's hometown pizza restaurants. No, they're not being mean, just lazy. Cut and paste......
When is a street a road? When it's a drive.
Fort Wayne media has a well-earned reputation for bamboozling their audience when it comes to street names, addresses, and directions. A confused WOWO newsy continues to tell listeners that Wayne and Berry intersect on the east side of downtown.....and WANE TV seems to have a penchant for calling any paved thoroughfare a road.......
The kids in the WOWO news room seem to have trouble understanding this. People are charged WITH a crime. They are not charged FOR a crime.
The kids don't do much better in the second paragraph, mentioning the suspect is wanted in connection TO the shooting, instead of wanted in connection WITH the shooting.
Oh, while we all understand that vertical cellphone pictures don't fit the template provided, the effect used to fill that space looks like baby poop. Just center the photo and move on....
The story is accurate, which is a marked improvement for the WOWO kids.
Still, too much lip gloss ruins the day.
