http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../19211866.html
This is perhaps a new low for a publication that has been in free fall journalistically for many a year now. A bus driver photographed eating lunch on the job.
641 words dedicated to not only a non-story, but then an attempt by the paper to spin it into some sort of scandal.
I know how this works, I've been part of the process: a "journalist" sees something, reads something, or has something sent to him by happenstance. They weren't "investigating" the matter. The "journalist" thinks "hmmm... I've got XXX number of words to fill in tomorrow's, or the next day's edition. The "journalist" then calls up a bunch of people on the phone or by email that he thinks sound relevant to the matter and solicits opinions. 45 minutes later: voila - a story is born.
Everyone should just remember this when reading stories from the media, especially local media (and not just from the Freep). Great stories are not usually that great. Bad stories are not usually that bad. Outrageous stories are not usually that outrageous.
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