NationStates Jolt Archive


Driving me freakin' crazy...

PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:08
In college my original major was journalism. I eventually rose to become Editor In Chief of my college newspaper and did a stint as a small beat reporter for the Valley section of the Los Angeles Times. While I may not be a practicing journalist, I do feel qualified to write this:

David Lohr sucks as a journalist.

See, I like to read Crime Library while I'm sitting at work and I'm done reading the important news. Lohr writes what are billed as news stories and listed under "Latest News." Here are some snips:

The story you are about to read should serve as a reminder that abusers, like leopards, generally do not change their spots. Cheesy line? Perhaps, but the reality is all too real. Time after time, I see cases where the warning signs were there, and as in this case, there was a previous history of abuse. Nonetheless, the victims generally hold onto the belief that their partner will change and that the situation will eventually improve. They blind themselves to the obvious, and when their world comes crashing down, they are left beaten or in some cases dead. For those of you involved in such a relationship, I urge you to take something away from Mary Heather Spencer's story.

That's his lead! His lead!

What about the fucking story? It starts in paragraph two:

On Tuesday morning, the Jackson Police Department received a report of a man holding a woman at gunpoint inside a black Infiniti sedan at Highland Village. When a patrol unit arrived on the scene, he followed the car to the BP station at McWillie and Northside. The female occupant quickly exited the vehicle and approached the patrol unit, at which time the driver put a .38 caliber handgun to his head and threatened to kill himself.

God this guy sucks. Journalism 101: Tell the story in the first paragraph. Flesh out the story in the rest of the print.

Look at this:

Heather may have unknowingly listed the reason why she stayed with Bell, despite his obvious abusive nature: "Instead of seeing things the way that they are, I see them the way I want them to be." So despite the fact that Bell was an abusive jerk, Heather stayed with him, perhaps believing that he would eventually conquer his demons. Unfortunately, and I mean no disrespect by saying this, Heather was wrong. In the end, Heather's naivety may have come at the cost of her life.

Not only are his opinions in a story in which they on't belong from a news standpoint, but they're not even well written and are often expressed in the most jouvenile sense.

God this guy sucks.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0907/1301_heather_spencer.html

http://www.crimelibrary.com/graphics/photos/about/authors/lohr/small_pic2.jpg

Sorry. I just had to rant. I don't know how this guy got a job as a news reporter.
Splintered Yootopia
13-09-2007, 22:14
Awesome. That's a perfect example of how to entirely not be a decent journalist.

Make emotional appeals at random? Check
The story makes up less than about half of the content? Check
Tries to force his own opinions onto the readership, on an issue he has only the vaguest amount of knowledge of the context of? Check
Cannot think of a name
13-09-2007, 22:15
It does read like a blog entry and not a news story.

And all I did was write a snarky opinion column in college...(who didn't write a snarky opinion column in college?)
Vetalia
13-09-2007, 22:20
He actually looks sort of like Jim Cramer.
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
13-09-2007, 22:22
If his picture is any indication, I believe he too is surprised that he ended up with a job as a reporter.
Cannot think of a name
13-09-2007, 22:23
If his picture is any indication, I believe he too is surprised that he ended up with a job as a reporter.

He does have the expression that seems to indicate he just asked the question, "Really?"
PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:23
the other thing he does is he constantly writes in the first person.

I this and I that. For example:

Time after time, I see cases where the warning signs were there, and as in this case, there was a previous history of abuse.

This doesn't belong in the lead at all, but if you must then how about:

Crime statistics are rife with examples of women who have been killed after repeated episodes of abuse.

He injects himself into the story in such an obvious spam of ego.

Okay, Lohr! I understand you are a bastion of righteousness in this crime filled world! Fill me with your wisdom! I never knew women who are killed by their significant others are often abused prior to the actual murder! Only you in your capacity as a crime writer could possibly have enlightened myself and the rest of the world to that salient fact!
PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:24
If his picture is any indication, I believe he too is surprised that he ended up with a job as a reporter.

hahahahahahahahahah! I lol'd!
Khadgar
13-09-2007, 22:26
Someone with your lousy spelling was Editor in Chief?

Wow.
PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:31
Someone with your lousy spelling was Editor in Chief?

Wow.

You'd be surprised how many journalists can't spell or type very well. They don't really emphasize it much.
Smunkeeville
13-09-2007, 22:32
Someone with your lousy spelling was Editor in Chief?

Wow.

It's very Lois Lane ala Superman movies of medium olde.
Cannot think of a name
13-09-2007, 22:38
Someone with your lousy spelling was Editor in Chief?

Wow.

Spell check means we don't have to care.
PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:38
Yeah.

Bad spelling by writers is why there are copy editors.
Xiscapia
13-09-2007, 22:38
That last bit...about his opinions in the paper...I was taught not to do that in 8TH GRADE JOURNALISM! My God, this guy is so stupid!
PsychoticDan
13-09-2007, 22:39
it's like when people find out I do taxes and they are like "I couldn't do that I am not good at math"...........:p I don't do math, I remember rules, and even if I did do the math, it's only addition and subtraction and a few percentages, not exactly the "hard" stuff.

Yes. Exactly like that.
Smunkeeville
13-09-2007, 22:39
You'd be surprised how many journalists can't spell or type very well. They don't really emphasize it much.

it's like when people find out I do taxes and they are like "I couldn't do that I am not good at math"...........:p I don't do math, I remember rules, and even if I did do the math, it's only addition and subtraction and a few percentages, not exactly the "hard" stuff.