After years of watching Albuquerque
or Chicago news, I am
stymied by the lack of professionalism
with our local news.
Don't get me wrong - I'm sure they're
doing the best they know
how to do, and trying to make
deadlines and get stories out
and probably shorthanded etc. etc.
etc. But often the facts
are not reported correctly, or not
all facts are given, or many
times incorrect advice is given out.
Some of it can be downright
dangerous. Case in point - one local
news story yesterday was
about pipes freezing in this cold
weather spell, and how
plumbers are kept incredibly busy
right now. So it went on to
say how to check for holes in your
crawlspace that might need
plugged - 'Go down to your
crawlspace at night with a flashlight.
Shine the flashlight around. Have
someone stand outside the house
and report to you if they see any
light.' DUH? HUH? As one
reader pointed out and ALL readers
thought - what about going
down in the daylight and just
looking for light shining through??
The story also went on to say
'Using a blowtorch is one way
to unthaw a pipe, just be careful
doing so.' Okay so that's not
verbatim but pretty close. An
open flame on pvc pipe? UGH.
Might as well be step by step
instructions as to how to burn your
house down!! There was also the
blurb in the story about when
you're leaving your house you
can always just turn the water
off to prevent lines from freezing.
HUH? Without draining the
pipes?? Hmmmm.
It really makes me wonder
then on a bigger level with the media -
how inaccurate are THEY
reporting stories? And do
reporters really
live in a hole all the time?
They need to use some common sense
and think before reporting!
Many many times they do not.
