More Sub-Editorial Blunders

Sir Bob Jones
nopunchespulled.com

Under the heading ‘ENTERTAINMENT’, on Saturday the Herald headed an item, “Contestant Dead after TV tragedy.”

Very entertaining, doubtless having readers rolling in the aisles.

Not to be left out, the STUFF website ran the same item under the heading MOST POPULAR.

So there you have it, at least according to our newspapers, namely that Kiwis are delighted and entertained by an accidental death.

And another, Today the Herald headed an item on the New Zealand Americas Cup boat, World in Awe at Team New Zealand’s boat.

The world? Really! I wonder how many Mongolians, Arabs, Russians, Hungarians, Albanians, Brazilians, Africans etc. etc have even heard of the America’s Cup, let alone being awe-struck by this boat. An appropriate heading would have been Auckland yachting community in awe at new Kiwi boat.

Coincidentally, a few weeks back when writing a similar piece about the Herald’s heading blunders for this site, the phone rang.

Lo and behold it was Shayne Currie, the long-time Herald editor and now company manager.

“Mental telepathy conveying guilt” I cried and told him of his co-incidental call.

Then followed the standard exchange I’ve had with him, (and other editors) over the years.

“You don’t even read your own bloody newspaper”. I accused.

“I do so”.

“You don’t”

“I do”.

Anyway, after this had gone on for a while he mentioned he’d be in Wellington in a week and we duly met up.

I can’t now recall the number Shayne told me as to how many sub-editors the Herald had in its heyday; four decades back but I do remember being astounded by it. Today there’s but a small fraction of that many.

Nevertheless, it can’t be bloody hard and these regular heading blunders are an embarrassment for the journoes writing the items.