What's Going On In North Manchester?

WFFT news may have given us more information than the authorities had wanted.

The second sentence may be hard to read on mobile devices, so here it is in large format:

"Sheriff Ryan Baker tells Fox 55 the driver of the helicopter was flown to Parkview hospital by a good samaritan"

This WFFT news story first appeared to show confusion about Parkview's Samaritan helicopter, but now that story seems to indicate that a "good Samaritan" (not identified) transported the victim to a Fort Wayne hospital in a helicopter (also not identified). 

Media coverage of this situation show conspicuous lack of details and conflicting information from "authorities". 

WPTA's story says "The pilot sustained critical injuries and was taken to a local hospital", but does not identify the hospital or the mode of transportation that took the victim to the unidentified hospital.

FWNBC's story says "Baker said the emergency crews flew the pilot to Parkview Hospital to be treated", but does not identify the emergency crews used, the agency that "flew" the victim, or who operated the aircraft.

WANE-15's story says "...local officials in Wabash County about the situation. They said they could not provide any information about the crash or the condition of the pilot involved in the crash." The Maven wonders why "local officials" are refusing to release information to WANE-15.

Whatever is going on North Manchester/Wabash county, the Maven hopes someone in media will be more open and transparent than "local authorities". 

Why Are You So Mad?

Something good happened. A compassionate community resource was used that perhaps saved a life. That's something to be celebrated and we should all feel good...

But why does local TV feel that every story has to be reported with the same energy, drive, writing, and stern-faced anchor the way one would report a plane crash, a multi-fatality car wreck, or a building blowing up? 

Why is this anchor-ette so angry-sounding and pissed off?

She wraps her report imploring us to "stay with ABC21 for the latest on this developing information"...whatever the hell that means...

You can find the story here:  

https://wpta21.com/2020/02/19/report-baby-surrendered-inside-new-haven-fire-dept-baby-box/

Timely Reminder For Media Friends

It's that time again. Time for local media to bamboozle and confuse. 

Daylight Saving Time happens on Sunday, March 8. 

So, for the confused news-reader on WPTA ABC21 and your media colleagues: it's not Daylight Savings Time. 

WANE-15's Dirk Rowley graciously reminds us that according to the current AP Stylebook, Daylight-saving time is no longer hyphenated. 

Thanks also for letting us know that at least one person in local TV has a copy and reads it. 

TV Weather Math

Those bright, highly-educated friendly faces on the TV said it would be the biggest snow fall of the season. 

Except, it wasn't, and the results are in.

Was it hype? Was it incompetence? Was it a sales/promotion gimmick? Was there not enough panic buying?

What they said would happen:

What actually happened:

By the numbers:

When In Doubt...Go LOCAL

Snow is coming Wednesday night into Thursday. We live in the Midwest, those things happen.

Along with the possibility of measurable snow, a certain segment of the population takes exquisite joy in trying to panic non-snow lovers with exaggerated claims of how much snow is coming. This has been going on for as long as anyone can remember. 

A recently new phenomenon, thanks to the internet, is the rise of Internet Weather experts who publish their questionable forecasts on Facebook and or blogs. Many of these are from out-of-state, many may also be off-shore. Most, if not all, are not trained meteorologists but only possess the skill to cut and paste weather graphics designed to alarm and panic. Accuracy is not their strong suit, causing panic and creating internet clicks is.  

While the Maven may sometimes ridicule or poke them, the Maven contends that our local TV weather people remain the best, most credible and accurate sources for local weather. 

The threat of severe weather is serious business. If you want to forward weather information to friends and family, use a reliable source, not Fred's Eyeball Weather and Discount CBD Oil Emporium. 

Of course, if you want to make things up to panic your friends, then get off your lazy ass and do it yourself. Make your own pretty maps and not just forward fake weather pages made up by unemployed losers living in their parent's basement and surfing free porn in their off-hours.

Fort Wayne's NBC Fixes Their Fumble

UPDATE: Fort Wayne's NBC, AKA WPTA 21.2 fixed their weekend error:

Of course, the real question is why no one caught this mistake? Why doesn't anyone at the other station in WPTA's building seem to read their own work? 

Original Post:

The Maven abandoned the thought that reporters/writers would check their work before publishing it. So, all that's left is to blame the technology for making them appear as illiterate idiots.

Notice anything amiss in the headline? (Historic comeback, perhaps?)

The real shame isn't really the error. The real shame is that even if it's brought to their attention, the story is never corrected. 

Such is the state of TV sports journalism today. Wait, isn't "sports journalism" like "jumbo shrimp", an oxymoron?

Find the story here:

https://fortwaynesnbc.com/2020/02/01/a-tale-of-two-halves-mad-ants-comeback-to-beat-charge/