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Irrelavent stories add little to news coverage

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Also by Cristina Daglas:

Lack of cohesive leads cause Herald readers to quickly lose interest (October 20, 2005)
Neglecting pertinent information hurts credibility (October 27, 2005)
Irrelavent stories add little to news coverage (November 10, 2005)
Avoidable errors mar otherwise well-written articles (November 17, 2005)
Herald coverage of TAA well focused (December 1, 2005)

by Cristina Daglas

Thursday, November 10, 2005

So, I have a question: what constitutes news?

I'm wondering if Badger Herald editors would like to answer that one for me. In Tuesday's paper an Associated Press wire ran on page three. On this full-color page, two oversized mug shots were placed next to an article ringing in at no more than 200 words. What was the article about? Cheerleaders — two Carolina Panthers cheerleaders who were arrested after allegedly having sex in a restroom stall and started a brawl while being dragged out of the establishment.

Now I'm confused. Why is this news? On a national level, I can see why it got covered. This is the kind of thing that happens in news media. It's scandalous and it's sex; it sells. I still don't agree with it, but that's another story.

But in Madison … why? Is it because they are 20-something women? Are they college students? The University of Wisconsin has a football team, these two women previously cheered for a football team and thus this is relevant to UW students? I'm missing the logic behind this decision.

I have definitely encountered quite a few complaints from both women and men alike regarding this wire. Sure, some college men got a kick out of it. And I'm sure a woman or two had a good laugh as well. But just because this story was a big item on ESPN doesn't mean it belongs in The Badger Herald, a college newspaper in Wisconsin.

It's bad enough Playboy graced the front page the next day, but at least that was relevant. Not front-page relevant, but relevant. The magazine was recruiting on campus with UW student hopefuls trying for a chance to bare all.

Odd stories run in the Herald all the time. It's part of the fun of working at an independent student newspaper. But the stories run under the "Strange but True" category on Digest, not in the News section. Or they are in the form of absurd Arts columns. Whatever the case, they are appropriate for their respective sections, and I enjoy them.

If it's a slow news day, browse the wire, and browse it well. Editors have two sources to grab from, with one being the Associated Press. I hear there are other hot-ticket news items going on worldwide at the moment. I would have rather read about France than two women who decided to get it on in a bathroom.

Upon opening the paper Tuesday, it became immediately clear the Herald was operated by a boy's club of sorts Monday night. It became clear the Herald is run by men — a few college men standing around getting a good laugh at cheerleaders having sex. For the benefit of all your readers, please use good judgment when deciding what stories to run.

I think it's also safe to say if these were male cheerleaders, the story would not have made the cut.

A few rules to consider when deciding what will run: did it happen at UW? In Madison? In Wisconsin? Is it college related? Is it national news? Those are pretty safe indicators of what's worth running in the News section. Just a few ideas.

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Anonymous (November 10, 2005 @ 8:00am):

Do you have any idea what an ombudsman is? Wwriting articles critical of your own newspaper doesn't fall under the description of an ombudsman.

Anonymous (November 10, 2005 @ 10:31am):

What is a news ombudsman?

A news ombudsman receives and investigates complaints from newspaper readers or listeners or viewers of radio and television stations about accuracy, fairness, balance and good taste in news coverage. He or she recommends appropriate remedies or responses to correct or clarify news reports.

Anonymous (November 10, 2005 @ 10:39am):

Cristina, lighten up. It wasn't the cover or even page 2. Had it been 2 men it would have been page 1. C'mon Cristina, NFL + hot lesbian sex + bar brawl = ad revenue.

Anonymous (November 10, 2005 @ 1:49pm):

People wanted to hear about the story because its hot stuff - isn't that obvious Cristini? :-P

Anonymous (November 10, 2005 @ 5:28pm):

i think this is a clear case of simple jealousy... sorry you arent good lookin like those cheerleaders were... and dont give us guys hot spicy boners like that story does. not our fault, get over it.