How beloved are they?

[dixiehack]

Apparently the latest headline that the almighty journalism algorithms either tell people to write or write themselves via AI is to call businesses that shut down multiple locations as “beloved” or “popular.” Well if they are so beloved how come they can’t keep stores in business?

There used to be some art in writing headlines. But it has been slop for some time now, even before anyone heard of ChatGPT. And if one outlet hits on something that drives extra clicks then seemingly the whole world is on it immediately and then it becomes a feedback loop.

Just needed to rant. One more thing I hate about life now.

 

[Slacker]

"tranche" ... Make It Stop.

 

[rtse11]

There was a colleague of mine, many years ago, who absolutely refused to use the word "said", as in "We played our best game of the season," said Coach Slipdick. The winning coach always "beamed" and the losing coach always "lamented". And later on, they both "opined". Drove me nuts.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

That **** deserves the electric chair.

For the writer and every editor who didn't swat that **** right down.

 

[MisterCreosote]

When I ran a city desk, I was tempted to ban adjectives altogether.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

This may or may not be semi-related, but feels similar to the people on social media and in the comments who **** and moan about a business closing after it was for sale and no one wanted to buy it, or a piece of land near them gets bought and a car wash or drive-through coffee shop is the intended purpose.

Well ****er, if it's that important to you, write the check yourself then. Don't get your panties in a bunch because "somebody else should have done it."

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and decide how others should spend their money. If you don't want any skin in the game, STFU.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Apparently the latest headline that the almighty journalism algorithms either tell people to write or write themselves via AI is to call businesses that shut down multiple locations as “beloved” or “popular.” Well if they are so beloved how come they can’t keep stores in business?

There used to be some art in writing headlines. But it has been slop for some time now, even before anyone heard of ChatGPT. And if one outlet hits on something that drives extra clicks then seemingly the whole world is on it immediately and then it becomes a feedback loop.

Just needed to rant. One more thing I hate about life now.

Beloved SJ poster shares major life update

 

[FileNotFound]

This may or may not be semi-related, but feels similar to the people on social media and in the comments who **** and moan about a business closing after it was for sale and no one wanted to buy it, or a piece of land near them gets bought and a car wash or drive-through coffee shop is the intended purpose.

Well ****er, if it's that important to you, write the check yourself then. Don't get your panties in a bunch because "somebody else should have done it."

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and decide how others should spend their money. If you don't want any skin in the game, STFU.

In a similar vein, people who complain about historic buildings being razed for parking lots who also complain about never being able to find any parking.

 

[MTM]

This may or may not be semi-related, but feels similar to the people on social media and in the comments who **** and moan about a business closing after it was for sale and no one wanted to buy it, or a piece of land near them gets bought and a car wash or drive-through coffee shop is the intended purpose.

Well ****er, if it's that important to you, write the check yourself then. Don't get your panties in a bunch because "somebody else should have done it."

It's easy to sit on the sidelines and decide how others should spend their money. If you don't want any skin in the game, STFU.

Same with the comment "I haven't been there in years, but I loved that place."
If you loved it so much, why didn't you support them with your business?

 

[rtse11]

That **** deserves the electric chair.

For the writer and every editor who didn't swat that **** right down.

When I was elevated to editor in the late '90s, we had writers still using gridders, cagers, thinclads and grapplers. I still have the memo someplace that read, essentially, "the '50s would like it's cliches back."

 

[MTM]

When I was elevated to editor in the late '90s, we had writers still using gridders, cagers, thinclads and grapplers. I still have the memo someplace that read, essentially, "the '50s would like it's cliches back."

When I was a rookie reporter in the mid 80s, I covered a JC baseball game where there were a lot of home runs hit. Thinking I was clever I used dinger, round tripper, bomb, all of the cliches. My editor told me "just use home run," and I have ever since.

 

[Slacker]

Hate the term "he connected again in the seventh" (for an additional HR).
Just say "he homered again in the seventh," like people actually talk.

 

[MileHigh]

In a similar vein, people who complain about historic buildings being razed for parking lots who also complain about never being able to find any parking.

The pearl-clutching "preservationists" drive me crazy. The building is condemned. It's OK to raze it.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

I'll go with a "lingo" term in the other direction.

Had a former SE who would go ballistic at the use of "walk-off"

"It's a made-up, fabricated term!!!!!!!!"

Sorry, hack, so is grand slam, pick-6, home run, hat trick, etc.

Quite the hill to die on.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

There was a colleague of mine, many years ago, who absolutely refused to use the word "said", as in "We played our best game of the season," said Coach Slipdick. The winning coach always "beamed" and the losing coach always "lamented". And later on, they both "opined". Drove me nuts.

At one community paper, they wanted us to use stuff from the so-called high school journalism class.

The number of times they tried to use "stated" or "declared" instead of "said" when quoting someone would drive any desker, editor or anyone else who has spent more than a minute in a newsroom around the bend. They even tried "sincerely stated" ... as opposed to using sarcasm, I suppose?

I replaced every one of them with "said." Hope they got the message.

 

[rtse11]

At one community paper, they wanted us to use stuff from the so-called high school journalism class.

The number of times they tried to use "stated" or "declared" instead of "said" when quoting someone would drive any desker, editor or anyone else who has spent more than a minute in a newsroom around the bend. They even tried "sincerely stated" ... as opposed to using sarcasm, I suppose?

I replaced every one of them with "said." Hope they got the message.

I used a freelancer who would write this:
Coach Jones was happy with how his team played defensively.
"I was really happy with our defense," said Jones.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I used a freelancer who would write this:
Coach Jones was happy with how his team played defensively.
"I was really happy with our defense," said Jones.

"Oh you won't disturb me. I'll be in my room masturbating."
(They won't disturb me. I'll be masturbating.)

 

[Batman]

There was a colleague of mine, many years ago, who absolutely refused to use the word "said", as in "We played our best game of the season," said Coach Slipdick. The winning coach always "beamed" and the losing coach always "lamented". And later on, they both "opined". Drove me nuts.

I'll confess to using "laughed" once in a while to either convey emotion or clarify that something is said tongue in cheek. It's just a bit less wordy than "said with a laugh."
But I agree it should be done sparingly.

 

[Dog8Cats]

I am confident that I can set a reasonably strong betting line on whether the first direct quote in a piece of content will have "so-and-so explained," just from the tone and topic of the article.

I did some freelance work for an editor several years ago, and she was nice enough on one piece to run her suggestions by me before publication. The biggest thing I didn't like was that she changed "he said" to "he explained." She was nice enough to change it back.

 

[I Should Coco]

At one community paper, they wanted us to use stuff from the so-called high school journalism class.

The number of times they tried to use "stated" or "declared" instead of "said" when quoting someone would drive any desker, editor or anyone else who has spent more than a minute in a newsroom around the bend. They even tried "sincerely stated" ... as opposed to using sarcasm, I suppose?

I replaced every one of them with "said." Hope they got the message.

I still work in the business and deal with this all the time. I will occasionally allow "added" when a quote is broken up into a paragraph or two:

"Reporters need to stop using smiled, beamed, joked or laughed when they attribute quotes," I Should Coco said.

"Those who continue to do so will be sent to drown in the Lake of Fail," he added.