Media: We are not amused with Word on the Street
All in all, I’m giving Monday’s Word on the Street column high marks. Yes, it led with a tale of political bickering on the wrong side of the river. But the PJS does sell an occasional newspaper out in the boonies, so I don’t begrudge the column for tossing them a bone once in a while.
But the rest of the column was interesting. I got a mention — without mentioning my name, the blog’s name or URL, of course — for including councilman George Jacob’s name as among those rumored to be considering a run. George shot down the idea, but said he was approached. He’s backing Mayor Jim Ardis instead.
But the best part of the column was John Sharp’s passage about how Mayor Ardis politely told Jack Teplitz that the time for debate about the Hamilton Boulevard landmark designation had passed. It seems Mr. Teplitz was upset and grumbled about the mayor stifling debate.
First, I’m on Teplitz’s side in this. It’s a silly thing to do. For all the grumbling recently about how the preservationists are wielding too much power, this was a perfect opportunity to draw the line. Second, this isn’t the Bud Grieves administration. Mayor Ardis is likes to run meetings quickly and efficiently. With the vote taken, there was no need to talk about it.
But I take issue with how reporter John Sharp presented the facts. Consider this sentence:
Did we not mention earlier that Monday’s meeting was a bit lively for a typical City Council affair?
And this:
From where we sat, we couldn’t notice any unusual commotion, but then again, we do not face the audience like the council does.
What’s with the “we?” When I went to journalism school, I learned that only the Queen and editors can use the “royal we.” And Wikipedia agrees.
Is Mr. Sharp — a nice guy, good reporter — getting too big for his britches? Is he beginning to think that he speaks for the entire newspaper organization, like the award-winning editorial board?
If it is such a violation of the stylebook to use “I,” how is it any better to use “we?”
Silliness.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Ahem. The wrong side of the river???
Tazewell County – aka the “boonies” mentioned above – has a population of 128,485 based on the 2000 census. That 2000 population is 70% larger than the population in 1950. Peoria County has a population of 182,495 based on the 2000 census. That’s 40% larger than Tazewell County, but hardly an overwhelming population differential. Peoria County’s 2000 population is a whopping 5% larger than its 1950 population.
If those population trends continue, in a couple decades the “boonies” are going to be bigger than the “big city.”
November 17th, 2008 at 9:44 am
While I agree with you one the use of the word “we”…
Bill sez: “When I went to journalism school…”
I sez:
Did they teach you about not double-posting press releases that only have the formatting slightly changed? Or spelling the name of the town you live – a crucial part of your own nom de guerre no less – correctly (in headlines, no less). I could go on, but won’t.
“Those in glass houses should not throw stones” Mr. Dennis.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:26 am
di sez: Since we are pointing out typos, I will direct your attention to the first line in the above comment. “One” should be corrected to say “on”.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:29 am
… and is there any indication that the writer of Word on the Street wasn’t sitting with another PJStar reporter?
November 17th, 2008 at 10:35 am
I never really viewed WOTS as a traditional, Chicago Manual-style column. More like a fun, “Cindy Adams” type of column viewed through the prism of local politics.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Diane,
I never claimed to have gone to “journalism school.”
November 17th, 2008 at 10:52 am
The editorial “we” can be employed–and is–in editorials probably written by one person but conveying the point of view of the editorial board as a whole.
I assume from having other former J-students who did “Word on the Street” that though the writers are separate & bylined as such, it is column’s editorial POV that is conveyed.
I’m surprised that you don’t recall that from your HARBINGER daze over at Illinois Central College.
Al
November 17th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Jack didn’t just get out of line once , when others were trying to speak he was complaining . I thought when were i could see and hear it . He was out of line. Mayor Ardis did a great job , by telling him in a very polite way. We all get our passion to stand out when we want to get our point across . I felt bad for Marcella who was speaking …
November 17th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Thpt.
I still think the “we” is a tad pretentious.
John was reporting from a writer’s POV, not the writers’, plural.
Suggesting otherwise is less accurate than it should be.
We are living in an era in which journalistic conventions like the editorial we are being examined, and often rejected, in favor of more transparency.
It is only recently they started identifying which writer wrote which items.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Must be a boring day in Peoria if this is the only gripe you have
November 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Columns don’t normally need to adhere to the stylebook standards since they are more opinion-driven than news stories.
And, I think the “we” in the column comes from the fact that the column, even though each writer puts his/her initials after each short contribution, is a collaborative effort. I’ve seen this many times in WotS and am kind of surprised you didn’t pick up on it prior to today.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I think the fact he used it three times in the same sentence made me notice this time.
I’m NOT saying this is some vast conspiracy or a huge ethical lapse.
It’sjust another example,I think, of newspapers doing something a certain way because that’s the way they’ve always done it.
I think it’s silly and pretentious.
November 17th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
While we think Mr. Dennis has an excellent point, we also feel that this particular equine has been pummeled into a dirt nap, and therefore we’d like to move the discussion forward.
We are now going to drive home and fire up the Wii, so we can get some fitness from the Wii, while we spend a night at home. Wheee!
November 17th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Oh, and I almost forgot: Oui oui je sais, we, too, have now beaten that expired pony.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
It seems that Word col’m has had a great turnover. A few columnists who were somewhat experienced with local politics as natives of the area, like Jennifer Davis, have been kicked upstairs. While her food reviews are entertaining, the real meat & taters was her political reporting.
Query: in the past four years, how many Word on the Streeters have there been? And where are they now? And where will these two be come 2010, d’you think?