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Self-loathing Journalists

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by The Life, Feb 4, 2009.

  1. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    I fucked up the spelling of a city in a headline last week. Two years ago, I'd have cared. A lot. Now? Not so much. Shit happens — especially when I and only one other (non-sports person to the nth degree) employee read the page because we're so grossly understaffed.
     
  2. DirtyDeeds

    DirtyDeeds Guest

    I really hate to say it, but I'm to the point I agree with Pete. No offense, Pete. But with our continuously dwindling staff, I just do the best I can and move on. I used to lose sleep over the smallest things, but not anymore. Of course, if I have a busted hed or something, I'll be pissed, but I'm not going to dwell on it unless it starts happening regularly.
     
  3. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    Amending my earlier statement, I'd agree with Pete and Deeds about the small things when you're understaffed and stretched to the max.
     
  4. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    I'm pretty sure she only spelled it wrong once, and has been stuck with it ever since.
     
  5. J-School Blue

    J-School Blue Member

    The thing that scares me the most about how the online movement is being carried out in most newsrooms is the absolute erosion of copy editing. And whenever I'd bring up that I was uncomfortable posting my own stuff straight to the web without even another pair of eyes on it after I'd rabbited it out, I always felt my concerns were dismissed. Or I was told it was on me to get it right the first time (which...yeah, I agree the ultimate responsibility for screw-ups rests with the reporter. But by that logic, why have we had editors and copy desks since time began?)

    In any case, I wouldn't call it self-loathing but your own should definitely bother you if you are about doing quality work of any sort. I wasn't a serial screw-up, but there were plenty of times the copy desk absolutely saved my ass. I think any reporter who's written on deadline has had that experience.
     
  6. zebracoy

    zebracoy Guest

    How about when you make a minor error and are belittled about it to your face because it's your editor's pride and joy?

    At least its you being overly hard on yourself than someone else.
     
  7. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    W-A-D-E

    How fucking hard is that?
     
  8. it is deeply, deeply disturbing
     
  9. Sneed

    Sneed Guest

    Mistakes happen. I've had plenty in my young career caught just before press time (and even the unfortunate few not caught).

    But hey, if you want some serious consolation, even the great W.C. Heinz made typos. I just bought his book What A Time It Was and found two in one column.

    Don't ever lose all that edge, all that dismay you feel at mistakes, however. They'll happen, but they should never be OK.
     
  10. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    You mean newsrooms that let reporters post their own stuff online? I hate it when my mistakes get through and you definitely need a different pair of eyes looking at things.

    Of course when errors such as the "Beets Tuesday won" get through regularly, you just have to let things go because you can't change anything if the boss okays the errors.
     
  11. DirtyDeeds

    DirtyDeeds Guest

    Yes, it's the agonizing over the little things that make the best people as good as they are. I still worry a lot while I'm doing it, but once it's done, it's done and I let it go.
     
  12. SportsDude

    SportsDude Active Member

    Heh, did that one myself last week in a cutline. The new-fangled crazy spellings of first names is not one of my favorite fads.
     
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