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Dumb media stories
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by MikeB on June 12, 2006
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While I've dopped in her frequently, I only recently registered . . . have kept a few hots in the distant oast but only have a rat snake these days. And I am also a former newspaper reporter who occasionally wrote articles about snakes (we have them in Oklahoma!) from a truly informed point of view. I often see comments here and on other reptile fora about the dumb, alarmist and sensationalized stories that appear about snakes, especially about bite cases. Let me offer a suggestion from a snake lover and former reporter: Most people in the news business are generalists, which means they have no real knowledge about most of what they write about . . . a city council meeting today, a snakebite tomorrow. No one can know all that stuff, so they need to rely on others for information and background. If every competent herper or local herp club would contact their local newspaper (city editor) and TV station (news director) and give them the names and contact info of several local herp enthusiasts, most of them would call whenever they had a snake-related story underway. They'd ask for comments and get real information, not silly speculation or scare stories . . . and that input would become part of the coverage. Remember, they have deadlines -- usually around 4 p.m. for TV and 9 or 10 for a morning paper. That means the info they get in the 3-4 hours they work on a story is going to be the info in the news, and if people who know what they are talking about are available for easy contact, the story is likely to be more balanced and sensible. This is especially true in areas where there are hot snakes in the wild . . . so maybe stop griping about the problem (which is very real) and start being part of the solution!
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RE: Dumb media stories
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by DubVeeJames on June 12, 2006
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We had an article in the paper a few days ago about a copperhead that was found coiled around the base of a light post in downtown Charleston. They did a pretty good story and didn't say anything untrue or negative about the snake. It did say a guy attempted to pick it up with his barehands and "the snake bit him but it did not appear the fangs went all the way in, then he walked off like nothing happened." I'd be interested to know more about that. It also said the lady from the DNR could not confirm that the snake was a copperhead from the picture. The picture was pretty clear and easily identifiable. I understand reporters not knowing much about snakes, but it seems like a wildlife and game official should be able to identify a copperhead.
-James
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RE: Dumb media stories
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by MoccasinMan on June 12, 2006
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Mike- those are some excellent suggestions. It goes along with the idea of asserting yourself as the expert in your area. If there is a question concerning reptiles, raptors or wildlife in general around the OBX many will seek me out. A natural extention of that would be to preemptively contact the media and assert myself as the local expert. That way when something comes up I can help disseminate accurate info. Thanx.
Andrew
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RE: Dumb media stories
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by rickyduckworth on June 12, 2006
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but in reality, we all know what makes a STORY and that is the most important thing for MOST media outlets; the attractiveness of it all, not the factual content.....the general opinion of snakes is that they're bad and writers will always pander to that whether it's admitted or not...lack of info is complete bull since ANYONE can get on the internet and find out anything in minutes nowadays.......100 years ago, yeah, maybe but not now.....ANYONE with access can know anything......
that's why creative editing will even take the most factual story and make it look more interesting, less realistic (to those who know)
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by LarryDFishel on June 12, 2006
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I understand what you're saying, and I don't doubt that you did a good job, but it's maybe a little more complex. I have spoken to several knowledgable people who now refuse to talk to the media at all because after doing exactly as you suggest they've been interviewed by reporters who promptly either ignored everything they said except for the one line that sounded sensationalistic or misquoted them as saying the most ridiculous things.
I've personally talked with and sent pictures to a reporter in the NE (don't remember offhand where) after they published a story about local kids being menaced by a cottonmouth which predictably turned out to be a northern water snake. The reporter obviously had good intentions and wanted to run a correction, but the editor apparently didn't think that was very interesting.
I'm not saying don't help them, but at least try to be very specific and be careful what you say...
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RE: Dumb media stories
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by Mustangrde1 on June 13, 2006
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The Media has to have drama plain and simple... I know of one story for sure that was so made it up it was sickening lines such as " FRANTIC CALLS TO 911 WERE MADE" and "paitent is in critical condition" were used.
Well there was No calls to 911 i drove the person to the hospital "actually his personal doc first" then to the ER. AS FAR AS SERIOUS CONDITION LOL ya he had hamburgers snuck in to the room for him as well as sneaking out for a smoke break. Serious may have ment he was seriously not going to eat hospital food...
I will not talk to the media and beleive strongly that no one should they will make up the story no matter what the truth is anyway so why fuel the fire by giving them the chance for a misquote.
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RE: Dumb media stories
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by MikeB on June 13, 2006
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A quick example: many years back when I was a police reporter, a university grad student in a suburb here "lost" an Eqyptian cobra he was keeping at home for some research. Simple cage escape -- and of course people in that area were in panic mode ("Our children will all die!" etc.) I knew enough to call the local zoo herpetarium director and ask the right questions, i.e., will the snake wander far (probably not) and most importantly, It's October and cool at night -- what will this do to a snake used to hot climes? (kill it soon, keep iy sluggish.) Of course the snake was found within 100 feet of the escape point three days later, with no harm done. But if I had not known what I did about reptiles, the "world ends, details at 11!" stories would have been prominent. As it turned out, most of the local media, especially TV, followed my lead and kept the stories reasonable. The same thing would work if more local news agencies had someone to contact who knew something about reptiles. I understand the frustration I see here, but it ain't gonna change if we just refuse to try to talk to these people.
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