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APSE winner: Haven't I read this before?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Hack, Apr 7, 2008.

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  1. Monroe Stahr

    Monroe Stahr Member

    Re: APSE winner: Havent' I read this before?

    Too bad Chappelle doesn't still have a show. He could do spoof about APSE idiocy -- "When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong."
     
    Monroe Stahr, Apr 7, 2008
    #13
  2. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Re: APSE winner: Havent' I read this before?

    Earlier in my career, the SE and a key writer were on vacation the same week. Another writer did a very good feature in their absence.

    SE came back and noted that, while it was a good story, the writer on vacation had done pretty much the same story two years earlier. Someone, he noted, should have remembered.

    When he was done with his mild scolding, he said, "At least we're recycling good stories. The original took first in the state contest."

    So did the repeat, which led the boss to say, "We need to write this one every summer and we'll never get shut out."
     
    Moderator1, Apr 7, 2008
    #14
  3. Monroe Stahr

    Monroe Stahr Member

    You know what bothers me about it as much as anything, M1? The attitude by some in our business that the readers will be too dumb to notice. The attitude that we can just keep on shoveling them the same shit. If there's one thing declining circulation figures shout -- loudly -- it's that readers are damn tired of the shit they're being shoveled.
     
    Monroe Stahr, Apr 7, 2008
    #15
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Agreed.
     
    Moderator1, Apr 7, 2008
    #16
  5. Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!

    Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! Well-Known Member

    Whitlock was interviewed a while back and I thought he made a dead-solid point in regards to Pulitzers and APSE Awards.
    The awards are always given to papers who covered a tragedy - albeit well, but a tragedy. The Va. Tech massace, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, Todfay, I don't think there's a chance in hell "Death of a Racehorse" would even be considered for an award.

    As has been pointed out before: If you aren't writing about terminal cancer patient, a one-legged Olympian hurdler or a displaced athlete who overcame all odds forget about it.

    In addition to being a good writer, you have to be fortunate (excuse the phrase) enough to have a tragedy/catastrophe happen on your beat.
     
    Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!, Apr 7, 2008
    #17
  6. thegrifter

    thegrifter Member

    i wonder if you can submit almost EXACTLY the same story for the writing contest, as long as you add one or two new quotes? just has me wondering what else can slip by the judges.
    and as someone who attended the judging, some people just cared more about what they were doing. i remember people in one group talking about how they DID look up what won last year and maybe even the year before.
    obviously that wasn't the case for this group.
     
    thegrifter, Apr 7, 2008
    #18
  7. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Seems to me Albom wrote the same Dreams Deferred story every year, only the names changed
     
    slappy4428, Apr 7, 2008
    #19
  8. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    So you hate Mitch, too?
     
    Moderator1, Apr 7, 2008
    #20
  9. Hack

    Hack New Member

    Look up the nexis version of the P-P story and compare it to the Post's. It is essentially 90 percent the same. It's just offensive, really, that the judges would whiff so badly.
     
    Hack, Apr 7, 2008
    #21
  10. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    Maybe you'll do better than first runner-up next year, Hack
     
    dooley_womack1, Apr 7, 2008
    #22
  11. Hack

    Hack New Member

    Maybe you'll read all the entries before you vote next year, dooley.
     
    Hack, Apr 7, 2008
    #23
  12. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    Whenever I advance past the agate desk, I'll worry about getting a vote.
     
    dooley_womack1, Apr 7, 2008
    #24
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