Comments on: Eight Warning Signs That a Reporter Plans to Flip the Script http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html Bringing You Media News, Marketing Views, Celebrity Culture & Political Spin Since February 2005 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:03:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html/comment-page-1#comment-3334 Anonymous Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:58:00 +0000 http://www.ideagrove.com/weblog/?p=1917#comment-3334 Remember that there are still a few layers between the reporter and that paper on your doorstep. Sometimes the way a story is understood has nothing to do with the way it was reported; all you need is an editor to add an attention-grabbing headline in hopes of selling a few more papers, or to rearrange some of the paragraphs so that the bit about your sketchy past or embezzlement allegations is more prominent, while the part about your charity that saves puppies was cut (because people don't read the business pages for puppies.)And what's the point of interviewing a CEO if you haven't already done all the research? That's not sneaky, that's so you don't waste their time asking questions you could answer yourself--they usually only give you half an hour anyways. My point? If I'm guarding my notebook closely its because you're boring and I don't want you to catch me doodling. Remember that there are still a few layers between the reporter and that paper on your doorstep. Sometimes the way a story is understood has nothing to do with the way it was reported; all you need is an editor to add an attention-grabbing headline in hopes of selling a few more papers, or to rearrange some of the paragraphs so that the bit about your sketchy past or embezzlement allegations is more prominent, while the part about your charity that saves puppies was cut (because people don’t read the business pages for puppies.)And what’s the point of interviewing a CEO if you haven’t already done all the research? That’s not sneaky, that’s so you don’t waste their time asking questions you could answer yourself–they usually only give you half an hour anyways. My point? If I’m guarding my notebook closely its because you’re boring and I don’t want you to catch me doodling.

]]> By: Rob Witham http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html/comment-page-1#comment-3331 Rob Witham Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:16:00 +0000 http://www.ideagrove.com/weblog/?p=1917#comment-3331 Interesting piece. I am a reporter for a family-owned community newspaper that does pride itself on accuracy and fairness in reporting. Having experienced a reporter "flipping the script" on me when I managed a business in another industry I can also understand people's reluctance to consent to an interview with a reporter. When I write for my blog I am opinionated; when I write for the paper I truly try to maintain a neutral perspective because the story is what the story is. I refuse to spin a story to get better sales or more attention. In the long run I am building a reputation for fair, unbiased, honest reporting. Sadly, not all reporters share that conviction. Thanks for the perspective! Interesting piece. I am a reporter for a family-owned community newspaper that does pride itself on accuracy and fairness in reporting. Having experienced a reporter “flipping the script” on me when I managed a business in another industry I can also understand people’s reluctance to consent to an interview with a reporter. When I write for my blog I am opinionated; when I write for the paper I truly try to maintain a neutral perspective because the story is what the story is. I refuse to spin a story to get better sales or more attention. In the long run I am building a reputation for fair, unbiased, honest reporting. Sadly, not all reporters share that conviction. Thanks for the perspective!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html/comment-page-1#comment-3326 Anonymous Sat, 08 Sep 2007 03:18:00 +0000 http://www.ideagrove.com/weblog/?p=1917#comment-3326 The guy, and it's got to be a guy -- bitter, cynical, and more than a tad corrupt -- who said "Gentlemen, the sooner you realize you're just p.r. men like Scott Baradell, working for money-hungry CEOs who are no different than the ones Baradell represents" is nuts.<br/><br/>No one would go into journalism, or stay there, for long if they believed that. The pay isn't worth it. I've worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, and I can't remember ever working with a reporter or editor who believed his or her work as exactly the same as the work done by pr folks like Scott Baradell. There's nothing wrong with what Baradell does. But it's not the same job. The guy, and it’s got to be a guy — bitter, cynical, and more than a tad corrupt — who said “Gentlemen, the sooner you realize you’re just p.r. men like Scott Baradell, working for money-hungry CEOs who are no different than the ones Baradell represents” is nuts.

No one would go into journalism, or stay there, for long if they believed that. The pay isn’t worth it. I’ve worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, and I can’t remember ever working with a reporter or editor who believed his or her work as exactly the same as the work done by pr folks like Scott Baradell. There’s nothing wrong with what Baradell does. But it’s not the same job.

]]> By: Scott Baradell http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html/comment-page-1#comment-3325 Scott Baradell Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:28:00 +0000 http://www.ideagrove.com/weblog/?p=1917#comment-3325 Ok, now that last comment WAS cynical ... of course, there's also too much truth to it these days, with the consolidation of media companies. it's only the few family-owned companies that care much about journalistic integrity at the corporate level anymore, which is why the Dow Jones purchase is so devastating. Ok, now that last comment WAS cynical … of course, there’s also too much truth to it these days, with the consolidation of media companies. it’s only the few family-owned companies that care much about journalistic integrity at the corporate level anymore, which is why the Dow Jones purchase is so devastating.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.ideagrove.com/blog/2007/09/eight-warning-signs-that-a-reporter-plans-to-flip-the-script.html/comment-page-1#comment-3324 Anonymous Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:17:00 +0000 http://www.ideagrove.com/weblog/?p=1917#comment-3324 Quite a few reporters have come in here babbling about their journalistic integrity and their objectivity.<br/><br/>Gentlemen, the sooner you realize you're just p.r. men like Scott Baradell, working for money-hungry CEOs who are no different than the ones Baradell represents, the sooner you can stop pretending to be doing important work and get on with your lives in a different career. Quite a few reporters have come in here babbling about their journalistic integrity and their objectivity.

Gentlemen, the sooner you realize you’re just p.r. men like Scott Baradell, working for money-hungry CEOs who are no different than the ones Baradell represents, the sooner you can stop pretending to be doing important work and get on with your lives in a different career.

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