Wednesday, October 24, 2007

I Guess I Am Too Stupid To Understand Journalism

As a follow up to yesterday's post on the Herald and its descent into catalog for SL business, I will reproduce (entirely without permission) some comments from one of the ads posted.

"I see that Tenshi’s new career change (the 10th in nine months) as the SLH Advertising Manager started with the most appropriate manner. With a titanic flop of titanic proportions!

Tenshi dear, before you post you had to decide if this is a news piece or an advertisement. If it is the former, don’t tell us who to contact for rental details, thus turning the news piece to a blatant advertisement. If it’s the latter, I guess you know how to present it… or are we asking too much?

Of course, there is always time for you to go back reporting fake fashion stories. Or even better, stick to your college classes!" - Maki Kaourismaki

"Maki: Contact Morphius Barbosa. Or are you too stupid to read instead of running your mouth?" - Tenshi Vielle

Was Maki perhaps a bit harsh? Certainly. However, she brings up a relevant point: News should be news, and it shouldn't devolve into advertising. Throw ads into the banners on the side where they belong. You don't pick up the New York Times and see the headline as "MASSIVE PRICE CUT AT MACY'S. HURRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR LOW LOW PRICES!!"

And frankly, Tenshi could have handled herself better. I love how instead of politely refuting Maki, she's met with yet another ad (contact Morphius Barbosa! Of course! That solves everything!), and a snarky comment that doesn't deal with the matter at hand.

Also, two days later, and the Herald has added two articles, one news piece on the impending CSI wave, and one ad flogging the Herald's new book. Penned by the writers of the Herald no less.

Before anyone accuse me of misunderstanding the Herald, here is an excerpt from its mission statement:

"to observe, record and study "the legal, social, and economic implications" of life in the virtual world"

"to take a good, close, often snarky look at the online worlds that are becoming a more and more important part of everyone's offline lives"

Gee, I guess I'm wrong! Somehow, running ads as news is studying life in the virtual world! Nunchuck, I'm an idiot! (That is sarcasm)

1 comment:

Tenshi said...

Hrm. Okay, I don't know who you are and have never heard of your blog, but it's great that you have an opinion. For the record, the Herald has a spot for "advertisements and announcements", and that is what the Titanic bit was filed under.

Please do some more research next time.