Luisa over at Lassie Get Help has nailed it: The Los Angeles Times' "Unleashed" blog is complete garbage.
It is not writing; it is typing, and it is an embarrassment to the newspaper.
Luisa writes:
Unleashed operates like this: Post a press release. Count comments. Repeat. "What do you think -- is PETA right on or out of line?" I know fourteen-year-olds who can track down facts and ask sharper questions than these people. Blogging doesn't relieve you of the responsibility to be honest and knowledgeable about a subject. Blogging means you should be more honest and more knowledgeable.
Is Unleashed the worst blog on earth? It's quite possibly the worst blog published under the aegis of a major newspaper, or what used to be a major newspaper. I suspect the bloggers are paid per comment and poked with sharp sticks for attempting what reporters in the old days called "research." They are that fact-averse.
My guess is that Lindsay Barnett, the person who puts this out, is fresh out of college, as no self-respecting journalist would confuse typing with the work of actually doing the job.
One thing for sure: She does not know enough about the topic of her beat to write a simple declarative sentence. Maybe that will change sometime in the future, but that's where it's at right now.
Who to complain to? Here's a start: Online Media Executive Editor Meredith Artley at meredith.artley@latimes.com Her phone is (213) 237-5000. Blog Editor Tony Pierce can be reached at the same number.
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4 comments:
I'd like to know why the only anti-mutant dog voice allowed as a source on that blog is PETA. PETA sets up a perfect straw man for the fancy's legions to destroy. Just because PETA agrees with us (narrowly) does not mean we agree with them (broadly). We have lots of evidence at our hand to want the dog fancy reformed. The last thing we need is PETA being attached to the real needs of reform. Reasonable voices are shut out in this whole discussion, and the dogs continue to suffer and our working strains continue to die out.
I'm going to send a message to the paper telling them that a more moderate and reasoned source for information that counters the AKC's views is Patrick Burns.
Ha! I just sent them to Gina and Luisa. One thing is for sure: they need to hear from folks. I do not care what position people have on issues, but I LOATHE sloppy and lazy reporting. The LA Time should have nothing rather than something this bad.
P.
Great timing on this. Just recently some studies were published on sleep emailing. Yup - sending nonsense emails in your sleep is the modern day answer to sleep walking.
Perhaps Ms. Barnett is guilty of sleep blogging?
As I recall, the L.A. Times article basically gave Peta credit for BBC dropping coverage of Crufts, and implied that since Peta and PDE were both against coverage of Crufts, they must be in concert. How the media distorts through poor understanding!
Has the population in general lost its sense of being able to think critically?
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