The Poynter Institute: Solving Problems That Aren't Th

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sun May 26, 2002 7:44 pm

From yet another tiresome article posted by the Poynter Institute, this one by Jill Geisler on the use of profanity in the newsroom:Journalists are well-educated people who tell stories. As wordsmiths, the best are selective about their words, always looking for precision. Yes, they must often do their work in a hurry, and depend on others in an organization for support. Sometimes colleagues let them down. Sometimes their tools break. Or their story subjects elude or oppose them. Sometimes their bosses drive them crazy. That's when they use angry words. But even then, they can choose those words carefully, too. Because, in the end, the f-word is ineffective in righting wrongs. It is more likely to stop good communication than start it.That's where leadership comes in.As managers, we must understand the issues of language ....***Oh, shut the fuck up, will you, Ms. Baby-Talk?***

tommangan · **Posted:** Sun May 26, 2002 11:08 pm

Not that I've worked on any TV news floors, but I've been told the control rooms -- pressure cookers that they are -- are among the most profanity-profuse places outside of a battlefield. ,Such emissions from a TV person are laughable.

SusanV · **Posted:** Tue May 28, 2002 1:35 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tom mangan:
[QB]Not that I've worked on any TV news floors, but I've been told the control rooms -- pressure cookers that they are -- are among the most profanity-profuse places outside of a battlefield. I can vouch for that! Back in my college days, my senior-year internship was at a TV station, working for a live morning show. I heard plenty, surpassed only by the D.C. cop I was once married to and his buddies. But that's another story.Newsroom profanity strikes me as integral to our functioning. But maybe that's just because of the @#$%$^&*+&^%!! editing system they've foisted on us. :)[ May 28, 2002: Message edited by: SusanV ]

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Thu May 30, 2002 10:22 pm

This topic has been played out to the extreme on Poynter's main site and Romenesko's. It should be emphasized that according to Poynter, Geisler's experience does not include working for a newspaper. http://www.poynter.org/faculty/jgeisler.htm[ May 30, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]

murielhogan · **Posted:** Fri May 31, 2002 3:55 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:It should be emphasized that according to Poynter, Geisler's experience does not include working for a newspaper. [ May 30, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]<hr></blockquote>Ah yes, I thought I recognized that name. She was a pretty face on the Fox news station here in Milwaukee. Our local media critic, Dave Berkman, was never too impressed with her: http://www.shepherd-express.com/shepherd/19/25/news_and_views/media_musings.htmlAnd speaking of former Milwaukeeans, Romenesko comes in for some criticism as well: http://www.shepherd-express.com/shepherd/20/37/columnists/gossip_net.htmlThings around here have gone downhill ever since they got rid of Albert the Alleycat, the puppet who did weather on one of the nightly news shows.

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Fri Jun 07, 2002 7:04 am

By Jill Geisler
Group Leader, LeadershipWrite a column advocating newsroom civility and the leader's role in curbing profanity, and it's a pretty fair bet that those who swear in newsrooms will swear again.They did -- at me. (See Poynter.org forum and MediaNews letters.) It would be easy to look at the postings and simply say: "These people are troubled. Send them all to anger management class."But there's a lesson in all this: Leaders need to listen to voices of dissent. More importantly, they need to recognize that each one of those voices has a story behind it.***Good God. She just doesn't know when to stop! Jill, Jill: Don't you realize that you've become a pale parody of yourself?***Keeping it civil doesn't mean wiping out creativity, aggressive reporting, skepticism, honesty, quirkiness, irreverence, or passion in the newsroom. In fact, I believe it is the leader's role to cultivate those qualities, which are the very things that drew most of us to journalism in the first place.***As it happens, Jill, the days of my exploding into profanity at newsroom annoyances are well past. But, lest there be no mistake: Fuck you and the horse you rode in on. (Boy, that was childish and cheap. I'm so ashamed.)***[ June 07, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]

pampellfw · **Joined:** Thu Apr 25, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 38

I have to say that my use of profanity lessened when I moved from the news desk/metro desk to features, right inside the main newsroom door. When a little old lady bearing an anniversary announcement might appear at any time, one is more careful of how she speaks. :)

Finn DeSiecle · **Posted:** Sat Jun 08, 2002 6:48 pm

"These people are troubled. Send them all to anger management class."Christ! How long before political correctness and pop psychology -- not to mention inane bestseller-based management philosophies -- start to fade into the sunset so we can get back to work without worrying whether we're behaving like good Californians? Somebody please pass the est...

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