Comments on: Electoral registration: is the problem with young people or with journalism? http://www.libdemvoice.org/electoral-registration-is-the-problem-with-young-people-or-with-journalism-18197.html Our place to talk - an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:55:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: raggieroo http://www.libdemvoice.org/electoral-registration-is-the-problem-with-young-people-or-with-journalism-18197.html#comment-109488 raggieroo Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:46:25 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=18197#comment-109488 Oh, I agree. I am explaining rather than excusing it! I remember a case at the local paper I work on where a press release from the council about council tax figures for the next year nearly got through unquestioned. Basically, it was spun to imply that the rise was much smaller than it was. I'm a sub and one of my colleagues had already placed the virtually verbatim 'article' on the page before anyone questioned it. Luckily one of the journalists was on-the-ball enough to point out that this wasn't the story we should be publishing and it was pulled and replaced with something much more accurate. I'm sure this is common throughout the industry and will not always be picked up on. This is poor practice, but I'd argue it's a funding issue. Most journalists are passionate about what they do and strive to be conscientious (there are obviously exceptions but, in my experience, that's why people get into the profession). But increasingly they don't have time to do their jobs properly. In addition, editors and owners are having to focus more on the books and less on the papers. They're more worried about the shareholders than the readers and the content is bound to suffer. The internet has knocked journalism for six. I just hope someone comes up with a way to make it profitable in a way the public will accept. Otherwise I think our democracy will suffer in a big way. p.s. Sorry for the essay - it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately, for obvious reasons! Oh, I agree. I am explaining rather than excusing it!

I remember a case at the local paper I work on where a press release from the council about council tax figures for the next year nearly got through unquestioned. Basically, it was spun to imply that the rise was much smaller than it was. I’m a sub and one of my colleagues had already placed the virtually verbatim ‘article’ on the page before anyone questioned it. Luckily one of the journalists was on-the-ball enough to point out that this wasn’t the story we should be publishing and it was pulled and replaced with something much more accurate. I’m sure this is common throughout the industry and will not always be picked up on.

This is poor practice, but I’d argue it’s a funding issue. Most journalists are passionate about what they do and strive to be conscientious (there are obviously exceptions but, in my experience, that’s why people get into the profession). But increasingly they don’t have time to do their jobs properly. In addition, editors and owners are having to focus more on the books and less on the papers. They’re more worried about the shareholders than the readers and the content is bound to suffer.

The internet has knocked journalism for six. I just hope someone comes up with a way to make it profitable in a way the public will accept. Otherwise I think our democracy will suffer in a big way.

p.s. Sorry for the essay – it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, for obvious reasons!

]]> By: Mark Pack http://www.libdemvoice.org/electoral-registration-is-the-problem-with-young-people-or-with-journalism-18197.html#comment-109475 Mark Pack Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:08:57 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=18197#comment-109475 Raggieroo: I certainly have sympathy with some over-worked journalists who aren't given the time to check stories in detail (hence my use of "journalism" rather than "journalists" in the headline). But unfortunately whether it's for good reasons or bad, the news reports that are generated are still wrong. Raggieroo: I certainly have sympathy with some over-worked journalists who aren’t given the time to check stories in detail (hence my use of “journalism” rather than “journalists” in the headline). But unfortunately whether it’s for good reasons or bad, the news reports that are generated are still wrong.

]]> By: raggieroo http://www.libdemvoice.org/electoral-registration-is-the-problem-with-young-people-or-with-journalism-18197.html#comment-109473 raggieroo Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:51:52 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=18197#comment-109473 We all know print journalism is struggling financially, not to mention the increasing pressure on the BBC to be 'cost effective'. I have been working in the industry for less than a year and yet, even in that short time, I have seen people stretched further, expected to do more, than when I started. The more that happens, the more newspapers will rely on press releases for information. They just won't have the time/resources to investigate further. 'The news' is going to have to work out a way of paying for itself soon, or we're all in trouble. In this case, it does seem that some papers have deliberately gone for the most sensational figures/editorial line. Hardly surprising - I'm sure that has always happened, and always will - but for ALL of them to jump on the bandwagon and to report these apparently misleading figures is worrying. We all know print journalism is struggling financially, not to mention the increasing pressure on the BBC to be ‘cost effective’. I have been working in the industry for less than a year and yet, even in that short time, I have seen people stretched further, expected to do more, than when I started. The more that happens, the more newspapers will rely on press releases for information. They just won’t have the time/resources to investigate further. ‘The news’ is going to have to work out a way of paying for itself soon, or we’re all in trouble.

In this case, it does seem that some papers have deliberately gone for the most sensational figures/editorial line. Hardly surprising – I’m sure that has always happened, and always will – but for ALL of them to jump on the bandwagon and to report these apparently misleading figures is worrying.

]]> By: Niklas Smith http://www.libdemvoice.org/electoral-registration-is-the-problem-with-young-people-or-with-journalism-18197.html#comment-109469 Niklas Smith Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:09:33 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=18197#comment-109469 Oh dear, Evening Standard maths fail: "The Electoral Commission says that just 56 per cent of young people are registered to vote." 100-56=44! Then they compound it by writing it up as a national figure... Oh dear, Evening Standard maths fail: “The Electoral Commission says that just 56 per cent of young people are registered to vote.”

100-56=44!

Then they compound it by writing it up as a national figure…

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