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My idea: Journa-pedia

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Pringle, Dec 18, 2006.

  1. Pringle

    Pringle Active Member

    You know what would be cool? If there was a Web site where we could database thumbnail bios of journalists, everyone from Gary Smith to Seymour Hersh to Whitlock to faceless men and women covering statehouse politics for every paper from the Indianapolis Star to the Kansas City Star to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

    I don't know about everyone else, but I'm always curious about the paths people took to get where they are, how old they are, where they went to school, etc., etc.

    Someone would have to start it, I guess.
     
  2. Lugnuts

    Lugnuts Well-Known Member

    Great idea....

    But with journalists particularly sensitive to issues of libel, what do you do about the problem of:

    "... did the baked chicken with Tom Glavine..." ?
     
  3. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    or "refers to himself as Big Sexy on message boards."

    or "was declared a fucking stud by Mizzougrad in 2005."
     
  4. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    You'd do it by member registration, not wikipedia style--if someone wanted to post his/her bio, they'd register and post it.
     
  5. Pringle

    Pringle Active Member

    No one would do it, though. For people who put ourselves out there every day, it seems we're shy about that kind of thing, as a profession.

    I think someone would have to organize it and begin with a list of like 100 heavy hitters, email them perhaps a questionairre, then fan out from there.
     
  6. leo1

    leo1 Active Member

    i'm not sure journalists would want all sources knowing their background. last thing you need is a source deciding whether to talk to you based on your resume.
     
  7. DyePack

    DyePack New Member

    Actually, one of Wenalway's goals is to do something like this, except it would be dossiers of the plagiarists and fucktards who taint this industry.

    Write stupid shit like a writer didn't take the time to proofread HER OWN STORY, yet the desk is to blame for the mistake, and your name goes into the dossier.
     
  8. I've always thought this would be a good idea, this thread just gave me the motivation.

    Here it is, a Wikipedia for sports journalists:
    http://www.pressrow.com/

    I encourage everybody to add themselves, with links to your best work in your entry. There's nothing worse than letting Google dictate the stories people see when they search your name.

    PM me if you have any questions on how to edit it.
     
  9. Pringle

    Pringle Active Member

    Cool. Can we start ones for other people? I don't think people will add themselves - we're a funny bunch like that - at least not until it seems socially acceptable to do so. But the big names ought to begin to be represented with said links to stories.

    Nice work.
     
  10. Mystery_Meat

    Mystery_Meat Guest

    Journa-pedia sounds like the result of middle-aged high school writers who give in to their long-repressed girls soccer fantasies.
     
  11. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    Good. Freaking. Lord. The site currently lists such big names as Mitch Albom, Mike Lupica, Frank Deford, Grantland Rice, W.C. Heinz and the biggest of them all ...

    Given the misspellings, I think we all know who wrote this particular entry.
     
  12. Absolutely. I think its easier to add somebody else, then adding yourself. I think it might be a good idea to do sports section rosters, listing who covers each beat, eventually linking each writer to a bio.
     
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