Amazing Fort Wayne Facts

The Maven never knew the Embassy Theatre was THAT old!

The Maven loves WPTA21 aka ABC21, the gift that just keeps on giving. 

What other station could take a funny story about the planet Uranus (and it's disgusting smell) and turn it into an English pronunciation lecture? 

Rather than use the common pronunciation (ur-AY-nus), which would play into the joke, the male anchor went out of his way lecture viewers about the "proper" pronunciation of the planet's name (YUR-un-us) and spoiled what could have been a fun and humorous moment. 

Proving that Uranus isn't the only thing that smells, a few minutes earlier, WPTA21 aka ABC21 was forced to "correct" a story they ran in an earlier segment. Turns out that the fellow shot by a Dekalb County Sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop in Garrett 2 weeks ago is NOT DEAD and has never been dead, as the kids on 21 reported just 30 minutes before. Indeed, the man, Joshua Mumma is in critical condition and remains in critical condition. 

Setting aside the dripping hypocrisy of lecturing the audience right after committing a glaring reporting error, one might take heart in the boastful words of WPTA21 aka ABC21's "news whisperer" that their newscasts "save lives". 

It's true! They brought Joshua Mumma back to life right before our very eyes.

Media Covering Media = Cluster Foxtrot

First, congratulations to Terra Brantley, moving from mornings to 5, 6, and 11pm anchor on WANE-TV. Well deserved. 

Those are the roses. 

Now, here's the brickbats

<heavy snark> 
"Congratulations" to the News Sentinel for screwing up a simple news story.

Please note the headline is correct, as is the body copy. But the cut line (box beneath the picture) states that Tara is the new Morning anchor.

If you can't quite read the fine print it says "Terra Brantley will become WANE-TV's new morning anchor after the departure of Heather Herron in May". 

In the Maven's opinion, the News Sentinel hasn't been the same since they took away the printing press. 

Show Me Just ONE Flaw....Vol 1

From the Maven's email: "I dare you to find just one flaw in our news reporting".

Maven asks: "just one"?

Let's see. There was the time you told me that the entire city of Indianapolis died in a fire in Tennessee

When Columbia City was building a new water park, your fuzzy math skills were on parade. (hint, you're about 300k off)

How about the time you did a story about Amtrak passenger service but showed me a picture of a Norfolk-Southern freight train.....

Was it a "medically-induced" beating?

True to form, WPTA21 fouled up Melissa's last newscast. 

How about the time that WANE-TV invented "Future News" reporting stories HOURS before they ever happened?

The WOWO kids, reinventing the English language:

The Maven recalls when WFFT put their reporter and camera in the median of Coliseum Blvd during a snowstorm....imploring viewers to "be safe".

WFFT isn't the only station to put reporters lives in peril. Check this screenshot of storm damage and their reporter-ette standing within arm's reach of a fallen power pole and arching wires:

And to wrap up this edition of "show me just one flaw" the Maven presents the "we're the media elite and you're just an ignorant viewer" award:

Meanwhile, out in "21 Country" someone might be holding their Nielsen diary and thinking "keep calm, and kiss my ass".

"Newer" Technology Bites The Journal Gazette

Check the second paragraph. Does it seem out of place, to you?

An unfortunate technical glitch? Or, as we see more and more in the electronic media, overworked "journalists" being asked to do more with less? 

The glitch did not make it into the print version of the Journal Gazette so J-G management can rest securely knowing that no one over the age of 60 will ever see the error. 

WANE -TV, Google Is Your Friend

Considering the myriad of resources available to local "journalists", one has to wonder how ignorant and careless mistakes like this happen. 

Uh, kids.....that's not the correct name of the agency. 

Here's a hint:

WANE-TV's story quotes the agency, so they either got a media release or spoke to someone to get the information. Either they didn't confirm the name of the agency, or they really don't care. 

Uh, might want to leave this one off your resume reel.....