Local TV graphics bloopers highlights need for proofreaders
It's an open joke in the biz that TV folks -- who often consider themselves less word-oriented than their print-based colleagues -- can be a little spell challenged when it comes to creating onscreen graphics to go with their stories.
Faithful reader David Lubin likes emailing me some of the more interesting errors, so I'm posting them here for everyone to enjoy:
Was this a new area near Progress Village?
July 4th comes later than expected!
What a well ROUNDED graphic!
The Feed is a blog on TV, media and modern life by St. Petersburg Times TV/media critic Eric Deggans. Possibly the most critical guy at the Times, he has served as music, media and TV critic at various times over 10 years.
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Fox News often misspells Rep as Dem, especially when a Rep like the SC Governor gets caught doing something, or Mark Foley, or Larry Craig. Oh wait, that was intentional...it wasn't a typo.
Posted by: Glen | July 05, 2009 at 07:55 AM
10 Conectz has it's people doing so many tasks errors are a part of their broadcast DNA.
Connects (sp).
Posted by: stumpy | July 03, 2009 at 10:04 AM
These are just the tip of the iceberg! The cable news channels are making these kind of typos and misspellings constantly. Less frequently on CBS/NBC/ABC network news.
Worse than the written gaffes are the hideous contortions of the English language that passes for "journalese" lately. I'm an old (meaning long-term) acquaintance of Mervin Block, the former broadcast writer at three networks (including Cronkite at CBS) and writing expert and network gadfly. I met him in 1986, and he is STILL aghast at the daily absurdities and junk-speak to be found in TV news-writing all over the USA. Yessir, just "keeping them honest". Oy!
Posted by: Mr. News | July 02, 2009 at 03:25 PM
Very cleveh! Laughter is indeed the best medicine; especially when we can laugh at our own foibles.
Posted by: Heleen Abramson | July 02, 2009 at 03:25 PM