Sunday, July 27, 2008

Got Unanswered? Seriously?!

Right out the gate, I'll say I think the Washington Post is still one of the smarter papers in the U.S. But grammatically correct? No. And it's been getting worse over the years, particularly in their online version.

Today's gaffe takes the cake and leaves me one part bemused and one part pained. This was in the More Top Stories column under the Health Section.


Note the headline in red (which is that color because I'd just clicked on it before I took this screen shot.) If you still can't read it, it says "Repeated Calls to 911 got Unanswered."

I'd like to give the WashingtonPost.com a break and think that perhaps this was a pressing, breaking news story that was posted in a flurry of paper and Perry-White-where's-that-story drama, but it's below the electronic fold, so to speak. Ergo, it was/is a scheduled story. I'm sure they meant to say "go unanswered" but someone was tee happy, added an extra letter, and no one caught it.

Obviously someone on the copy desk wasn't drinking their Red Bull last night.

Of course, I'm sure by the time you read this, the Post will have corrected itself.

7 comments:

Gilahi said...

I just read this story in the Post and was considering blogging about it. Imagine my surprise when I found that a couple of people have very nearly died due to ineptitude at Verizon. Since more people read your blog than mine, I will shamelessly piggy-back here and repeat: Please don't ever buy anything from Verizon. J.M., I won't be hurt if you decide to remove this comment.

http://gilahi-blog.blogspot.com/2008/06/inspired-by-pedro-vera-dont-purchase.html

Cele said...

Oh mi gosh and I don't even type there and yet they have my technique.

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

Gilahi: I think more people read your blog. You should definitely write another Verizon rant! I'm getting ready to call them and ask why my calling plan, which I signed up three years ago at $19.99/month unlimited calls and $49.99/month for internet, is costing me over $200/month. Somethin' ain't right there....


Cele: Your writing is a technique and style and is acceptable and loved by your readers. The WaPo's is unacceptable as a national newspaper.


UPDATE: I posted this entry at 6:30 AM today. It's now 1:30 PM--seven hours later and it's still posted as "got Unanswered." I suppose I need to link to the actual article if I want to get their attention, eh? Idiots.

Gilahi said...

And again I feel compelled to ask the question: How do these people stay in business?

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

Gilahi: It is a compelling question and one that I doubt will every be properly answer so long as Verizon has a near stranglehold on personal telecommunications options in these parts.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I don't know. It was just an extra "t".

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

Will: I'm pretty positive you're right. But still...