Thursday, July 27, 2006

Jamie Graham - in context?

It seems like a lot of the media is now selling a better story than the real story. The 'target' story is growing by the hour and now Vancouver Police Chief Jamie Graham is supposedly 'under investigation' for a threat. This is great stuff for the media. Or is it?
Chief Jamie Graham admits he left a shooting range target sheet on the desk of a city manager with a note saying "a bad day at the range is better than the best day at work." Now it is being reported that the target had hits in the head and heart.
But when that target sheet was shown on TV, the only two hits on the sheet were WAY off the center, and at the very outside edge. Showing clearly that it was a bad day at the shooting range.
If it had been a picture of Chief Graham falling off water skis, with that same comment, it would have simply said that the water skiing pastime, even while falling in, is still better than a sweaty day at the office.
One wonders if the media likes their manufactured controversial story with a political bent much better than the facts. Isn't it an obligation of the news media to get it EXACTLY right?
Take another look at that target before buying into media stuff.

UPDATE: Now CKNW's Bill Good is reporting that target as "bullet riddled", nice going Bill, has a way better media pull than what it really was. Damn, you used to be able to trust 'NW. The next thing they'll tell us is that the desk was shot up too!

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:57 am

    CKNW was on about this and someone sent an email with your exact point. Christie Clarks was interviewing some reporter at the time and asked him about it. he admitted he had not seen the picture but said he was probably right. about the hits to the head and heart. They glossed that over and went on to their political discussion.
    So much for truth in reporting. And it doesn't matter if you are wrong or right about the actual hits..... the problem is that no one is holding up that target sheet for all to see!
    Just proves your idea about media storys being more interesting if they DON'T go and prove them.
    Shame on you NW. Your no longer credible as news reporters.

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  2. Anonymous9:44 am

    I agree 100% with both of you, The first picture that was shown were the holes at the side NOT the head and heart. Why is it that NW cannot find someone for their talk shows that have brains and not just politial hacks. I have stopped listening to that station. OR just has women talking about dribble. We need new programing for Vancouver.They need to pay for quality people.

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  3. Anonymous6:09 pm

    Somedody wants to blow this up. it's all political. Believe it. Everything we do today is politically INcorrect if someone wants it to be.

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