Comments on: A week of journalism: Why journalists misquote everyone…or do they? http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:20:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: State of the Nonprofit Media Coverage « Nonprofit Congress Blog http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-184185 State of the Nonprofit Media Coverage « Nonprofit Congress Blog Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:35:57 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-184185 [...] The bad news: if we’re unhappy with the way we’re covered, we can only blame ourselves. Admit it–sometimes we’d rather talk to ourselves in our own jargon than to others outside the sector in a foreign tongue (called, perhaps, ”plain English”). Sometimes we’re too busy to pitch stories to reporters. And sometimes, like in all other industries, we assume that journalists want to tell the same stories we do. [...] [...] The bad news: if we're unhappy with the way we're covered, we can only blame ourselves. Admit it–sometimes we’d rather talk to ourselves in our own jargon than to others outside the sector in a foreign tongue (called, perhaps, "plain English"). Sometimes we're too busy to pitch stories to reporters. And sometimes, like in all other industries, we assume that journalists want to tell the same stories we do. [...]

]]> By: 7 Laptop Bags You Can’t Afford! http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-147303 7 Laptop Bags You Can’t Afford! Wed, 14 May 2008 02:34:48 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-147303 [...] Offended by the title? Well don’t be because the full title is supposed to read “7 Laptop Bags You Can’t Afford To Waste Your Money On Because You’re Starting A Business!”; but obviously such a title would require its own blog post so I had to revert to some self-journalistic misquoting. [...] [...] Offended by the title? Well don't be because the full title is supposed to read "7 Laptop Bags You Can't Afford To Waste Your Money On Because You're Starting A Business!"; but obviously such a title would require its own blog post so I had to revert to some self-journalistic misquoting. [...]

]]> By: Mark W. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-146156 Mark W. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:57:57 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-146156 “These are terrible. He missed all the good photos.” The professional photographer has the most technically correct photos with the customary moments for a given event. The best photos can be had by the amateurs who know you and capture those moments that reflect the real you. They are not constrained to convention. They can be real eye openers (and funny) if everyone isn't asked to pose for the camera - surprise! “These are terrible. He missed all the good photos.”
The professional photographer has the most technically correct photos with the customary moments for a given event. The best photos can be had by the amateurs who know you and capture those moments that reflect the real you. They are not constrained to convention. They can be real eye openers (and funny) if everyone isn't asked to pose for the camera – surprise!

]]> By: madeleine http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-146147 madeleine Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:34:01 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-146147 I am so glad to see this article, and the accompanying intelligent comments. I feel like I should print it out and send it to every person I've written about. Not that I am not telling their story, just my version of it: edited to length and content. thank you! I am so glad to see this article, and the accompanying intelligent comments. I feel like I should print it out and send it to every person I've written about.

Not that I am not telling their story, just my version of it: edited to length and content.

thank you!

]]> By: klein http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-135604 klein Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:18:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-135604 What you have described bears no resemblance to Journalism and only bears a passing resemblance to fiction writing. If a journalist cannot get a simple quote right then they should be fired on the spot. And you keep certain information from a recruiter or anyone else for that matter is, indeed, a lie of omission. Certainly, you get to make that choice, but do not pretend that it is ok. What you have described bears no resemblance to Journalism and only bears a passing resemblance to fiction writing.

If a journalist cannot get a simple quote right then they should be fired on the spot. And you keep certain information from a recruiter or anyone else for that matter is, indeed, a lie of omission. Certainly, you get to make that choice, but do not pretend that it is ok.

]]> By: the tweney review » Blog Archive » Why journalists misquote everyone. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-61836 the tweney review » Blog Archive » Why journalists misquote everyone. Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:57:20 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-61836 [...] Penelope Trunk explains why you think reporters are always misquoting you: Why journalists misquote everyone — or do they? [...] [...] Penelope Trunk explains why you think reporters are always misquoting you: Why journalists misquote everyone — or do they? [...]

]]> By: The Editorialiste http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-61730 The Editorialiste Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:05:51 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-61730 Penelope, Fabulous blog and good point about journalist quotes. You're right - sometimes the journalist doesn't see it the same way. And sometimes they get it plain wrong. There's a difference to mark there. The best "quoters" are the ones who can listen until they absolutely understand. Is it possible to completely understand all the time? No; sometimes you just don't have that breadth of knowledge and you try your best. But making quick assumptions is the mark of an inexperienced interviewer. (Of course, sometimes a misquote is the result of editing by someone else altogether.) Nevertheless, you're right - when a journalist must shorten a story, it's inevitable that his or her source won't be happy that something was left out. Such is the "different story" paradox of your post! All the best, The Editorialiste. Penelope,

Fabulous blog and good point about journalist quotes. You're right – sometimes the journalist doesn't see it the same way. And sometimes they get it plain wrong. There's a difference to mark there.

The best "quoters" are the ones who can listen until they absolutely understand. Is it possible to completely understand all the time? No; sometimes you just don't have that breadth of knowledge and you try your best. But making quick assumptions is the mark of an inexperienced interviewer. (Of course, sometimes a misquote is the result of editing by someone else altogether.)

Nevertheless, you're right – when a journalist must shorten a story, it's inevitable that his or her source won't be happy that something was left out. Such is the "different story" paradox of your post!

All the best,
The Editorialiste.

]]> By: Recruiting Animal http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-61489 Recruiting Animal Tue, 24 Apr 2007 13:22:55 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-61489 While this isn't my absolute favourite posting of yours but, at the same time, it's you at your best, telling a funny story from your life and drawing some reasonable and quirky conclusions. What do I mean by quirky? Telling only a part of the story is lying. That's why recruiters hate functional resumes. They are merely an attempt to pull one over on the poor recruiter by erasing all context. "Ran a ship-shape organization that delivered all projects on time and under budget" can mean that you were a housewife taking care of three kids for ten years. PS: If you liked Mr Brazen from the get-go why didn't you call him? No answer required. That's just the thought that came to mind. PPS: A number of journalists, of course, have been exposed as complete and active liars. And others are so deliberately one-sided in their analyses that you have to read a number of them to try to patch an objective picture together. <strong>* * * * * * </strong><I>Mr. Brazen? That's great. Vintage Recruiting Animal. --P</I> While this isn't my absolute favourite posting of yours but, at the same time, it's you at your best, telling a funny story from your life and drawing some reasonable and quirky conclusions.

What do I mean by quirky? Telling only a part of the story is lying. That's why recruiters hate functional resumes. They are merely an attempt to pull one over on the poor recruiter by erasing all context. "Ran a ship-shape organization that delivered all projects on time and under budget" can mean that you were a housewife taking care of three kids for ten years.

PS: If you liked Mr Brazen from the get-go why didn't you call him? No answer required. That's just the thought that came to mind.

PPS: A number of journalists, of course, have been exposed as complete and active liars. And others are so deliberately one-sided in their analyses that you have to read a number of them to try to patch an objective picture together.

* * * * * *
Mr. Brazen? That's great. Vintage Recruiting Animal.

–P

]]> By: steven http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-61220 steven Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:18:53 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-61220 Is there a way to work with the interviewer to minimize the surprise at publication? Is my only approach to reduce my expectations? * * * * * * <em>This is a good question. I posted a big about this topic here:</em><em><a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2002/10/14/if-you-want-to-be-well-known-learn-to-talk-to-the-press/" rel="nofollow">http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2002/10/14/if-you-want-to-be-well-known-learn-to-talk-to-the-press/</a> In general, though, I think you should decide why you are talking to the press in the first place? You should only do it if you will somehow benefit from being mentioned in the press. And if you will benefit from mention, then stop being so uptight about how you are quoted since it's a known tradeoff -- you get your name mentioned in exchange for giving up the right to control the story. --Penelope</I>   </em> Is there a way to work with the interviewer to minimize the surprise at publication? Is my only approach to reduce my expectations?

* * * * * *

This is a good question. I posted a big about this topic here:http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2002/10/14/if-you-want-to-be-well-known-learn-to-talk-to-the-press/

In general, though, I think you should decide why you are talking to the press in the first place? You should only do it if you will somehow benefit from being mentioned in the press. And if you will benefit from mention, then stop being so uptight about how you are quoted since it's a known tradeoff — you get your name mentioned in exchange for giving up the right to control the story.

–Penelope

 

]]> By: Stephen Seckler http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-61108 Stephen Seckler Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:31:40 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-61108 I would be very careful about leaving material facts off of a resume. If you are an accountant and you are applying for a job with a large accounting firm, you are probably not making a material misrepresentation if you fail to list your waitering jobs on your resume. But if you fail to list a job you held in your industry (or in your profession), then you are taking a big gamble. Last year, I worked with a real estate lawyer who had been fired from a law firm after a month. Apparently, she had been advised by a recruiter (NOT ME), that since it was such a short period of time, it was okay to leave it off the resume. I placed this candidate at another firm and never knew about this omission on the resume (the candidate made up a story about getting her family settled.) On her second day of employment, the new firm found out about the omission and she was fired. The sad thing is that she had probably been treated unfairly by the first firm (there were questions about how they treated her when she ended up in the hospital with a miscarriage.) But lying is what did this candidate in. I would be very careful about leaving material facts off of a resume. If you are an accountant and you are applying for a job with a large accounting firm, you are probably not making a material misrepresentation if you fail to list your waitering jobs on your resume.

But if you fail to list a job you held in your industry (or in your profession), then you are taking a big gamble.

Last year, I worked with a real estate lawyer who had been fired from a law firm after a month. Apparently, she had been advised by a recruiter (NOT ME), that since it was such a short period of time, it was okay to leave it off the resume.

I placed this candidate at another firm and never knew about this omission on the resume (the candidate made up a story about getting her family settled.) On her second day of employment, the new firm found out about the omission and she was fired.

The sad thing is that she had probably been treated unfairly by the first firm (there were questions about how they treated her when she ended up in the hospital with a miscarriage.) But lying is what did this candidate in.

]]>