This column periodically highlights juxtaposed differences–whether a function of priorities or proactive hustle–in local media coverage and occasionally points out prominent proof-reading oversights in print. The inevitable theme of the latter: While mistakes, of course, have always happened in deadlined media, it’s never been like this. As newspapers struggle to compete, chronic down-staffing and overall dumbing-down hardly help.
*I’m a hockey fan, so when I picked up Saturday’s morning Tampa Tribune, I checked the tease for Stanley Cup playoff results. There it was on page 1 of Sports: “Rangers beat Capitals in overtime to take over momentum with victory in Game 5 of Eastern Conference series.” See page 2 for details. I did. Page 2: “Capitals Defeat Rangers in OT.” Indeed, it’s all in the details.
* Saturday’s Tampa Bay Times trumpeted the bullrushing Dow 30 Industrials hitting another record high: “15,1184.40.” Hey, what’s an extra digit? It’s still a record.
*Saturday’s leading editorial in the Times railed against a lack of transparency in what hospitals charge. In fact, “the ‘stack is decked’ against the working poor” it underscored. In reality, it’s even worse: The deck is actually stacked against those who can’t afford insurance.
*A lot of political glitterati turned out for the Hillsborough County Democratic Party’s Kennedy-King fundraiser in Tampa last Saturday night. The keynote speaker was former Gov. Charlie Crist. The Sunday Times accorded it page-one coverage with a prominent, two-photo spread on the page-5 jump. The cutlines on both photos identified Crist greeting and then dining with former state Education Commissioner Betty Castor. Oops, it was actually former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman. Separated at birth?
Thematic ads around Mother’s Day are nothing new. In fact, the Trib worked in three female-oriented ones on the same page last Saturday. Let’s see, there was one stressing breast-cancer ultrasound screening, one addressing ovarian cancer awareness and one promoting a Shooters World special: “Mom shoots free on Mother’s Day.” You can’t make this up; let it go at that.