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"said in an interview"

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by e4, Jul 26, 2007.

  1. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Typically, I vote for "said." period.

    Not "in an interview."
    Not "in a phone interview"
    Not "at his weekly press luncheon"
    Not "said in a conference all"

    "said Thursday at ACC media days" is fine with me, provided you haven't already mentioned the fact that it is Thursday and you are at ACC media days.

    I might also make an exception for "said in a phone interview" if it's important to the story. If you're writing about an NBA GM spanning the globe for talent, "said Monday in a phone interview from Zimbabwe" makes sense.

    But if it's something more day-to-day and run-of-the-mill, nobody cares how you got the interview.
     
  2. imjustagirl2

    imjustagirl2 New Member

    My paper does. So maybe generalizations aren't your best friend.
     
  3. hockeybeat

    hockeybeat Guest

    Generally, I use said.

    Unless it's in an e-mail interview. Then, I use, "said in an e-mail" or "told the Daily Fishwrap in an e-mail."
     
  4. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Yeah, I think that would be another exception for me. Although it really doesn't come up much for me.
     
  5. Eagleboy

    Eagleboy Guest

    Something I see a lot recently that's starting to grate on me is "He went to the store," Michaels told a reporter, or "I can't see through these things," Wallace joked to a reporter.

    Really, because we need to insert ourselves into that story? And if it's not us who they're talking to and actually another reporter, then why aren't you getting that information yourself?
     
  6. Out comes the whole quote, or just the "told the Podunk Press" part? I'd take the whole quote out if it's not, to use your word, dynamite. Why lift a shitty quote just to have one?
     
  7. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    I only use the words "said in a . . . " if it's coming off a press release.

    We do a little local briefs column on the inside and a local kid signed with a pretty small university and the coach e-mailed a press release with his take on the kid. So I used: "Smith will have a chance to start this year at the forward spot. He's fast, skilled, blah blah blah," said coach Brown in a release.
     
  8. As annoying as that is, I hate "told a visitor" even more. You know damn well the "visitor" is the "reporter."

    I've always interpreted "told a reporter" as "said as an aside to me personally." It's kind of nuanced -- as if the person was talking to other people and leaned over and said something to the reporter.
     
  9. EE94

    EE94 Guest

    It's the same redundancy as "road trip"
     
  10. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    I would usually only write something like that if it were essential to the story, for instance, someone who doesn't talk to the media decides to make an exception with YOU and only YOU. Then you can say you have an exclusive interview.

    But just "said in an interview"? Uh, isn't that what we DO as journalists? Maybe I missed something because I didn't go to j-school...
     
  11. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    "Said in an interview" is a very common phrase for people doing stories on journal articles, or studies, or anything where the news is driven by some sort of written report. You need it to delineate between what the author wrote, and what the author told you. Usually in the story, the first reference is to what the author wrote, which is why you need to note any quotes that come from an interview.
     
  12. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I'm saying, for example, if Joe Paterno told you alone that he was announcing his retirement tomorrow. I'd say it's OK to say he told the Podunk Press.

    If Joe Paterno told you alone that he is considering redshirting the former star Podunk QB, it'd leave out the told the Podunk Press part.
     
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