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 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Resume Advice You Never Hear http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-262378 Resume Advice You Never Hear Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:51:25 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-262378 [...] answer that is best for me in the situation I’m in. Life is messy and it is not black and white. There is no single, correct story about your life. Because each moment, in each person’s life, has multiple versions, all [...] [...] answer that is best for me in the situation I’m in. Life is messy and it is not black and white. There is no single, correct story about your life. Because each moment, in each person’s life, has multiple versions, all [...]

]]> By: bird houses for sale http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-250919 bird houses for sale Wed, 04 May 2011 03:33:11 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-250919 interesting writeup, i've got to mention this to a friend of mine interesting writeup, i've got to mention this to a friend of mine

]]> By: Assech Omega http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/comment-page-1/#comment-248540 Assech Omega Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:10:10 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/22/a-week-of-journalism-why-journalists-misquote-everyoneor-do-they/#comment-248540 <a href="http://www.chineseenergetics.com" rel="nofollow"> Energy Psychology </a> this is very cool!!
Energy Psychology

this is very cool!!

]]> 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.

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