Posted by
NuinHK
12 yrs ago
Since I moved to HK over six years ago, I have relied on this town's major English language newspaper for reliable information on the local scene. Not to get Ed nervous, that paper shall remain "nameless" in this posting.
Lately I have found that the said paper has being going down the hill in terms of quality. Mis-identified figures in photos, mis-placed cities, mis-spellings, you name it. Case in point, in today's business section on a car deal, it reads in part that "the company was looking to list... in Hong Kong this year to raise about 10 billion yuan (HK$1.24 billion)." Since when has the RMB devalued so much? I thought I only took a nap.
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I think the most amazing thing here is that it took you six years to realise. Most people notice after 6 days.
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The days of print newspapers is drawing to an end. All traditional newspapers are under huge profitability pressure, caused by the wholesale withdrawal of advertising revenue, which as most of us understand, has gone forever, into other media. One major casualty of the profitability squeeze is of course all the sub-editors, who used to check copy for accuracy.
If you don't enjoy reading your paper, don't worry, it will be gone forever soon.
Then you can complain about the lack of accuracy in the on-line alternatives.
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You want to know why?
Look at the gatekeepers of journalism schools; look at the age and linguistic background of reporters; look at the requirements posted in job ads for those media outlets; and note one of the largest English language newspapers employs at least one writing coach.
One of the newspapers is attempting to include more audio and video reports but they've relied on fresh grads and seasoned press hacks. The results are awful - home video and hospital radio. Oh, but that's just like local English language TV and Radio!
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I'll just go ahead and say it...We're talking about the SCMP, right?
Well, it has gone to thesh*thole and it's simply because from what I've read the main editor is some dude from Mainland China now, and they've started to hire mostly local/mainland Chinese journalists - many of whom aren't what I would consider fluent in the English language.
It's the same thing I've noticed on TVB Pearl / aTV World, simply an insult to the English language.
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Very good point about it being an insult to English ciaomein. Sometimes the subtitles for TVCs seem indecipherable and run at break-neck speed.
I'm all for a variety of English and the the language changing with the times, but it must be intelligible.
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I concur with the first poster. It has clearly gone downhill. And something fishy is often going on with Letters To The Editor. For example, I recently noticed that one of the letters seemed to be from a made-up/invented personality who came from my professional association (we checked our records and that person does not exist).....naturally, she was writing in with a controversial, pro-Mainland view.
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all that's said is true but many of you are missing the point
at HK$9 a month, it is still the cheapest kitty litter pan liner around !
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Gee Whiz: HK$9 a month?
In today's paper (March 7)
" A man has received a 54,000 yuan (HK$633,7000) payout for being wrongly jailed for 244 days..." The poor guy should have asked for the payout in HKD!
And my paltry HKD savings has turned worthless. Thanks a lot, SCMP.
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your problem is because you read the damn thing
use if for kitty litter, cats don't care what they crap on, truth or not :)
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Totally agree with all comments here. I read the WSJ, US and Asia editions on a tablet and occasionally the NYTimes and FT . The Journal is approximately on a 12 grade +/- level. When I am on a break or after a meeting at a Starbucks in Central I pick up the SCMP and in less than five minutes I feel I have entered the 7th grade. I have never seen so many errors of omission, biased reporting, and terrible editing anywhere in the English world. Simply unbelievable.
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LOL thank God the contact I had there fled himself and that also resulted in me not getting on board, I even made them SEO audit for the purpose of the failed operation.
I am still looking to land a job in HK but these rumors explain it all - the sudden quit of the person who I was recommened to and the change in situation. He was supposed to get me to work for them, I do SEO, IT related work, not writing.
BTW, they have a flaw in the subscription limiting system, allowing you to read as much as you please.
And this is not a hack - nothing out of legitimite operations - but a very user-level, generic flaw, and they have been informed in my audit at the time of its making. Last time I checked it was still applicable. Just in case someone wants to read for free this rag :)
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