The Raleigh News & Observer online now features one of those Q&A shows where readers ask questions of reporters and editors. The show's called N&O Live. Only it isn't live.
N&O Live questions are submitted in advance and reviewed by the N&O. Then those selected for the show are printed on screen and "asked by the Moderator.” It’s no surprise the questions are almost all "softballs."
Here's a couple of "softballs" executive editor for news, Melanie Sill, fielded on the Feb. 1 show:
Moderator: "What's the most common sort of question you get from the public about the N&O's coverage?"And this:
Moderator: “How do editors decide which story’s going to go on Page One?"As I understand it, one of the main purposes of N&O Live is to increase readers' trust in The N&O.
How does calling a Q&A show that previews and selects the questions N&O Live do that?
Won't a title like that lead many people to conclude the show is more about institutional puffery than earning readers' trust?
I'll email executive editor Sill and public editor Ted Vaden links to this post and invite them to comment here.
I'll keep you posted
2 comments:
Dear N&O: were you all born wonderful, or did you just will yourselves that way?
Your fan,
-AC
JinC, whom will you get to interpret your missive for them. It seems apparent English is not their forte. Else, they would already know that submitted, reviewed and selected question prior to answering does not exactly meet the expectations of spontaneity that the description "LIVE", implies.
Obviously, if English is their first language, then they are just stupid. Either way I expect you will receive only heightened frustration. Of course, that is if your query gets reviewed and selected, providing, of course, they understand it. Bad odds, that.
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