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News & ArtsFriday, February 5, 2010
News I Don't Understand Why...
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 6:35 AM
...NBC Miami would opt to illustrate this story about police misconduct—a gay man may have been wrongfully arrested after witnessing two Miami police officers beating a handcuffed suspect—with that particular photo. Does a spontaneous gay pride celebration break out whenever Miami police officers mistreat someone?
Okay... when you click on the photo you learn that it was taken at the National Equality March in Washington D.C. last October. So... what does it have to do with the story? Is NBC Miami's art director so lazy that he'll just slap a picture of any random group of gay people on any story that features a gay person? Are there no gay people in Miami that he can take pictures of? And since the story is about police misconduct, not about rainbow flags, maybe a picture of, oh, police headquarters instead?
1
BREAKING: Dude who puts pictures with stories on local news website is underpaid and doesn't give a shit.
3
awesome post, lots of questions. i have a few answers. they're as funny and stupid as most comments here.
4
I'm with #1,
Whoever was in charge of matching the photo with the story probably just skimmed it, saw the word "gay," slapped a stock gay pride parade photo in there, and then went to have a coffee break.
Whoever was in charge of matching the photo with the story probably just skimmed it, saw the word "gay," slapped a stock gay pride parade photo in there, and then went to have a coffee break.
6
What? You don't march to work every morning in short-shorts carrying a giant rainbow flag?! I'm disappointed.
8
I see it's Getty Images, quicker for NBC than sending an intern to Flamingo Park with a phone camera. The shot isn't parade-like really, more like a publicity still of the cast of Hair super-spontaneously joining a march.
9
Heh - maybe they should have just used a picture of Dan.
But seriously, what does a "gay person" look like? They come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
But seriously, what does a "gay person" look like? They come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
10
If I were feeling generous (which I'm not) I'd think maybe the picture was illustrating a protest against the cops' actions. But if any such protest took place it ain't mentioned in the story. And even if I were feeling so generous I'd still say using a completely unrelated photo to illustrate it is inexcusable. Why illustrate it at all? Is there some fear of text without a pretty photo?
11
@9: You can identify us by our cloven hooves, horns and top-range Alexander McQueen Murses and belts.
12
I'll bet they searched for "gay" in whatever photo database they have, and this is the kind of thing that shows up in the results.
It could just as well have been a picture or you, Dan.
It could just as well have been a picture or you, Dan.
13
Wow that's stupidly lazy--they should've just grabbed the pictures from Facebook.
Or can they do that with copyright and all?
Or can they do that with copyright and all?
14
@13: They tried that, but for some reason every time they searched for gay males in Florida, they got Charlie Crist.
15
Leave a comment on the page, Dan, or try to contact some people at the site. It's irresponsible "journalism" and considering that this is an NBC affiliate, they might care that it's offensive.
I'm a photo editor; putting pictures with articles is exactly my job. That's an example of stupid, shoddy work, and it would never pass with my employer.
I'm a photo editor; putting pictures with articles is exactly my job. That's an example of stupid, shoddy work, and it would never pass with my employer.
17
It's not a photo editor. It's some underpaid (or unpaid), overworked 22-year-old intern that TV stations hire to post crap to their websites.
Complain all you want. They really don't give a shit or they'd hire professionals.
Complain all you want. They really don't give a shit or they'd hire professionals.
18
I'm pretty sure the image conveys (lamely) celebration. Gay celebration. Look at the interactive doohickey. 43% of Miami is 'thrilled' with the news. Elsewhere, 'Locals are *sad* about the deadly Stuart shark attack'
Those *interactive* templates are pretty goofy. Picture selection fits right in.
Those *interactive* templates are pretty goofy. Picture selection fits right in.
19
All major news organizations have a standard practice. Whenever they run a story about anything gay, regardless of the context, they find a ridiculous drag queen, a guy in a codpiece sporting a boa or a guy with his ass hanging out of some chaps. It makes no difference what the footage is from. There has to be at least one rainbow flag and if the story has something to do with something legal, then there has to be a shot of a powerhouse lesbian attorney doing something in a courtroom. I am pretty sure there is a central supply of stock photos and stock video.
20
And did anybody notice this headline below the story: "Creed Singer Forging Unholy Union with Marlins"?
21
Insider tip! As a freelancer, I've written for websites that use the same CMS as this NBC afilliate. It's nearly impossible to use. When choosing a photo, you have to enter a keyword (like "gay") and wade through whatever images journalists have uploaded for previous stories, desperately trying to find one that is the right dimensions for your columnn because the CMS can't resize anything. Uploading a new image is so difficult and time consuming, it's rarely an option. These articles are usually written very quickly.
So! There's your explanation. The adaptation of the quality of journalism due to the changing business model of the news industry is to blame.
So! There's your explanation. The adaptation of the quality of journalism due to the changing business model of the news industry is to blame.
22
I eMailed them and bitched. Heres the reply..
"My apologies, the picture wasn't meant to offend in any way. It will be
switched out immediately.
Jessica Sick
Managing Editor, Miami
NBC Local Media | NBCMiami.com
954.622.6122"
Still waiTing..
"My apologies, the picture wasn't meant to offend in any way. It will be
switched out immediately.
Jessica Sick
Managing Editor, Miami
NBC Local Media | NBCMiami.com
954.622.6122"
Still waiTing..
23
Wait, they pull this stunt and the managing editor is named "Jessica Sick"?
That's gotta be a joke.
That's gotta be a joke.
24
@23: Hey, I'm in Chicago and we have a local weather forecaster named Amy Freeze.
But good to know that you agree that this brutal abuse of police power is sickening.
But good to know that you agree that this brutal abuse of police power is sickening.
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