January 15, 2007

markers

Sometimes you realise that you share certain things with your relatives. Important, subtle things which other people might notice, but which you have lived with for years and become aware of suddenly.

For example, as I was walking down the street (sunny, 22 degrees, not very windy) I met my Dad (this was not a surprise, we had arranged to have lunch together). What was interesting was he was wearing his very warm possum cardie, and I was wearing my very warm merino felted jacket. And of course, jeans and shoes (but not woolly hats, apparently there is a limit).

Everyone else was wearing t-shirts.

Neither of us considered the day to be even close to warm enough for summer wear.

(I did eventually take my coat off inside the cafe. I blame the the younger generation. I put my coat right back on when we went to sit outside though.)

Posted by carla at 09:27 PM

January 09, 2007

how to be a journalist

1. Firstly, get yourself a job as a media or marketing person.

2. Then write press releases which read like articles.

3. Sit back and watch your words appear in print (often unedited).

I've been watching a media person at work over the past few years and it has become abundantly clear to me how little checking and editing is done in New Zealand journalism. If you write an article the right way, you can literally get it published with no edits whatsoever. Sometimes you can get the same content published in a series of publications.

A fine example of how to write a press release for direct publication is produced at this site about a small town in America which is against Santa Claus because he is an immigrant labourer. The key seems to be to write as if you are outside the group and have researched all this interesting information.

Given the important role journalists play in a democracy, I find all this horribly depressing.

Posted by carla at 09:33 PM