[Misc] Declining journalism/editing standards on BBC website...

[Foul Play Rocks]

i agree. Their are sew many these day’s that Its almost to much too bare.

 

[The Clamp]

As I explained earlier, that is complete bollocks. There's no difference in quality of copy being produced, the increase in the number of errors is entirely down to other factors.

I'm willing to concede your theory may have a place in the mix. Seems a reasonable idea.

 

[Bakero]

I blame the education system , since the importance of spelling and grammar has been downplayed in recent decades. We have teachers who cannot do it so how can students learn?

The attention to detail in news coverage is evident. The demands of 24 hour news must make it harder. The BBC has been accused of political bias too, and I think it is sometimes justified. All that said, I am glad we have the Beeb. Whatever it's shortcomings it is much better than Sky ... ( did you ever see any of Sky's Fox News from USA ? ...

C+. Must try harder

 

[studio150]

Facts?

A report that can be corrected as more knowledgeable readers post the correct details or something you can apologise for some weeks later.

Spelling

Something you have spell check for.

Headlines

A collection of words which may or may not have any relevance to the report but gets a click on the report.

 

[Gwylan]

Whatever it's shortcomings it is much better than Sky C+. Must try harder

It's "Whatever its shortcomings ..." D- Must try harder

 

[Two Professors]

I know none of you PC types read the Sun,but it's front page headline,and pages 4 & 5,are pictures from the BBC newsroom nightshift,showing a lot of the management sleeping!Worth a quick peak if nobody is looking.Quite possibly an answer to some of the slipping standards.

 

[Wozza]

Most news sites are providing content for free, which obviously skews the economics and, ultimately, staffing and quality.

I'm not sure what the BBC's excuse is, given that it's funded and doesn't have to chase clicks.

 

[El Presidente]

I know none of you PC types read the Sun,but it's front page headline,and pages 4 & 5,are pictures from the BBC newsroom nightshift,showing a lot of the management sleeping!Worth a quick peak if nobody is looking.Quite possibly an answer to some of the slipping standards.

*cough* peek not peak.

 

[Dave the OAP]

It’s one thing having a pop at the Argus or the local rag that one of our esteemed members writes for; its quite another when the BBC follows them down into the abyss, albeit more slowly.

For about three years, I’ve noticed an increasing number of articles containing errors. These errors are predominantly grammatical, but there are some spelling errors, and, regrettably, a recent surge of articles that are factually incorrect. I would estimate that they are currently running at a rate of about 30% of all articles that are reasonably sizable (say 300 words or more) containing at least one error.

I know this is possibly just me, but I find it irritating, jarring, and shoddy. I accept that the quantity of output is now huge, but that excuse doesn’t cut it for me.

The latest article to transgress is the one on the sale of the Salvator Mundi, the first article I’ve read today, which surpasses normal standards by having two errors.

“In 1958 it was sold at auction in London for a mere £45 at auction in London.” Seriously?

“It apparently once belonged to King Charles I of England in the 1500s...”. Given Charles I wasn’t born until Nov 1600, this seems implausible.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42000696



Sometimes, the article is corrected, mostly not. It should be right before publication.

Time to pull your stockings up, Auntie.

I think this is very much in part to the decline in the copywriter. I worked at one time for a vanity publisher and we had three of these ladies and they spent all day going through manuscripts correcting the English and punctuations etc. They were highly educated people as the prerequisite for the job was a first class honours degree in English.

We had a light hearted competition at Christmas in the office where we would be given 5 individual pages of newsprint taken from the broadsheets and we had to rewrite them but making sure the message was the same and see if we could present them without these three ladies having to correct them...the winner got a bottle of Moet ( the owner was a rich man so it was the good stuff). It is surprising how competition makes you concentrate on your task at hand. Suffice it to say I never really got close as my education was never that good, but it was a great sense of achievement if you got your paper back without a smattering of red marks all over it.

The problem with news these days and social media is a lot to do with it , is that news has to be out so quickly as there are people who constantly sit watching reuters feeds etc, and therefore people haven't time to check and rely on auto correct, which we all know, is not that accurate at times.

I suppose it is a sign of the times really.

 

[portlock seagull]

Kojak?

 

[portlock seagull]

"these"

And here ends today's lesson.

Thank you but that’s smart phone typing at speed and autocorrect for you! And it’s NSC as previously said.

 

[Bakero]

It's "Whatever its shortcomings ..." D- Must try harder

Eh? That was one of his mistakes that I highlighted. My C+ probably was a little generous.

 

[Triggaaar]

For about three years, I’ve noticed an increasing number of articles containing errors. These errors are predominantly grammatical, but there are some spelling errors, and, regrettably, a recent surge of articles that are factually incorrect. I would estimate that they are currently running at a rate of about 30% of all articles that are reasonably sizable (say 300 words or more) containing at least one error.

I resign.

 

[SUIYHP]

Back to the BBC, if you google it in the little panel on the right-hand side of the google search results it says its motto was "Live the story". Talk about dumbing down, whatever happened to "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation", or "Inform, Educate, Entertain"?

EDIT: Just tried it now and that has admittedly gone. It WAS there, honest.

I found it, but it's a slogan used by the BBC news channel, not the corporation as a whole.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_News_(TV_channel)

I've started to notice a few of these typos here and there. I'm not a grammar pedant but the standard should be far higher for a major international broadcaster.

 

[Triggaaar]

It's

Seems acceptable this days

It's catching.

 

[lancyclaret]

Thirty or forty years ago, you had to have almost faultless spelling (and grammar) to stand even a chance of getting a job with the BBC or even Press Association. Also, the standard of trainees on weekly papers was higher.

That's not the case now - ever since computers replaced typewriters and paper.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I resign.

Have a go at this test.
I achieved 70%!

https://kateday.polldaddy.com/s/how-good-is-your-grammar-1

 

[Triggaaar]

I've noticed, more and more, H being pronounced Haitch, on tv. I find incredibly irritating as well as being incorrect.

I've been correcting my daughter on this one recently, it's just not on. 4-year-olds should know better.

 

[boik]

Thirty or forty years ago, you had to have almost faultless spelling (and grammar) to stand even a chance of getting a job with the BBC or even Press Association. Also, the standard of trainees on weekly papers was higher.

That's not the case now - ever since computers replaced typewriters and paper.

I think it's more to do with the fact that in these online days people want everything NOW NOW NOW. People would shout if the BBC missed stories because they were waiting for someone to proof read it. As with everything in life, some degree of compromise is needed.

 

[Triggaaar]

Have a go at this test.
I achieved 70%!

I got 90. I had no idea what the answer to 5 was, and guessed wrong.