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According to a person ...

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Bristol Whipped, May 28, 2013.

  1. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    Since we're buried in semantics for this entire argument, is what reformedhack wrote really the same thing as what I wrote? "Told them" has a different connotative meaning than "said." "Said" would be better if he spoke in front of the entire team, while "told them" would be better if he was speaking specifically to the people you interviewed.

    Either way, the day "according to" is the biggest issue in a story I edit will be the day I fire myself as an editor because it's not worth the expense.
     
  2. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    Or be like the NY Post and every time they interview someone, write "told the Post" like every mundane conversation is an exclusive.
     
  3. Fran Curci

    Fran Curci Well-Known Member

    To specify that someone "wrote in an email" could add credibility and should be used to indicate that the reporter didn't speak to the source directly. It's more honest this way. Similarly, it's preferable to say that Officer Sipowicz "wrote in his report" that John Doe "appeared to be intoxicated." The specificity makes the story more accurate.
     
  4. mediaguy

    mediaguy Well-Known Member

    Just say "said." It's OK if it's in your story more than once. I roll my eyes when I see an "exclaimed."
     
  5. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    If you are quoting a report, press release or some other generic document, I see the value. "Coach so-and-so will not be retained," Athletic Director Joe Dickhead said in a statement. That tells me where the quote came from, that it was mass distribution and that, in all likelihood, the reporter did not have the chance to ask questions directly. I understand that. Sometimes that is all you have to go on.

    To me, an email is not radically different than a phone conversation or face-to-face conversation in terms of content. Granted, communicating with a source via email or twitter is sort of new twist to the game and maybe AP should establish some sort of standard stylebook guidelines for this.
     
  6. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    I'm sure it doesn't bother most people, but to me "said in a statement" is silly. Is that like "wrote in a writing"? Pretty much everything someone says is a statement.

    I usually change to "said in a statement released by the university" or "said in a university news release" or something like that, but I'm certain I'm in the minority. I suppose I'm a little too sensitive about how things sound, but sometimes I wonder if we ever take the time to listen to what we're saying (in a statement). Or writing (in a writing).

    Said in a statement. Hee hee. :D
     
  7. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    I prefer "said in a news release." That's how I write it. I often leave it as "said in a statement" when someone else writes it.
     
  8. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    That works. I'm versatile.
     
  9. mediaguy

    mediaguy Well-Known Member

    Johnny, "said in a statement" is a CYA deal. It's "I didn't get this quote myself but here it is." I think that's an important delineation to make.
     
  10. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    We agree on the spirit of it, the reason for it. We disagree on how to execute it, apparently. *




    * But I think if you read my post again, you may see I never disagreed about it being important to make the distinction between a quote you got yourself and a quote buffed and polished and massaged by five people in the organization releasing the statement. I just prefer wording it differently than "said in a statement."
     
  11. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    It makes a substantial difference if you're quoting an email or text or tweet -- anything that shows up simply as printed words on a screen with no visible (or audible) connection to the author. Because the truth is, you have no idea who is typing those words on the other end, no matter whose email address or Twitter account or phone number it's coming from.

    For example, my kids have at times gotten hold of my phone and texted stupid stuff just to be silly. Would it be accurate to quote me as saying that? Isn't it more accurate (and safer) to note that it was said in a text (or email or tweet or Facebook message or whatever)?

    I agree that it is less imperative to cite a quote as being from a phone interview -- I don't do it all the time, either -- but I'd think it would still be preferred for the same reason -- less contact with the person being quoted (maybe you don't always recognize the voice).

    There are also other, more nitpicky, reasons for noting an interview was done on the phone. For example, the dateline of a story is supposed to tell the reader where the information was gathered. That wouldn't be accurate if you quote someone you talked to by telephone in another city. Of course, most readers won't care one bit about that (I said it was nitpicky), but there you go.
     
  12. Worked with a guy that used "said with a smile" in almost every feature he wrote.
     
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