The CBC has almost always allowed open comments on their online news site, cbc.ca.
In most cases, this makes sense. Open comments sometimes bring out depressing elements of society content to hide behind anonymity, but as Canada's leading journalistic institution CBC has a mandate to allow open and free discussion on its comments page.
The site occasionally closes comments, usually in stories about court cases, particularly when young offenders are involved. This decision makes a lot of ethical sense, but it also covers a media institution's liabilities.
It's curious, then, that in the case of Omar Khadr, the CBC has, for the most part, continued to allow open commenting. This is a mistake. The comment circus takes away from CBC's reasonably solid journalism on the story, obscuring the facts and research with vitriol and hate.
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Monday, October 01, 2012
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Rant: Writing Clever Journalism
Today I learned how to write clever.
I learned that alliteration is cool and makes you look like a leader in light language. I learned that putting any metaphor--any metaphor at ALL!--into writing makes you Stephen Hawking (smart!--see what we're doing here. Nifty, eh? I thought so, too).
Simple language can be beautiful, and I've heard many examples of this over the course of going on five years in J-School. There's also nothing I hate more than reading some cooked-up, purple-prosed, overwritten piece of artistic drivel, whether it happens to be fiction or non-fiction.
Nor do I want to seem like I'm discouraging metaphor and writing techniques like alliteration in journalism. The CP Styleguide could certainly use the odd little flourish, and too often news writing is devoid of personality. Writing with feelings gives it back.
What I take issue with, in the discussion of trying to write, is that there is a lot more to this craft than throwing a metaphor in or trying a little bit of mood. I'm by no means a great writer, but I know I'd cringe if I ever threw anything into any piece of writing, non-fiction or fiction, without reason or reflection. There is a craft here.
I learned that alliteration is cool and makes you look like a leader in light language. I learned that putting any metaphor--any metaphor at ALL!--into writing makes you Stephen Hawking (smart!--see what we're doing here. Nifty, eh? I thought so, too).
Simple language can be beautiful, and I've heard many examples of this over the course of going on five years in J-School. There's also nothing I hate more than reading some cooked-up, purple-prosed, overwritten piece of artistic drivel, whether it happens to be fiction or non-fiction.
Nor do I want to seem like I'm discouraging metaphor and writing techniques like alliteration in journalism. The CP Styleguide could certainly use the odd little flourish, and too often news writing is devoid of personality. Writing with feelings gives it back.
What I take issue with, in the discussion of trying to write, is that there is a lot more to this craft than throwing a metaphor in or trying a little bit of mood. I'm by no means a great writer, but I know I'd cringe if I ever threw anything into any piece of writing, non-fiction or fiction, without reason or reflection. There is a craft here.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
The Weather
Oh, how easy it is to hate the weather.
8 hours in the sun refereeing, burning to a crisp despite high-powered sunscreen. Followed by a hot drive home and a nap in the evening humidity. Now I'm sitting in my room trying to write while ignoring the sweat. Ugh. Fan on setting two. Anything higher will blow the paper on my incredibly disorganized desk around. And that would be bad.
Who am I to complain? There's nothing like (or quite as quintessentially Canadian, really) as complaining about the summer heat after having spent all winter complaining about the cold. In February I'll be able to write a post about how cold and wet everything is and longing for soccer season. But right now, I'm just overheated and longing for hockey season (I noticed the first symptoms of Red Wings withdrawal when the free agent window opened--though for the record I like the Ian White signing quite a bit).
8 hours in the sun refereeing, burning to a crisp despite high-powered sunscreen. Followed by a hot drive home and a nap in the evening humidity. Now I'm sitting in my room trying to write while ignoring the sweat. Ugh. Fan on setting two. Anything higher will blow the paper on my incredibly disorganized desk around. And that would be bad.
Who am I to complain? There's nothing like (or quite as quintessentially Canadian, really) as complaining about the summer heat after having spent all winter complaining about the cold. In February I'll be able to write a post about how cold and wet everything is and longing for soccer season. But right now, I'm just overheated and longing for hockey season (I noticed the first symptoms of Red Wings withdrawal when the free agent window opened--though for the record I like the Ian White signing quite a bit).
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Innovation or Originality? What am I Talking About and In What Language?
"'It is really, really hard to come up with solid game concepts and great characters,' said John Baez, co-founder of The Behemoth, an independent video game developer based in California."
That quotation is from a CBC.ca (yes, I'm a journalism student) feature by Peja Bulotovic entitled "Indie games counter sequel-driven market" and published on Feb. 22. That quotation is, in fact, the lead of the article, so right away, you know it has significance. And it does, for all the wrong--but just a few of the right--reasons.
That quotation is from a CBC.ca (yes, I'm a journalism student) feature by Peja Bulotovic entitled "Indie games counter sequel-driven market" and published on Feb. 22. That quotation is, in fact, the lead of the article, so right away, you know it has significance. And it does, for all the wrong--but just a few of the right--reasons.
Monday, November 08, 2010
A Journalist's Email
How's that for a thoughtful, reflective title? (See thoughtful, reflective sidebar to your left.)
I knew this day would come as a writer. It had to. One cannot write both journalism and fiction without realising it. Those who take English at the same time often struggle with it more. Depending on your point of view, it can be either a hurdle recently crossed or a terrible, terrible set-back in one's development. Or both.
I've just come to the realisation that I'm writing emails in CP Style.
I knew this day would come as a writer. It had to. One cannot write both journalism and fiction without realising it. Those who take English at the same time often struggle with it more. Depending on your point of view, it can be either a hurdle recently crossed or a terrible, terrible set-back in one's development. Or both.
I've just come to the realisation that I'm writing emails in CP Style.
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