Saturday, January 24, 2009

Dr. Walker's pet peeves

In the real world of journalism, there are no excuses. The reporter either gets the job done or doesn't. That's not to say that reporters don't fail or can't compromise. They do -- all the time, and they may have to apologize for things they fail to do or do wrong. But they take responsibility for their work. They don't use excuses.
Here are some of the excuses that students sometimes use that make me wince:
--I overslept.
--My computer broke.
--I couldn't reach my source.
--I don't have a printer so I couldn't bring the story in time.
--My Mom booked my flight before the test/final, so I can't be there.
--I had to take a friend to the doctor.
--"They" gave me the wrong information so I couldn't find where I was going.
--I didn't have time to follow up.
--I didn't find anyone to interview.
--The meeting/event was boring and I couldn't find a story.

Professors make excuses, too. What are your pet professor peeves? I encourage you to post a comment, anonymously if you wish.

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