Tuesday, July 27, 2004

peak reporting

Like peak oil, it appears that journalism has also been mined for all its worth, and what we're now witnessing is the long slide into the production of ever more words for ever less information.

In today's Boston globe appears an article just over 900 words detailing Bush's fall off a mountain bike. It's an Associated Press Exclusive. Apparently Bush rides up hills that, in his words, "would choke a mule".

Enough of this purposeless fawning over politicians as if they were movie actors. You could have written that article in only four words: "Bush falls off bike". And think how much information you could add by simply including one more word: "again".

*Thanks to Pterals, who pointed out that I'd underreported the word count of the article by more than 50%.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not only is it a pitiful piece of journalistic fluff, but I'm kind of choked that the bugger didn't hurt himeself worse than a skinned knee. I had the same reaction when he choked on a pretzel a few years back. Seems Dub-ya has the luck of Hitler...or Satan...interesting...

Friday Films said...

You rock my teeny tiny world, Mr. Palinode. In a big way. Hee.

palinode said...

No worries regarding copyright, Pterals. I believe "fair use" applies here.

Anonymous said...

As a mountain biker, I have to say I'm surprised that Bush will shell out 3K for a really good bike and not switch to clipless pedals. He'd fall a lot less if he did, not that I give a rats ass. I kind of hate that he loves my sport, to be honest.

-Amblus.

Anonymous said...

PS. Just to be a nit-picky snot, they misspelled "peloton" in that article.

Anonymous said...

Why the pretzel story might not have wings:
http://www.iidb.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=93044

Alcoholism-induced epilepsy anyone?