Journalism Students: Don't Do This

I'm sure Miss Belding enjoyed her "date" with the big-time reporter at the Monroe News at the County Fixins Restaurant.

 

Even if it's a going-away party for a family member who's moving halfway across the country?

 

Seriously?

 

Shit. I read that completely different than you did. Completely glossed over the word "fabricated."

 

There are at least two dudes in this photo.

 

If it's an important family function like that, you don't make shit up. You ask your editor for the time off. If he's any sort of decent human being, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Or, if you're really on good enough terms with the coach to attempt these shenanigans, you ought to be on good enough terms to do a detailed phoner. Have the coach call you ASAP after the game, get some quotes, stats and pertinent details then, and bang out a generic 15-inch gamer from home. Since he's obviously mailing in the story anyway, it wouldn't be any worse from a quality standpoint and would be a bazillion times more ethical.

 

Let's play Rank That Sin. My order:

1) Writing a column bragging to your readers about abusing their trust.
2) Asking a source to give you quotes about an event that hasn't occurred yet.
3) Asking a source to do something in a game to make a story you're writing about it better.
4) Dating a source, though this would be one spot higher if the source was more vital.
5) Recreating quotes you didn't memorize because you lost your notebook.
6) Reporting what someone said on the record even though they asked you afterward not to.

 

It's one thing to do those things... It's stupid - beyond stupid is as stupid does - to discuss it.
IN PRINT!

Wonder how much longer this guys keeps his job?

 

I started reading the column a couple days ago and stopped pretty quickly.

My immediate thought was he's making a fool of himself. Again. (I've dealt with him before)

The Monroe Evening News presents itself as a small-town, backwater paper. Everything is perfect in Monroe County. It is such a great place. (ignoring the fact it has as many methheads as anywhere else). I seriously doubt he'll be fired or disciplined.

 

Hey, it's not like he promised a guy a spot on an all-area team if he got him a date with his sister, as one former co-worker of ours did...

 

If the sister was at least an 8, I guess it's OK.

 

There are people who have never done any of these things, and have been fired.

He should be terminated, particularly given his approach, reasons and attitude.

And, Evil's point is very true, and makes it more likely that the guy will be fired.