Register/News Tribune Fail
Well, they’re at it again. Another on-line “article” in the Register by a Fullerton guy named Dennis Bode who is listed as a “columnist,” but who is, in reality, a local realtor making a sales pitch. They tried that before. Apparently I didn’t sufficiently chastise them.
The piece starts out by belaboring the obvious: termite inspections are helpful and then morphs into an advertisement for Mr. Bode.
The appearance of an ad masquerading as a news story must violate every precept of professional journalism, but hey, times are tough! And I’m just a dog. What do i know?
I’ve gotta tell you JFD, this is a bit of a waste of blog space in my opinion. It says “columnist” and highlights the fact that he is a real estate agent for Century 21. I don’t think the Register is trying to fool anybody that this is anything other than a column written by a real estate agent to fill up space in the paper. While it does not contribute to my desire to read the Tribune, I certainly don’t think this rises to the level of violating journalistic professionalism. It’s a column about termite inspections. There’s not even a dead horse here to kick.
You’re wrong Chris – except about the need to fill up space. The thing is pitched as an “article” i.e. news/information not an advertisement – which is what it is.
From my Journalism 101 class I remember the need for separation between commerce and news. If the “column” is about termite inspections how come there is no mention about how to get one, and just discussion of buyers and sellers responsibilities? And then the “column” quickly goes into real estate stats and culminates with Bode’s phone number.
You must be in a very generous mood today.
It’s hard to tell which is worse – selling an ad as a story or having so little content that you need to rely on this sort of tripe.
I wonder if this Bode fellow paid to have that posted.
I’m just unmoved. What exactly am I wrong about Joe? Where is this pitched as an article? The guy is named as a columnist, not a writer and in a big box at the top it says he’s a realtor. I think it unworthy of this fine blog to get uptight about a stupid column written for free by a real estate agent about various elementary residential real estate issues like termites. The Register does not go to any lengths here to disguise what it is. It’s just so unimportant. But, it’s my wife’s 40th birthday party tonight and there are beers to be drank and ping pong games to be won. Fine wishes on this Saturday evening to my friends Joe and JFD…whoever you are!
Chris, I agree the News Tribune is unimportant, but printing trash like this is exactly why it is irrelevant. I lift my leg on it. Again.
Why call the guy a “columnist” when he isn’t. And he isn’t a “guest” opinionator either. He’s just a realtor pitching his business via a thinly veiled disguise, a supposed “article.” They should just call it an advertisement like they do for the more obvious ads.
The self-marginalization of the local media is one of the recurring themes of this blog.
Also it’s a slow news day.
And happy b-day to the wife.