ACCURACY MATTERS

The local newscast we watch each morning has as its slogan: “Where Accuracy Matters.” Well, I don’t think anyone would argue that we would all like our news reports to be accurate, but don’t you think that if you make a point of promising accuracy, you should be EXTRA careful to deliver on that point?

Maybe it’s just BECAUSE they promise accuracy, but we seem to notice a LOT of inaccuracies in this TV station’s reporting. For instance, there was once a story about a woman who had “quintuplets.” At least that was in the graphic on the bottom of the screen The voice-over reporter, however, was saying, “the six babies…”

Also, one of the anchors is constantly apoligizing with “I should say…” after he speaks, because he flubs his words, and then uses “I should say” as a way of correcting himself. Sometimes two or three times within a single story.

And don’t even get me started on the weatherlady!

There are other examples, I just can’t remember them at this moment. But this latest one from yesterday morning, I thought, really takes the cake: now, I might be wrong, because I was just passing through the room at the time, but I could have sworn I heard one of the anchors (not the “I should say” guy, the OTHER one) sayng that on this station they promised to keep everyone “up to date on all the latest RUMORS.”

Huh???

Now, it must have been rumors about some particular issue where not much is actually known at the moment. But this newcast doesn’t care. If they can’t bring you the NEWS, well then…sure! Let’s accurately report the latest rumors.

Honestly now…