It was pointed out to me today by an astute listener that either the media or the police made a very grave error in their explanation of a horrible incident that occured on the weekend. In a nutshell, a crazed ex-boyfriend grabbed his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot. She managed to call her current boyfriend who arrived on the scene and was shot by the ex, who then took off with the woman. Police alerted the media that they were looking for the ex-boyfriend for attempted murder. Never did they say they were looking for an abducted woman! She was taken against her will, at gunpoint - a clear and present fact! But her plight was not the focus, even though she was obviously in great peril, later proven by the fact that her ex shot her to death and then himself. It was an awful situation made worse in hindsight by whomever decided the danger to the woman's life wasn't as crucial or urgent as the non-life threatening injury suffered by her boyfriend. That may not have been the intention, mind you, but it was the result.
Two very bad pieces of writing came across our newswire from national affiliates this week. In a brief story about the funeral for Evel Knievel he was said to have died from "failing health". Really? Couldn't you say that about, oh, everyone who has ever died?!!
A network reporter at the Led Zeppelin reunion concert excitedly shared that the band "failed to disappoint". Ah, I see! Were they expected to disappoint but they failed at their goal? Or in other words, they were awesome, right? So say so! I've never liked the word failed in newscasts. When I hear someone say that "paramedics failed to revive the man" I think, let's not blame the paramedics! Maybe it was just the dude's time.
I'm not a perfect writer, no siree, but some of these things are rather astounding, coming from seasoned newspeople. And they serve to remind us that everyone can make mistakes.